JAPAN – GlobalData, a data and analytics company ahs said that Olympus Corp’s plans of collaborating with startups of MedTech industry is expected to improve patient outcomes and advance the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases.

According to the company, Olympus Corp is planning to advance innovations in the MedTech industry by collaborating with startups that specialize in the field of medical devices, digital solutions, and diagnostics.

Established in 2021, Olympus Innovation Ventures, a fully owned subsidiary of Olympus Corp, was launched to support startups that provide digital solutions to diagnose and treat diseases.

Reportedly, Olympus Innovation Ventures took part in the series A funding for Virgo Surgical Video Solutions Inc to support the development of artificial intelligence-powered platforms for endoscopy procedures.

Chetna Kaushik, Medical Devices Analyst at GlobalData, said: “GlobalData’s research reveals that Olympus Corp was the market leader for endoscopy devices, accounting for around 23 percent of the global market in 2021.”

“Olympus Corp will strengthen its position in the global endoscopy market while the partner companies can leverage the investments, technical expertise, and vast distribution network of Olympus Corp,” he added.

With market leaders such as Olympus Corp partnering with startups, a rapid advancement can be expected in the field of MedTech, resulting in better solutions,”

Through Olympus Innovation Ventures, Olympus Corp plans to make further investments, especially in the fields of urology and respiratory care.

MedTech companies planning to make advancements in this space can use this as an opportunity to gain market share, the company added.

New surgical visualization platform

In another development, Olympus has launched its Visera Elite III surgical visualization platform for endoscopic surgery.

Tokyo-based Olympus designed the Visera Elite III system to offer all imaging capabilities in one platform.

Its uses include minimally invasive procedures such as laparoscopic colectomy and laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Visera Elite III combines 3D and infrared imaging capabilities from the previous generation with the 4K imaging capabilities of the Visera 4K UHD system.

It also supports fluorescence-guided surgery, according to a news release. Olympus said it supports standardization and increases efficiency in the operating room with multiple viewing modes.

It also offers customized department profiles for different surgical departments.

The platform can be upgraded with software as needed, as well. Olympus equipped Visera Elite III with a focus adjustment mode for 4K surgical observation.

It also has an enhanced depth of field function for precise endoscopic observation.

Olympus combined its medical device expertise with Sony’s digital imaging technology to create Visera Elite III. The companies developed it through the Sony Olympus Medical Solutions joint venture.

Further to that, Olympus has launched Guardenia Contained Extraction System. Guardenia is the latest innovation in their contained tissue extraction product portfolio for gynecological procedures and is manufactured by Advanced Surgical Concepts (ASC) Ltd. of Bray, Ireland.

Olympus America Inc. is the exclusive US distributor of the system, which is indicated to contain and isolate tissue during, or prior to, surgical removal and/or extracorporeal manual morcellation.

The Guardenia system is designed to prevent the escape of cells into the abdominal cavity during extracorporeal manual morcellation, and its integrated guard provides protection against inadvertent damage from sharp surgical instruments around the incision, the company said in a press release.

The company also claims that the guard offers superior incision retraction and protects a greater area of the containment element when compared to currently marketed devices.

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