Broad Reimbursement Approval Given in Japan for TransEnterix’s Senhance Digital Laparoscopy System

TransEnterix Inc., a medical device company that is pioneering the use of robotics to improve minimally invasive surgery, announced that Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) expert review panel provided reimbursement for procedures performed with the Senhance Surgical System.
 
The reimbursement, which became effective on July 31, applies to 98 benign and malignant laparoscopic procedures across general, colorectal, gynecologic, bariatric and urologic surgeries at reimbursement rates equivalent to traditional laparoscopy in Category A1. The Senhance received regulatory approval from the Japanese MHLW on May 22, 2019.
 
“We are extremely pleased to have obtained reimbursement in Japan, which represents another critical milestone as we work to drive adoption of the Senhance globally,” said Todd M. Pope, TranEnterix president and CEO. “We view Japan as a significant opportunity as it is the world’s second-largest surgical robotics market, and we will continue to work to put our commercial infrastructure in place to support a successful commercial launch.”
 
Japan is the second-largest medical device market in the world, valued at over $40 billion annually, including over $5 billion in capital equipment spending. There are more than 8,400 hospitals in Japan, of which approximately 80 percent are private entities. Japanese laparoscopic penetration in surgery is among the highest in the world. The central government has implemented cost containment initiatives in recent years and has approached recent procedure approvals for robotics by establishing reimbursement at the same rate as traditional laparoscopy, which places a high emphasis on procedure cost to influence adoption.
 
TransEnterix is a medical device company that is digitizing the interface between the surgeon and the patient to improve minimally invasive surgery by addressing the clinical and economic challenges associated with current laparoscopic and robotic options in today’s value-based healthcare environment. The company is focused on the commercialization of the Senhance Surgical System, which digitizes laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery. The system allows for robotic precision, haptic feedback, surgeon camera control via eye sensing and improved ergonomics while offering responsible economics. The Senhance Surgical System is available for sale in the United States, the European Union, and select other countries.