Robocath successfully performs first carotid stenting in France with R-One™ robot at Rennes University Hospital

Rouen, France, November 24, 2021 – Robocath, a company that designs, develops and commercializes innovative robotic platforms for the treatment of vascular diseases, announces today its successful first robotic carotid stenting at Rennes University Hospital. This breakthrough in the neurovascular field was performed on November 16, using Robocath’s R-One robot, operated by Dr. François Eugène and his team.

The procedure is part of a clinical study, which is the first stage of an ambitious research program launched last July by Robocath and Rennes University Hospital, in partnership with Philips France. It aims to enrich the current and future generations of robotic platforms, with the long-term view of improving the treatment of cerebrovascular incidents (CVA, stroke).

Dr. François Eugène, neurointerventionalist at Rennes University Hospital, said:
“I am honored to be one of the first operators in the world working in neurovascular robotics. Until now, there were no clinical investigations in Europe in this area, despite all its  potential benefits. Every year, 5.5 million people around the world die from a stroke, and one in two stroke victims live with lifelong consequences. The reason for this is a lack of comprehensive health coverage, due to a shortage of qualified operators and hospitals capable of performing this type of procedure. Strokes must be treated quickly but also with extreme precision. Robotics can operate with millimeter accuracy and offer new possibilities in terms of movement, as well as bringing more comfortable working conditions. In time, I am sure that robotic assistance will provide the population with optimal stroke treatment and equality of access to care in France, as well as in other countries facing the same public health issues.”

Lucien Goffart, CEO of Robocath, added: “Strokes are currently the second most common cause of death worldwide. However, there is huge inequality in terms of care provision. The success of treatment is highly dependent on the operator’s level of experience and the proximity of a center capable of treating the condition. Our robotic solution will enable procedures to be more precise and more reliable, which will benefit stroke patients by greatly improving their treatment. Linked with our remote connection module, in the future our technology could treat 100% of patients in the best possible conditions.”

Philippe Bencteux, president and founder of Robocath, concluded: “Robocath’s founding ambition was to ensure the best possible treatment for all stroke patients. For the first time in the company’s history, this procedure has made that ambition a reality. It is a major step forward in our development; opening up some very promising new possibilities for our next robotic generation. I would like to thank Dr. Eugène for his involvement. With his support, as well as that of Philips France, we intend to showcase the huge potential of robotics in the neurovascular field.”

About Robocath

Founded in 2009 by Philippe Bencteux, MD, Robocath designs, develops and commercializes robotic solutions to treat cardiovascular diseases. As an active player in the evolving medical robotics industry, these innovative solutions aim to make medical procedures safer thanks to reliable technologies, while complementing manual interventions.

R-One is the first solution developed by Robocath. It uses a unique bionic technology that optimizes the safety of robotic-assisted coronary angioplasty. This medical procedure consists of revascularizing the cardiac muscle by inserting one or more implants (stents) into the arteries that supply it with blood. Every 30 seconds, somewhere in the world, this type of procedure is performed. R-One is designed to operate with precision and perform specific movements, creating better interventional conditions. Thanks to its open architecture, R-One is compatible with market-leading devices and cath labs.

In a prospective, randomized, controlled pre-clinical trial, R-One demonstrated safety and efficacy as it achieved 100% technical procedure success and no MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events). R-One received the CE marking in February 2019 and started its clinical application in September 2019. Currently R-One is available in Europe and Africa.

Robocath aims to become the world leader in vascular robotics and develop the remote treatment of vascular emergencies, guaranteeing the best care pathway for all. Based in Rouen, France, Robocath has more than 60 employees.

www.robocath.com