Newswise — Columbia University Science & Technology Ventures and EndoRobotics, Inc. have entered into an exclusive license agreement to develop and commercialize a micro-robotic imaging and surgical device platform designed to reduce the complexity of minimally invasive surgical (MIS) procedures and improve patient outcomes.
Research during the past decade has demonstrated the relative benefits of MIS approaches over open surgical procedures. These advantages include reduced trauma from multiple small incisions compared to one large incision, better preservation of pulmonary function, quicker return of gastrointestinal function, and a reduced stress response, leading to better preservation of immune function. Recent reports also document fewer incisional hernias and intestinal obstructions after MIS as compared to traditional open surgeries.
Despite this large body of evidence that MIS approaches, most of which are currently performed with laparoscopes, are beneficial in many ways, MIS is not as widely adopted as one might expect. For example, it is estimated that only about 10 percent of all lung resections and fewer than 7 percent of colon resections in the United States are performed minimally invasively. A key reason for low uptake is that laparoscopic technologies, which have been in routine use since the early 1990s, demand counterintuitive movements, i.e. to view an anatomical field from left to right, the surgeon must move the laparoscope from right to left. Thus, the handling of laparoscopes requires extensive training and significant dexterity to operate, limiting not only the number of surgeons who are able to master such procedures but also the complexity of procedures that can be performed with laparoscopic tools.
EndoRobotics, Inc., a New York-based, privately held start-up company, will be pursuing the development of VisionTrackerOneâ„¢, a micro-robotic camera that aims to reduce the complexity of MIS procedures. VisionTrackerOneâ„¢ will be controlled with intuitive motions, which EndoRobotics hopes will expand the usability of and access to MIS procedures.
The concepts underlying the VisionTrackerOneâ„¢ device are the result of a long-standing collaboration between Dr. Fowler, formerly the Director of Minimal Access Surgery Center at Columbia University Medical Center and Vice President of Perioperative Services at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and Peter Allen, PhD, a professor in the Department of Computer Science at Columbia University and Chair of EndoRobotics' Technical Advisory Board. Allen says, "On the whole, MIS offers a less painful, quicker recovery for the patient as well as a major reduction in the morbidity and suffering associated with open surgical complications." Adds Fowler, "But, the mainstay platform for MIS surgeries " laparoscopic tools and technology " has not kept up with the needs of surgeons. We came up with our original ideas and refined these over time to address the frustrations we were encountering in the OR."
Under the leadership of Sid Braginsky, a veteran medical device leader and former President of Olympus America, EndoRobotics will be pursuing seven clinical applications for regulatory approval which, collectively, represent more than four million open surgical procedures annually. Braginsky says, "We believe that VisionTrackerOneâ„¢ is uniquely positioned to successfully push the frontiers in minimally invasive surgery. We're building a strong and experienced team, with James Wylie, EndoRobotics' President and CEO, and Dennis Fowler, MD MPH as Chief Medical Officer, that will allow us to rapidly penetrate the laparoscopic market."
"We are looking forward to working with EndoRobotics to realize the potential of our device technology," says Ron Katz, the licensing officer at STV who negotiated the agreement. "In addition to improving surgical outcomes, one patient at a time, by expanding access to safer, less invasive procedures, we hope to help reduce the overall burden of post-operative care which costs our economy millions of dollars each year."
About Columbia University Science & Technology VenturesA leading academic and research university, Columbia University continually seeks to advance the frontiers of knowledge and to foster a campus community deeply engaged in understanding and addressing the complex global issues of our time. Columbia University's technology transfer office, Science & Technology Ventures (STV), serves as a bridge between Columbia's researchers and the business community. STV's core objective is to facilitate the transfer of inventions from academic research to outside organizations for the benefit of society on a local, national and global basis. As such, STV's primary mission is to identify, evaluate, protect, and license or form companies based on Columbia's intellectual property. STV at Columbia University is considered one of the leading technology transfer offices in the world, with more than 300 invention disclosures from faculty, 70 license deals and 12 new start-ups each year. For more information on STV, please visit www.stv.columbia.edu.
About EndoRoboticsEndoRobotics is creating simple-to-use, cost effective and competitively distinctive alternatives to standard laparoscopes. Currently approved devices do not provide a clear field of vision and are cumbersome to use, counterintuitive and difficult to operate. The Company believes its innovative products will effectively resolve these deficiencies and help accelerate the conversion of major access ("open" ) surgery to minimally invasive surgical procedures with minimal capital cost. This conversion will increase hospital revenues and patient satisfaction through faster procedures, shorter recovery times, diminished length of hospital stay, reduced infections and overall improved outcomes. For more information on EndoRobotics, please visit www.endoroboticsinc.com.
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