TransEnterix (NYSE:TRXC) yesterday touted the 1st clinical use in France of its Senhance robot-assisted surgery platform.
The 1st French case, performed by Dr. Celine Chauleur of CHU Saint-Ètienne, was a hysterectomy to treat endometrial cancer with pelvic lymphadenectomy Feb. 7. The patient was discharged less than 24 hours after surgery, Morrisville, N.C.-based TransEnterix said.
“I am very pleased to now offer Senhance surgery to my patients for the treatment of gynecologic cancers,” Chauleur said in prepared remarks. “As a minimally invasive surgeon, I appreciate the precision and control of this robotic surgical system to manage delicate tasks. The surgery requires minimal change from the gold standard laparoscopic approach, and I am able to operate comfortably while easily communicating with the surgical team using the open robotic console. The robot also allows me to carefully control advanced 3D visualization by simply moving my eyes, and the haptic feedback enables me to actually feel the location of other ancillary devices needed in the surgery.”
“This is an important milestone for our company as we continue the growth and adoption of Senhance Surgery to treat patients across Europe,” added president & CEO Todd Pope. “CHU Saint-Ètienne is a leading academic medical institution in France and we are pleased with the successful start of a Senhance Robotic Surgery Clinical Leadership Program in gynecologic surgery at this important hospital.”
TransEnterix, which acquired Senhance for $100 million last fall as the Telelap ALF-X device, is on track for an FDA decision next year (it was a timely buy, as the company shelved its flagship SurgiBot last year after the FDA denied its submission for 510(k) clearance). Last month Italy’s Sofar SpA agreed to buy a $5 million stake in TransEnterix, in lieu of a $10 million milestone payment as the duo amended the deal for Senhance.
In December 2016 TransEnterix inked a deal to sell up to $25 million worth of stock to Lincoln Park Capital Fund and opened a new robotic surgery training and R&D center in Milan.
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