Medical Device Network

Microbot partners with Boston Hospital to trial Liberty surgical robot

The Brigham and Women’s Hospital will be a study site for Micobot’s Liberty Endovascular Robotic Surgical System’s pivotal clinical trial.

US-based medical device company, Microbot Medical has announced that the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts will serve as one of the clinical trial sites set to perform the pivotal human study of its Micobot’s Liberty Endovascular Robotic Surgical System.

The Liberty system is a single-use endovascular surgical robotic system designed to improve endovascular procedures. In May 2023, the Liberty system completed more than 100th catheterisations during multiple pre-clinical studies. The system achieved a success rate of 95% in meeting pre-determined vascular targets.

Microbot has completed a site initiation visit at the centre and has trained staff on the clinical study protocols and the use of the Liberty system. The company also expects the first shipment of the Liberty system at the hospital this week.

The robotic surgical systems market is projected to grow from being worth approximately $3.3bn in 2023 to $7.2bn in 2033, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.7%, as per GlobalData analysis. The growth of the robotic surgical systems market is driven by an increased focus on value-based healthcare, which focuses on improving surgical outcomes for patients.

In November 2023, Johnson & Johnson unveiled plans to submit its OTTAVA robotic surgical system to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for an investigational device exemption (IDE) application status. The planned submission is expected to take place in the second half of 2024 and will be followed by the initiation of clinical trials of the system.

Earlier this month, the company secured clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to start human clinical trials in the US for its Liberty system. Microbot is also looking to add additional trial sites in the US.

Microbot is also developing remote capabilities for the Liberty system, allowing the surgical procedure to take place without the presence of the surgeon at the concerned site. In December 2023, the company partnered with Corewell Health to develop these telerobotics using the Liberty system between remote centres.

The use of 5G is forecasted to propel the growth of robotic surgery. A GlobalData survey identified that over 40% of 1,216 respondents in the medical industry considered robotic process automation likely to impact their jobs over the next three years, with 33.5% expecting 5G to have an impact.