- It reached an exclusive distribution agreement with Gunze Medical Limited, a leading developer and manufacturer of medical devices in Japan. The agreement signals a step toward commercializing Symani across Japan, upon regulatory approval, and will eventually enable hospitals there to expand their open surgical programs to include microsurgery and supermicrosurgery procedures.
- The Symani Surgical System has now received regulatory approvals in 35 countries around the world, most recently securing approvals in Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand and Taiwan. They mark Symani’s latest regulatory milestones following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorizing the system for commercial use in April.
- It has expanded commercialization efforts in Europe by partnering with the Synektik Group, a leading integrator of innovative medical solutions that covers six countries across Eastern Europe. The agreement marks the next stage in bolstering Synektik’s standing as a top distributor of robotic medical systems in the region.
“The demand for innovative, less invasive, highly precise surgical options is increasing around the world, particularly in Asia, where microsurgery and reconstructive surgery both have long histories,” said Mark Toland, CEO of MMI. “Our recent regulatory approvals in multiple countries, and growing relationships with distributors in key markets, have enabled us to accelerate our timeline for global expansion. Each new milestone represents another step toward expanding patient access to highly advanced microsurgical capabilities around the world.”
The Symani Surgical System uniquely addresses the scale and complexities of microsurgery and supermicrosurgery, such as the anastomosis and suturing of small anatomical structures like blood and lymphatic vessels, during open surgical procedures. By allowing surgeons to replicate the natural movements of the human hand at the micro scale, it can help restore quality of life for more patients, accelerate the number of surgeons able to push the boundaries of complex procedures for delicate anatomy, and enable hospitals to expand their open surgical programs.
“Our partnership with MMI will facilitate the Symani Surgical System’s expansion into Japan,” said Shojiro Matsuda, President of Gunze Medical Limited. “We are deeply committed to expanding patient access to robotic-assisted microsurgery and believe Symani’s proven clinical success will complement our relationships with care provider organizations with expertise in plastic and reconstructive surgery.”
Asia-Pacific represents the fastest growing microsurgery market in the world, and Taiwan specifically is a hub of microsurgical innovation that attracts surgeons from around the globe. MMI has already signed a distributor agreement in the country to support its regulatory approval there and details are being finalized on the heels of the authorization.
“MMI’s mission to expand patient access to highly specialized microsurgical options perfectly aligns with our own as we help to further enable robotic capabilities across Poland and Eastern Europe,” said Cezary Kozanecki, founder and CEO of Synektik. “Symani has introduced a new level of capability and enabled surgeons to perform exceptionally precise procedures that include lymphedema repair, head and neck cancer-related reconstruction, and autologous breast reconstruction. Our health system partners have already expressed significant interest in expanding their open surgery capabilities to include procedures they haven’t been able to previously perform.”
To learn more about MMI and the Symani Surgical System, visit MMI’s website here: https://mmimicro.com.
About MMI
MMI (Medical Microinstruments, Inc.) is on a mission to advance robotic technology that pushes the limits of soft tissue open surgery and opens new opportunities for surgeons to restore quality of life for more patients with complex conditions. The company was founded in 2015 near Pisa, Italy, and its proprietary Symani® Surgical System combines the world’s smallest wristed microinstruments with tremor-reducing and motion-scaling technologies to address significant unmet patient needs across the globe. This first-of-its-kind surgical robotic platform for open, soft tissue micro-level surgery can help address microvascular repair and lymphatic repair. In Europe and APAC, it also addresses peripheral nerve repair. The Symani System is authorized for use in the U.S. by the FDA and is a CE Marked medical device in Europe. MMI is backed by global investors including Fidelity Management & Research Company, Andera Partners, BioStar, Deerfield Management, Fountain Healthcare Partners, Panakès Partners, RA Capital, Sambatech, and Wellington Partners.