Quantum Surgical is looking to become the “leader in the interventional radiology industry” with its buyout of Johnson & Johnson’s cancer ablation company NeuWave Medical.
The France-based cancer robotics specialist is taking over NeuWave after J&J last summer announced it was going to exit the business and drop the tech, before last September deciding it would in fact sell the business instead.
As the new owner of the unit, Quantum will get its hands on NeuWave’s microwave ablation platform. The tech is used in percutaneous ablation procedures, leveraging electromagnetic waves to heat and destroy large tumor volumes.
In a joint statement, the companies said the tech is currently used by “70% of the top cancer centers” in the U.S. This technology will dovetail with Quantum’s Epione robotic platform, which targets early-stage tumors and focuses on guiding doctors when they perform percutaneous tumor ablations.
Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
The two companies will now work as subsidiaries of Precision IO Group Inc., a newly made parent company that is being headed by medtech veteran Kurt Azarbarzin.
“Quantum Surgical and NeuWave Medical, Inc. are highly complementary and share an incredible vision for the future,” Azarbarzin said in a statement. “I have met both teams and am impressed by the pride and passion they bring to their work to improve patient care.
“Drawing on my 40 years of experience in minimally invasive surgery, I am convinced that AI, robotics and enabling remote interventions are game-changers for cancer care and interventional radiology,” Azarbarzin added.