Organization and Capitalization

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Organization and Capitalization

1. Organization and Capitalization

TransEnterix is a medical device company that is digitizing the interface between the surgeon and the patient in laparoscopy to increase control and reduce surgical variability in today’s value-based healthcare environment. The Company is focused on the commercialization of the Senhance™ System, that digitizes laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery. The Senhance System allows for robotic precision, haptic feedback, surgeon camera control via eye sensing and improved ergonomics while offering responsible economics.

The Senhance System has a CE Mark in Europe for laparoscopic abdominal and pelvic surgery, as well as limited thoracic operations excluding cardiac and vascular surgery. On October 13, 2017, the Company received 510(k) clearance from the FDA for use of the Senhance System in laparoscopic colorectal and gynecologic surgery. These indications cover 23 procedures, including benign and oncologic procedures. In May 2018, the indications for use expanded when the Company received 510(k) clearance from the FDA for use of the Senhance System inlaparoscopic inguinal hernia and laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) surgery for a total of 28 indicated procedures. The Senhance System is available for sale in the U.S., the EU and select other countries.

The Senhance System is a multi-port robotic surgery system that allows multiple robotic arms to control instruments and a camera. The system features advanced technology to enable surgeons with haptic feedback and the ability to move the camera via eye movement.

On October 31, 2018, the Company acquired the assets, intellectual property and highly experienced multidisciplinary personnel of Israel-based MST Medical Surgical Technologies, Inc., or MST.  Through this acquisition the Company acquired MST’s AutoLap™ technology, one of the only image-guided robotic scope positioning systems with FDA clearance and CE Mark.  The Company believes MST’s image analytics technology will accelerate and drive meaningful Senhance System developments, and allow it to expand the Senhance System to add augmented, intelligent vision capability. See Note 3 for a description of the related transaction.

During 2018 and early 2019, the Company successfully obtained FDA clearance and CE Mark for 3 millimeter diameter instruments and its Senhance ultrasonic system.  The 3 mm instruments enable the Senhance System to be used for microlaparoscopic surgeries, allowing for tiny incisions, and the ultrasonic system is an advanced energy device used to deliver controlled energy to ligate and divide tissue, while minimizing thermal injury to surrounding structures.

The Company has also developed the SurgiBot System, a single-port, robotically enhanced laparoscopic surgical platform. In December 2017, the Company entered into an agreement with Great Belief International Limited, or GBIL, to advance the SurgiBot System towards global commercialization. The agreement transferred ownership of the SurgiBot System assets, while the Company retained the option to distribute or co-distribute the SurgiBot System outside of China. GBIL intends to have the SurgiBot System manufactured in China and obtain Chinese regulatory clearance from the China Food and Drug Administration while entering into a nationwide distribution agreement with China National Scientific and Instruments and Materials Company, or CSIMC, for the Chinese market. The agreement provides the Company with proceeds of at least $29.0 million, of which $15.0 million has been received to date. The remaining $14.0 million, representing minimum royalties, will be paid beginning at the earlier of receipt of Chinese regulatory approval or March 2023.

On September 18, 2015, the Company entered into a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement, (the “Purchase Agreement”) with Sofar S.p.A., (“Sofar”) as seller, Vulcanos S.r.l. (“Vulcanos”), as the acquired company, and TransEnterix International, Inc. (“TransEnterix International”), a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of the Company which was incorporated in September 2015, as buyer. The closing of the transactions occurred on September 21, 2015 (the “Closing Date”) pursuant to which the Company acquired all of the membership interests of Vulcanos from Sofar (now known as the “Senhance Acquisition”), and changed the name of Vulcanos to TransEnterix Italia S.r.l (“TransEnterix Italia”). The Senhance Acquisition included all of the assets, employees and contracts related to the Senhance System. See Note 3 for a description of the related transactions.

On September 3, 2013, TransEnterix Surgical, Inc. a Delaware corporation (“TransEnterix Surgical”), and SafeStitch Medical, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“SafeStitch”) consummated a merger transaction whereby TransEnterix Surgical merged with a merger subsidiary of SafeStitch, with TransEnterix Surgical as the surviving entity in the merger (the “Merger”). As a result of the Merger, TransEnterix Surgical became a wholly owned subsidiary of SafeStitch. On December 6, 2013, SafeStitch changed its name to TransEnterix, Inc. and increased the authorized shares of common stock from 225,000,000 to 750,000,000, and authorized 25,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share.

As used herein, the term “Company” refers to the combination of SafeStitch and TransEnterix Surgical after giving effect to the Merger, and includes TransEnterix International, Inc.; TransEnterix Italia S.r.l.; TransEnterix Europe S.à.R.L; TransEnterix Asia Pte. Ltd.; TransEnterix Taiwan Ltd.; TransEnterix Japan KK and TransEnterix Israel Ltd.