Zimmer Biomet hopes to round out its surgical robotics portfolio with its planned $177 million purchase of Monogram Technologies, which was announced Monday. The acquisition could offer more customer choice, analysts wrote, but they also questioned whether surgeons will prefer an autonomous robot.
Monogram received Food and Drug Administration clearance in March for a semi-autonomous, AI-navigated robot called mBôs, to be used in total knee replacement surgeries. The company plans to launch mBôs with Zimmer’s Persona knee implants in early 2027, according to an investor presentation.
Monogram is working on a fully autonomous version of the robot, which would be hands-free and activated using foot pedals, that it plans to launch in late 2027 or early 2028.
Zimmer already has a robot that can be used for total knee replacements, called Rosa, but that system currently does not work with CT imaging and uses manual cutting.
After closing, Zimmer expects to have “the most comprehensive suite of customer-centric technology solutions, ranging from simplified navigation, such as OrthoGrid, to non-CT based robotics with Rosa, and fully autonomous robots with mBôs,” according to the investor presentation.
Analysts said the deal is designed to give surgeons more options, but also raised questions about the acquisition.
Mike Matson, an analyst with Needham, said buying Monogram may “improve and differentiate” Zimmer’s robotics, but questioned the level of surgeon interest in a fully automated robotics system, in a research note published Monday.
BTIG analyst Ryan Zimmerman wrote in a research note that the price was high for a robotics system that has not sold any units yet, and asked what the deal means for Rosa, given the updates planned for the coming quarters.
“This is about customer choice, defining the fully autonomous category of robotics, and appealing to surgeons who prefer autonomous cutting over manual cutting (which is ROSA today),” Zimmerman wrote, citing a conversation with the orthopedic firm’s management.
Shagun Singh, an analyst with RBC Capital Markets, wrote that Zimmer plans to grow its business by gaining more share in the robotic market, increasing how many procedures are done using robotics, driving more revenue per procedure, and expanding the market by creating a new category of fully autonomous robots.
More acquisitions likely to come
Zimmer also used the announcement to outline future plans for its robotics program. The company’s Rosa robots are “rapidly approaching 2,000 installations worldwide” and are a market leader outside of the U.S., Zimmer said in a press release.
Zimmer received FDA clearance last year to use Rosa for robot-assisted shoulder replacements, and plans a full launch of the feature in early 2026. The company is working on a posterior hip feature for Rosa for the second half of 2026, and a CT imaging feature for early 2027, according to the investor presentation.
Last year, Zimmer bought OrthoGrid Systems, which makes AI guidance systems for total hip replacement surgeries. It also struck a distribution agreement with Think Surgical, which makes a CT-enabled, handheld robot.
“Management explained that these technologies are not competitive, but allow a more complimentary suite,” Singh wrote.
In April, Zimmer bought Paragon 28, an orthopedics company focused on foot and ankle procedures, for $1.1 billion.
Analysts see Zimmer as poised to continue its streak of acquisitions. Needham’s Matson wrote that “despite the recent acquisition of Paragon 28 and today’s announcement, we still think that [Zimmer] may pursue additional acquisitions in higher-growth orthopedic subcategories like data/AI, enabling technologies, sports medicine, and extremities.”
