On September 26, Shanghai MicroPort MedBot (Group) Co., Ltd. (referred to as MicroPort^® MedBot^®), a holding subsidiary of MicroPort NaviBot(Suzhou) Co., Ltd, developed the SkyWalkerTM Orthopedic Surgical Robot (referred to as SkyWalker^TM Robot), received approval for market release from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW).

Comprehensive Coverage of Key Markets

Highlights of SkyWalker^TM's Commercialization in International Markets Abound

To date, SkyWalker^TM Robot has received approval for market release from authoritative regulatory bodies in China, the United States, the European Union, Brazil, Australia, the United Kingdom, India, and Japan, effectively achieving comprehensive coverage in developed markets and key emerging markets. This accomplishment has reshaped the development landscape of the global orthopedic surgical robot market, showcasing the advanced technological capabilities of Chinese innovation. It also stands as a quintessential example of the high-quality progress of China's medical industry, emphasizing the power of intelligence and the pursuit of innovation.

The knee joint is the most weight-bearing and the most frequently used joint in the human body, and thus it is also the joint that degenerates and suffers damage most readily. Knee pain is a health issue that troubles many middle-aged and elderly individuals and is an inevitable part of the aging process. As healthy life expectancy increases, the condition of the knee joint becomes a crucial factor influencing quality of life. However, being a chronic ailment, there are few treatments that provide immediate relief. Japan, characterized as a super-aged society, has nearly one-third of its population aged 65 and above. According to the 2023 report from the PEOPLE’S DAILY OVERSEAS  EDITION in its Japan Monthly, 24 million people in Japan suffer from knee pain, commonly known as osteoarthritis of the knee.

In addition to the elderly, young adults and athletes are not exempt, with the incidence of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) caused by traffic accidents, extreme sports, and other factors rising globally each year. PTOA can occur in any joint throughout the body, but it most frequently affects weight-bearing joints. Relevant studies indicate that 12% of symptomatic osteoarthritis (OA) in the hip, knee, and ankle joints is attributed to PTOA. The incidence rate of knee joint PTOA ranges from 21% to 44%, typically resulting from fractures of the proximal tibia, distal femur, or patellar joint. Currently, the treatment for knee joint PTOA includes physical therapy, pharmacotherapy, and surgical interventions, with moderate to advanced stage PTOA patients often requiring surgical treatment.

Knee replacement surgery is an effective method for treating severe osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and traumatic osteoarthritis of the knee in the elderly. Large-scale clinical comparative studies with leading international robotic systems have demonstrated that SkyWalker^TM Robot-assisted TKA is at the forefront of international standards in terms of surgical precision and clinical efficacy. Its advantages in precise bone cutting, rapid intraoperative registration, and smooth surgical flow significantly reduce intraoperative accidental injuries, lower surgical risks, and accelerate patient recovery. It has gained unanimous recognition from doctors and patients in top hospitals both domestically and in Europe and the United States.

Currently, SkyWalker^TM Robot has a presence in over 20 countries across five continents, with nearly 30 global orders and a global total of approximately 1,500 TKA surgeries performed. Its clinical application spans orthopedics, joint surgery, and sports medicine departments in 70 hospitals both domestically and internationally. In countries such as the United States, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Greece, and Australia, medical institutions have completed hundreds of TKA surgeries using SkyWalker^TM Robot, with demand continuing to grow rapidly and attracting significant attention.

Mastering Key Technologies and Benchmarking Against World-Class Standards

The Shining Example of a Chinese-developed Joint Replacement Surgery Robot

The high-end medical device industry reflects a nation's technological innovation capabilities and manufacturing prowess: SkyWalker^TM Robot is a product of deep collaboration between medical and engineering fields. It is the result of a five-year industry-university-research partnership between MicroPort^® MedBot^® and Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital,Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. This achievement exemplifies the ongoing technological breakthroughs in China's advanced manufacturing sector.

Before the emergence of SkyWalker^TM Robot, orthopedic joint replacement surgery robots had already been successfully commercialized abroad. However, for Chinese clinicians, their operation was neither sufficiently straightforward nor efficient. The breakthrough of SkyWalker^TM Robot lies not only in possessing the nation's only independently developed lightweight medical robotic arm but also in featuring the world's first all-in-one osteotomy guide. This enables more efficient and precise bone cutting, aligning better with the operational habits of clinicians. As a result, it significantly shortens the learning curve for doctors and greatly enhances surgical efficiency.

Recently, Dr. He Chao, CEO of MicroPort^® MedBot^®, stated in an exclusive interview with a reputable media outlet, " SkyWalker^TM Robot assists in joint replacement surgeries by reducing the angle deviation of the replaced joint to within 0.5°, while also halving the surgery time and reducing blood loss by more than 30%."

In pursuing its international strategic goals, MicroPort^® MedBot^® consistently places research and innovation at its core, enhancing product competitiveness and clinical service levels through continuous technological advancements and product optimization. By offering highly competitive innovative solutions, stable and reliable product quality, and a professional and efficient service system, the SkyWalkerTM Robot has not only rapidly and continuously penetrated markets and high-end clientele across various countries but has also increased customer loyalty and strengthened client relationships. This has helped establish a trusted, high-quality global brand image for high-end surgical robots manufactured in China, laying a solid foundation for the future penetration of more products.

In January of this year, SkyWalker^TM robot was featured on the front page of XINHUA DAILY TELEGRAPH, praised as one of the "Great Powers' Tools" originating from Shanghai in the fields of aerospace, maritime, and land technologies. It serves as a shining example of Chinese-developed joint replacement surgical robots. Alongside the C919 large passenger aircraft, the first Chinese-built large cruise ship, and the Long March 6A launch vehicle, it underscores Shanghai's role in supporting Chinese modernization through technological advancements.