Intuitive Sues for Patent Royalties on Robotic Surgical System

Intuitive Surgical said Auris Surgical Robotics’ Monarch endoscopy platform infringes eight patents related to Intuitive’s da Vinci System and will compete with a forthcoming flexible surgical robotic platform, in a complaint.

Intuitive is seeking royalties and a court order blocking sales of Monarch or awarding royalties to compensate for future infringement, according to a complaint filed Aug. 31 in federal court in Wilmington, Del.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in March approved Auris’ Monarch endoscopy platform for use under a doctor’s control in human lungs. Auris calls Monarch a “platform technology” that “will do other robotic endoscopies,” the complaint ...