Last month, the headquarters industrial base of VisualSaf Group, with a total investment of about 700 million yuan, was launched in Zhangjiang, Shanghai, for the localization R&D and production of Da Vinci surgical robots. Will investors recognize the trend towards domestication and localization of surgical robots? Does localization and localization mean reduced manufacturing costs or further increased market share? How should domestic enterprises address issues such as scenario exploration and price payment for surgical robots?
Ma Hua, Partner and Managing Director of Frost & Sullivan's Greater China region, was interviewed by CBN to discuss the localization of surgical robots.
Q:What is your experience with visiting the VisualSaf Da Vinci surgical robot? Will investors recognize the trend towards localization and localization? Does localization and localization mean reduced manufacturing costs or further increased market share?
With the vigorous development of global surgical robot technology, domestic surgical robots have made significant progress in technological innovation, and the trend towards independent research and production is becoming increasingly prominent. In the fields of laparoscopic and orthopedic robots, we have witnessed significant development and maturity. Multiple products have successfully obtained market access, including the Honghu orthopedic surgical robot developed by Honghao Medical Robotics and the Tuomei four-arm laparoscopic surgical robot. In the field of orthopedic surgical robots, domestic enterprises such as Tianzhihang and Jianjia have made arrangements in this area.
Regarding the trend towards localization and localization, I believe it is not only an inevitable trend of technological development but also a reflection of market demand. Investors will also recognize this trend. One of the cores of localization and localization is reduced manufacturing costs, which can enable more medical institutions to afford innovative surgical robots and further increase their market share. At the same time, the research and development of domestic surgical robots are also continuously upgrading and optimizing, integrating multi-functional modules, developing towards precision and minimally invasive methods, and promoting the competitiveness of domestic enterprises in the global medical device market.
Recently, VisualSaf Group, a joint venture of Fosun Pharma, announced that it will launch its headquarters industrial base, initially focusing on the production of some accessories for Da Vinci surgical robots and ION surgical robots. This also confirms that China is deeper into the global surgical robot industry, aiming to provide solutions for the intelligent manufacturing of global surgical robots with its manufacturing capabilities and supply chain advantages, further reducing the cost of surgical robots.
Q:Your previous research report suggested that the era of robots is subverting various traditional surgeries; however, surgical robots still need to consider scenario exploration and price payment. How should domestic enterprises address these issues?
Regarding the issues of scenario exploration and price payment that surgical robots still face, technological innovation integration is always one of the key solutions. The product performance of surgical robots is continuously optimized and shows various trends. For example, technologies such as data collection, data feedback, preoperative planning, and intraoperative guidance are more mature and can be used in conjunction with AR/VR, intelligent navigation, force tactile feedback, etc., making surgical robots more information-based and intelligent. The integration of data and technology across departments will make cross-departmental surgeries possible, and the integrated capabilities across departments enable surgical robots to be applied in more clinical scenarios.
At the same time, various surgeries are gradually entering the era of robots, with domestic manufacturers continuously researching and developing more application scenarios suitable for surgical robots. The R&D progress in tracks such as oral, vascular, ophthalmic, and natural orifice surgery robots is accelerating. For example, in the oral field, in 2021, Bicon Medical's 'Ruiyibo' was approved as the first domestically launched surgical robot for the oral field; in 2021, Yake Smart's 'Yazhi' was approved as the world's first autonomous dental implant robot. In 2023, products from five manufacturers including Dicel, Jianjia Medical, and Calvin were successively approved. In the ophthalmic field, Angtai Micro Precision, Xianwei Medical, Disi Medical, and Micro-Mou Medical are advancing the research and development of surgical robot systems. Achieving autonomous control of core components under technological innovation will further help reduce costs.
*This interview has been published in CBN, with the author Zou Zhenjie, and the original title was: 'Surgical Robots 'Made in China': Costs Expected to Drop, but Medical Insurance Access Still Requires Comprehensive Evaluation'.
