As part of its $20 million investment in Mazor Robotics, Medtronic placed a purchase order for 15 Mazor X systems, which the company will launch later this year.
Here are seven things to know as the companies gear up for the launch of Mazor X, according to Med Device Online:
1. Mazor CEO Ori Hadomi told analysts the company will start educating Medtronic sales representatives on Mazor X at training centers by late August.
2. The the new technology's official launch is slated for North American Spine Society's annual meeting from Oct. 26 to Oct. 29 in Boston.
3. Until the meeting, Medtronic will focus on generating interest for the new system among surgeons.
4. Of the 15 Mazor X systems Medtronic ordered, five systems "will be placed in unspecified facilities while 10 will be installed in leading clinical centers," according to the report.
5. In the second phase of the agreement between Medtronic and Mazor, Medtronic will take over exclusive global sales and distribution rights for the Mazor X, specifically for the spine market. This phase will take place in 2018.
6. Mazor X expands on Mazor's robotic guidance technology to include analytical tools, multiple-source data, precision guidance, optical tracking, intra-op verification and connectivity technologies.
7. Thus far, surgeons have used the system in more than 130 cases.