Dive Brief:
- Johnson & Johnson said Monday its Monarch bronchoscopy robot for lung cancer diagnosis received Food and Drug Administration clearance for a software update that adds several new features to the platform, including artificial intelligence tools designed to make pre-procedure planning more intuitive.
- Other improvements broaden compatibility with commonly used imaging systems and support navigation and targeting to help physicians address anatomical changes that can occur during the procedure.
- The Quest 3 update is the Monarch system’s fourth major software launch in the past 18 months, according to J&J.
Dive Insight:
Monarch assists physicians in performing lung biopsy procedures. J&J acquired the platform in its 2019 acquisition of Auris Health. Monarch was the first robotic bronchoscopy platform on the market, according to J&J. It competes with Intuitive’s Ion system and Noah Medical’s Galaxy system.
Monarch’s software provides continuous visualization through the procedure to help physicians navigate to suspicious lung nodules and diagnose lung cancer earlier, the company said.
The latest update advances the system’s planning, navigation and targeting capabilities. AI is incorporated to automatically generate more accurate nodule boundaries during pre‑procedural planning. A new 3D feature is designed to improve visual orientation between the joystick controls and patient anatomy.
J&J received FDA authorization last month for its Ottava soft tissue robotic system, which will vie for market share against Intuitive’s da Vinci robot as well as Medtronic’s recently cleared Hugo system, as competition in the robotic surgery sector continues to intensify.
