Biotech company Intuitive Surgical deepens ties with Shanghai

Intuitive Surgical, a global biotechnology company, is deepening its presence and collaboration in Shanghai through clinical training, the surgical robotics supply chain and artificial intelligence, Gary S. Guthart, executive chair of the company's board of directors, said on the sidelines of the 38th annual meeting of the International Business Leaders' Advisory Council for the Mayor of Shanghai.

Initiated in 1989, the IBLAC has grown into a think tank for Shanghai mayors by soliciting suggestions from top executives of multinationals and industry experts to better advance Shanghai's development and opening-up at the annual event. A total of 42 multinational executives from 14 countries took part in this year's edition on Sunday.

Guthart, attending the IBLAC annual meeting for the third time, said this year's focus on service innovation was closely connected with advances in medical technology. Healthcare innovation should ultimately improve patient outcomes and experiences, support healthcare teams, lower the total cost of treatment and expand access to advanced care, he added.

Guthart said Shanghai had developed a strong ecosystem for advanced medical technology, including surgical robotics, supported by its engineering capabilities, AI innovation, and high-quality clinical resources.

"The ingredients are all here. They are working very well together," he said.

Intuitive has operated in China for 20 years and formed Intuitive Fosun, a joint venture with Fosun Pharma in Shanghai in 2017. Shanghai now serves as the company's home base in China.

More than 22,000 trained Chinese physicians have used the company's systems to treat about 1 million patients in China, according to Guthart.

He said Intuitive has focused on three areas in expanding its work in China: training clinical professionals, building relationships with Chinese companies in the surgical robotics supply chain, and advancing digitalization and AI with local partners.

The company operates a clinical training center in Shanghai and works with hospitals and physicians to support the application of robotic-assisted surgery.

It is also collaborating with China-based technology companies specializing in areas including computer vision for healthcare and surgical procedure planning.

One example of its digital technology is the Ion robotic bronchoscopy system, which is already in use in China. For each procedure, the system creates a three-dimensional map based on the individual patient's lung anatomy, guiding physicians toward the targeted lesion and putting personalized care into practice.

The company plans to showcase its latest innovations, including the da Vinci 5 and da Vinci SP surgical systems, at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai in November.

Shanghai's combination of hospitals, engineering expertise, technology companies, manufacturing capacity, and professional training provided a strong foundation for further collaboration, Guthart said.

He also identified secure integration of high-quality healthcare data as an important area for further development. Closer collaboration among hospitals, policymakers, and technology companies, supported by privacy protection and cybersecurity, could help improve clinical outcomes and expand access to advanced healthcare, he said.

"We do not view China just as a distribution market," Guthart said. "We're here to be good partners to the healthcare ecosystem, to work for the benefit of Chinese patients, and to work with local innovators, the local supply chain, and physicians."

Xu Feiyi contributed to this story.