NASS 2018: Robotic platforms take center stage (MassDevice)
Medtech companies in the spinal market are rushing to join the robotic revolution, with Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) and Globus Medical (NYSE:GMED) leading the pack, according to a Leerink Partner analyst’s note from the North American Spine Society’s 2018 annual meeting.
In a letter to investors, analyst Richard Newitter suggests that a “growing number of companies,” including Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), Zimmer Biomet (NYSE:ZBH) and NuVasive (NSDQ:NUVA), are focused on developing their own spine-focused robotics platforms, and that spinal robotic technologies are “clearly picking up steam and gaining surgeon mindshare.”
Fridley, Minn.-based Medtronic made its move to the front of the pack with its recent $1.6 billion acquisition of Mazor Robotics (NSDQ:MZOR), Newitter wrote. During the company’s analyst session, management commented that “robotics is the most differentiated technology it believes it has seen in spine for over a decade and one that will represent [Medtronic]’s next chapter and point of differentiation going forward to drive share gains,” according to the letter.
Medtronic reportedly said that they felt it wa...
