Robocath Appoints CEO

Robocath, a medical robotics start-up developing technology to improve endovascular procedures, has appointed Pascal Guy as CEO. An expert in cardiovascular medical devices, Pascal Guy can draw on more than 20 years experience in the medtech industry.

Guy joined Robocath in 2015 as a consultant and gradually assumed the role of CEO. Prior to joining Robocath, for four years he held the position of international vice president at Stryker Neurovascular. Before that, he was global vice president of sales and marketing for Europe and Japan with the Sorin Group. Between 1996 and 2007, he built a career at Boston Scientific Corp., holding various management posts such as vice president of international vascular.
 
“We are delighted to welcome Pascal Guy in this strategic management position, especially since Robocath is currently at a pivotal moment in its development,” said Philippe Bencteux, Robocath founder and president. “Thanks to his experience working with vascular medical devices in some of the leading companies, he will bring to Robocath his strategic management skills, his understanding of the needs of the sector and his up-to-date knowledge of the market. Doctors are becoming increasingly aware of the health problems caused by daily exposure to X-rays. We aim to be involved in this awareness-raising process and help health professionals do their job in the safest possible manner. The potential benefits of robotics are enormous for practicians, patients and, more generally, hospitals and healthcare systems.”
 
Guy’s expertise in cardiovascular and neurovascular medical devices is expected to help accelerate the start-up’s development. The new CEO will be responsible for successfully concluding the next steps in the company’s development: a pre-clinical trial starting in the next few months, acquisition of CE marking and U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval, and launching the R-One robot on the market (provisionally at the end of 2017) and its international roll-out. Due to his network of contacts, Guy will be able to speed up the process of drawing up strategic and scientific opinions and help raise the necessary capital for the next stages in the firm’s development. He will also work on consolidating the company’s intellectual property and assets alongside Bencteux.
 
Currently in the pre-industrial phase, the R-One robot developed by Robocath allows vascular procedures to be performed without exposure to X-rays, thereby responding to the challenges of interventional cardiology. According to the World Health Organization, cardio-vascular disease is responsible for 17.5 million deaths annually, making it one of the leading causes of death worldwide. These pathologies require interventions such as angioplasty (insertion of catheters and stents), which take place under exposure to X-rays. Despite considerable improvements in past years, healthcare staff are still exposed on a daily basis to the detrimental effects of irradiation. Ionising radiation is responsible for a number of recognized occupational diseases, including cataracts, cancer, musculo-skeletal disorders (MSD) due to the prolonged wearing of a protective lead apron, thyroid problems, skin lesions and semantic, lexical or short term visual memory problems.
 
“The robotic technology developed by Robocath addresses the challenges of tomorrow’s interventional cardiovascular treatments and brings important benefits for patients and cath labs staff, whilst addressing the medico-economic challenges of modern healthcare systems. The momentum we see in the adoption of robotic solutions in various medical and surgical specialties, as well as the acquisition of these solutions by major players in our industry, shows a growing interest in these new technologies,” said Guy. “European and American key opinion leaders have already joined our scientific board, highlighting the strength of this project and its potential to disrupt interventional vascular procedures.”
 
Robocath is a medical robotics start-up developing technology to improve the management of endovascular procedures. These micro-invasive procedures are performed via outpatient catheterization. Developed by Dr Philippe Bencteux, a neuro-radiology specialist and his team, the R-One robot allows catheters to be manipulated from an operating console during angioplasty. It significantly improves the safety of health professionals who are exposed to X-rays as well as the quality of care for patients. It also results in major savings for both the hospital and the healthcare system.
 
Protected by more than 30 international patents, Robocath’s robotic platform is compatible with standard equipment and boasts a user-friendly navigation system. It is based on two key technologies: R-grasp, an anthropomorphic system allowing simultaneous rotation and translation with millimetre precision, and SecurAccess, which ensures the stability of the catheter in order to prevent loss of access to the lesion.
 
Founded in 2009, Robocath is based in Rouen at the Seine Biopolis cluster. It employs 16 people. The company raised €3 million via Go Capital and NCI. It receives financial support from bpifrance and the Normandy Region. Robocath is part of the ‘Rouen Innovation Santé’ economic initiative on health run by City of Rouen in Normandy. It is also involved in the competitiveness clusters of Medicen Paris Region and Cap Digital.