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Johnson & Johnson MedTech, a global leader in surgical technologies and solutions, announced that MONARCH QUEST, the latest advancement in MONARCH navigation technology, has received U.S. 510(k) regulatory clearance. This new system incorporates AI-powered algorithms and features a verified OEC Open interface, compatible with the GE HealthCare OEC 3D mobile CBCT Imaging System.

Robotically assisted bronchoscopy is a rapidly growing segment of lung biopsy procedures in the U.S. The MONARCH Platform, the first robotically assisted bronchoscopy system to reach the market, provides minimally invasive access to and visualization of the airways, assisting clinicians in biopsying suspicious lung nodules.

Nearly 50% of early-stage lesions are located in the lung’s periphery, an area that is challenging to reach using traditional bronchoscopy methods (1). The MONARCH Platform helps clinicians access these areas, enabling earlier and more accurate lung cancer diagnoses. This can lead to patients entering treatment an average of three weeks sooner (2).

“Our goal with the MONARCH Platform is to change the treatment paradigm for diseases such as lung cancer, where significant unmet needs still remain,” said Aleksandra Popovic, President, MONARCH, Johnson & Johnson MedTech. “MONARCH QUEST demonstrates our commitment to delivering meaningful innovation that helps clinicians advance the standard of care for their patients.”

MONARCH QUEST enhances the platform’s stability, reach, and precision with its unique scope-in-sheath design, offering continuous vision for the physician. The software also integrates advanced navigation with real-time 3D imaging data, potentially improving accuracy in targeting lung nodules.

Powered by AI, MONARCH QUEST now utilizes the full-stack NVIDIA accelerated computing platform, built on NVIDIA RTX™, boosting the device’s real-time computational power by 260%. This enhancement enables the system to run complex algorithms that improve accuracy and confidence during lung navigation.

Additionally, MONARCH QUEST introduces more AI capabilities for future software updates as the demand for robotically assisted bronchoscopy grows.

The MONARCH Platform’s digital capabilities now span from preoperative planning and intraoperative AI-guided navigation to post-operative case data analysis. As part of the Polyphonic™ digital ecosystem, the platform connects data across leading surgical technologies, robotics, and surgical software, leveraging the global scale of Johnson & Johnson.

“I’m excited about using the same system in a new capacity and having more confidence in a platform I already know and trust,” said Dr. Omar Ibrahim, an interventional pulmonologist at UConn Health, who uses the MONARCH Platform in his practice. “This will really help to pinpoint and diagnose early-stage cancer.”

Footnotes

1 Murgu S, Sterman D, Yasufuku K. Demographic and lesion characteristics in the first 443 subjects enrolled in a multicenter observational real-world robotic bronchoscopy study: interim results from TARGET. Poster presented at: American Association for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology 2022 Annual Conference; August 11-13, 2022; Nashville, TN
2 Ost DE, Maldonado F, Shafrin J, et al. Quantifying the economic value of improvements in diagnostic accuracy of advanced bronchoscopy procedures. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2023;207:A4460

Source: Johnson & Johnson MedTech