Vicarious Surgical, a leading developer of robotic surgery systems, recently announced a round of layoffs and a setback in its development timeline. The company’s CEO, Adam Sachs, stated that the layoffs were driven by challenging market conditions and the need to prioritize capital efficiency and long-term success. While the exact number of affected employees was not disclosed, Vicarious has downsized its team significantly, with a focus on reducing spending in research and development (R&D) and outsourced R&D.
These R&D cuts come in tandem with identified issues in the development of Vicarious’ flagship robotic surgery system, leading to a delay of 12 to 18 months in the development timeline. Previously, the company had planned to complete the system’s integration and begin clinical trials in 2024, with a submission to the FDA in 2025. However, due to the setbacks, development is now expected to be completed in the fall of next year, pushing back human trials to “mid-to-late 2025” and the FDA submission to “early-to-mid 2026.”
The delay in development is primarily attributed to the need for additional efforts to ensure compliance, reliability, and safety of the system’s hardware and software components. As the subsystems are integrated into a single system, the process has uncovered some bugs and issues that need to be addressed. Despite most components functioning effectively, software challenges have arisen, revealing corresponding hardware challenges.
The news of the layoffs and delayed timeline had a negative impact on Vicarious’ stock price, which reached an all-time low of 29 cents. The company’s shares have been trading below the $1 mark for an extended period, prompting a warning from the New York Stock Exchange in September. Vicarious now has six months to regain compliance with the NYSE’s rules and maintain an average closing price of at least $1 for a 30-day period.
Despite these challenges, Vicarious Surgical remains committed to advancing robotic surgery technology. The company aims to address the identified issues, ensure the system’s safety and reliability, and ultimately bring its innovative robotic surgery system to market.
FAQ
1. What led to the layoffs at Vicarious Surgical?
The layoffs at Vicarious Surgical were necessitated by challenging market conditions and the need to prioritize capital efficiency and long-term success.
2. How has the development timeline for the robotic surgery system been affected?
The development timeline for Vicarious Surgical’s flagship robotic surgery system has been delayed by 12 to 18 months due to identified issues and software challenges.
3. What are the implications of the R&D cuts?
The R&D cuts at Vicarious Surgical will impact the development of the robotic surgery system and result in a slower resolution of challenges as they arise.
4. What is the current stock situation of Vicarious Surgical?
Vicarious Surgical’s stock price has reached an all-time low of 29 cents, and the company has been warned by the New York Stock Exchange regarding its non-compliance with trading rules.
5. What is Vicarious Surgical’s plan moving forward?
Vicarious Surgical remains committed to addressing the identified issues, ensuring the safety and reliability of its robotic surgery system, and bringing the innovation to market.