South Korea’s surgery robot developer Curexo Inc. is readying itself to commercialize a new robot performing not only artificial hip joint replacement operation but also knee joint surgery around the world.

The automated surgery robot developer said on Thursday that its U.S.-based affiliate Think Surgical Inc. filed for CE certification for commercialization in Europe. It had obtained marketing license on another surgery robot for hip joint replacement in Europe and the United States late last year. The company expects to gain license for selling its latest knee surgery robot within this year as it has nearly 20,000 clinical experiences and references through the previous model Robodoc, said an unnamed Curexo official.

Curexo is taking the final step to submit an application for marketing approval on the latest robot to drug safety ministry in Korea within year with an aim to obtain a license within the first half of next year, according to the company. The surgery robot developer signed an agreement with Hankook General Hospital, north of Seoul, to supply the latest automated robot for orthopaedic surgery in June, said the company. It is also in preparation to obtain a sales license on the knee joint replacement surgery robot in the U.S. next year.

Meanwhile, Curexo’s automated robot for hip joint replacement operation obtained marketing approval in Europe and the U.S. last year and signed supply agreements with two hospitals in the U.S. It will ship the hip joint surgery robot to a university hospital in Alabama, the U.S. in September. The company will up marketing efforts to add clients by the end of this year.

On top of the U.S. and Europe, the surgery robot maker has applied for sales license in Russia and China. It also aims to expand its presence in other regions including Asia and the Middle East.

The CE certification on the knee joint surgery robot will be a meaningful accomplishment in the global surgery robot market, commercializing a surgery robot that can perform both knee and hip joint replacement operations, said Lee Jae-joon, head of Curexo. The company expects to win sales especially in the Middle East and Europe soon, said Lee.

By Jin Young-tae

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