Three notes:
1. Johnson & Johnson initially expected to begin the verification and validation processes for Ottava in 2021, followed by enrollment in clinical trials in 2022.
2. Multiple factors forced the company to push back Ottava’s timeline, Johnson & Johnson announced in its third-quarter earnings call.
“We recorded a partial in-process [research and development] charge for $900 million in the third quarter,” Johnson & Johnson Executive Vice President Joseph Wolk said, according to Seeking Alpha. “The accounting for this charge contemplates a first-in-human delay of approximately two years from our earlier projections of the second half of 2022, reflecting technical development challenges and COVID-19-related disruptions, including supply chain constraints being experienced broadly across all industries.”
3. Ottava is a robot intended for general surgery. The system has six arms — which will be integrated into the operating table — to provide more control and flexibility during surgery, according to the company.
