Robocath’s R-One Robot Completes First Coronary Angioplasty

Robocath’s R-One robotic platform continues to break new ground with the completion of its first coronary angioplasty. 

With the help of Dr. Yundai Chen, a renowned interventional cardiologist, R-One successfully carried out the procedure at 301 Hospital in Beijing. “Robocath’s robotic platform enables a coronary angioplasty to be carried out safely while being totally protected from radiation, and under more comfortable conditions,” Chen said. “It is intuitive and the system is incredibly precise; it’s possible to position stents to the exact millimeter. I’m flattered to have been the first person to use this technology in China and to help push forward the progress of robotics in our country.” 

The R-One-assisted procedure is the first intervention within a clinical study carried out by CathBot, a joint venture between Robocath and MedBot (the robot-focused subsidiary of MicroPort Scientific Corporation), according to Robocath. This clinical study will include more than 100 patients across four centers to obtain Chinese marketing authorization for the R-One robotic platform.
 
“This first clinical trial of a robotic PCI with R-One is an important milestone in the surgical robotics field for our company. There is no similar product available in our country. With the clinical development and subsequent launch of R-One, it will fill the field gap in robotic PCI in China and will benefit both doctors and patients,” said Dr. He Chao, president of MedBot.

R-One uses a bionic and unique technology that optimizes the safety of robotic-assisted coronary angioplasty. This medical procedure consists of revascularizing the cardiac muscle by inserting one or more implants (stents) into the arteries that supply it with blood. This type of procedure is performed every 30 seconds somewhere throughout the planet. R-One is designed to operate with precision and perform specific movements, creating better interventional conditions; its open architecture gives R-One compatibility with other devices and catheter labs. In a prospective, randomized, controlled pre-clinical trial, R-One demonstrated safety and efficacy as it achieved 100 percent technical procedure success and no MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events).
 
“We have reached a key step in our product development, in accordance with our development plan, in a highly strategic geographical area. China currently carries out more angioplasties than any other country. I’d like to thank the CathBot teams for all their work. Together, with our remote treatment technology, our robot will eventually become a key element in access to patient care within the country,” said Philippe Bencteux, M.D., president and founder of Robocath and president of CathBot.
 
Robocath CEO Lucien Goffart added: “In the interventional cardiology field, the Chinese market currently has the highest growth rate in the world. More than 1 million procedures per year are performed in the country and the number of catheterization labs has doubled since 2010—now reaching 2,000. This procedure comes only one year after the joint venture setup; it marks a key step in its development. This puts us in a strong position to be awarded marketing authorization from the NMPA in the near future.”
 
Founded in 2014, MedBot develops intelligent surgical robotic systems and solutions. Following years of research and development, innovation and industrial accumulation, MedBot is a medical robotics company that masters the underlying technology in the entire chain. MedBot’s three flagship products in the three major segments, namely the Toumai laparoscopic surgical robot, Skywalker joint replacement surgical robot, and DFVision three-dimensional electronic laparoscope, have entered the special approval procedure (Green Path) for innovative medical devices at China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA); it has become the only surgical robotics company with three ‘Green Path’ grants in China. Its current business covers five areas, including endoscopy, orthopedics, vascular intervention, natural orifice and percutaneous puncture.
 
MicroPort was founded in 1998 in ZJ Hi-Tech Park in Shanghai, China. MicroPort is focused on covering 10 major areas, including cardiovascular intervention and structural heart diseases; electrophysiology and cardiac rhythm management; orthopedics and soft tissue repair; endovascular and peripheral vascular diseases; neurovascular intervention and neurosciences; life sciences (endocrine management); surgical devices and medical robotics; urology and gynecology/respiratory and gastroenterology; aesthetics and rehabilitation; and in-vitro diagnostics and medical imaging. More than 300 MicroPort devices are currently approved for use in nearly 10,000 hospitals worldwide. The company has a global footprint of R&D and manufacturing sites (Shanghai; Memphis, Tenn.; Clamart in France; Saluggia in Italy; Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic), more than 4,700 patent applications, and a global workforce of over 7,000 employees.

Founded in 2009 by Bencteux, Robocath designs, develops, and commercializes robotic solutions to treat cardiovascular diseases. R-One received CE marking in February 2019 and started its clinical application in September 2019. Currently R-One is available in Europe and Africa. Based in Rouen, France, Robocath has more than 60 employees.