- Olympus to take a significant equity stake in Swan EndoSurgical with a combined initial investment of at least $65 million.
- Swan EndoSurgical to develop an innovative endoluminal robotic system for less invasive therapeutic treatments.
- The total combined funding could reach up to $458 million if pre-agreed milestones are met and the program reaches term.
TOKYO – Olympus Corporation (Olympus), a global MedTech company committed to making people’s lives healthier, safer, and more fulfilling, today announced the conclusion of an agreement with Revival Healthcare Capital (Revival) to drive advancements in endoluminal robotics. Olympus and Revival will co-found Swan EndoSurgical, a new company dedicated to developing a novel robotic system designed to revolutionize gastrointestinal (GI) patient care in the future.
Endoluminal robotics aims to empower more physicians to safely perform innovative techniques, enhancing patient access to treatment options that support safety and improved recovery times. This groundbreaking advancement has the potential to create new and significantly enhanced minimally invasive treatment options for major unmet medical needs by boosting precision and efficiency in procedures addressing ergonomic strain for healthcare professionals.
Bob White, Representative Executive Officer, President and Chief Executive Officer at Olympus commented, “This partnership marks a significant milestone in our strategic initiative to advance endoluminal robotics. We are excited to enter this collaboration that we expect to play a pivotal role in reshaping the GI market by expanding procedural capabilities for physicians. This will allow the delivery of transformative, organ-sparing care that enhances outcomes for a broad patient population.”
For decades, endoscopy—placing a flexible camera into an existing body orifice—has yielded early and accurate diagnoses of conditions such as GI tract cancer. In recent years, specialists, primarily gastroenterologists, have begun performing endoscopic therapeutic procedures, such as cancer resection, by inserting instruments through the endoscope. However, manual endoscopes and their instruments have limitations that make many advanced procedures within the lumen of the GI tract challenging and not widely available globally.
The development of an endoluminal robot, with its ability to easily maneuver within the GI tract and deploy flexible arms, provides the opportunity for more patients to benefit from safe and effective procedures, potentially avoiding invasive surgery. This innovation allows for the early, safe, and effective treatment of lesions or tumors in the GI tract relative to current therapeutic options. Furthermore, the technology has the potential for application in numerous other disease areas.
Headquartered in the United States, Swan EndoSurgical has assembled a leadership team of highly experienced industry professionals who will drive technical, clinical, and commercial development of the robotic platform.
