Company: ISRG
Filing Date: 2025-01-31
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0001035267-25-000017
Chunk: 69

Company: INTUITIVE SURGICAL INC
Filing Date: 2025-01-31
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1
Chunk 69
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 the demonstrated results associated with robotic-assisted medical procedures using da Vinci surgical systems or Ion endoluminal systems and their value relative to other techniques. We also face competition from several companies that have introduced or are developing new approaches and products for the MIS market. We believe that the entrance or emergence of competition validates MIS and robotic-assisted surgery or robotic-assisted bronchoscopy.

Moreover, as we add new robotically controlled products (e.g., da Vinci stapling and da Vinci energy products) that compete with product offerings traditionally within the domains of open surgery and/or conventional MIS, we face greater competition from larger and well-established companies, such as Johnson & Johnson and Medtronic plc.

Additionally, we currently face, or anticipate facing, competition from companies with products used in open or MIS surgeries, including laparoscopy and alternative multi-port, single-port, or endoluminal systems. We also compete with companies providing other therapeutic approaches for addressing target clinical conditions, as well as companies developing diagnostic solutions that could serve as alternatives to current or planned Intuitive offerings. Companies that have introduced products in the field of robotic-assisted medical procedures, or have made explicit statements about their efforts to enter the field, include, but are not limited to, the following: Beijing Surgerii Robotics Company Limited; CMR Surgical Ltd.; Distalmotion SA; Harbin Sizhe Rui Intelligent Medical Equipment Co., Ltd.; Johnson & Johnson; Karl Storz SE & Co. KG; Medicaroid Corporation; Medtronic plc; meerecompany Inc.; Noah Medical; Shandong Weigao Group Medical Polymer Company Ltd.; Shanghai Microport Medbot (Group) Co., Ltd.; Shenzhen Edge Medical Co., Ltd.; and SS Innovations International, Inc. Other companies with substantial experience in industrial robotics could potentially expand into the field of medical robotics and become a competitor. In addition, research efforts utilizing computers and robotics for medical procedures 

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are underway at various companies and research institutions. Our revenues may be adversely impacted as our competitors announce their intent to enter our markets and as our customers anticipate the availability of competing products. We may not be able to maintain or improve our competitive position against current or potential competitors, especially those with greater resources.

Intellectual Property

We place considerable importance on obtaining and maintaining patent, copyright, trademark, and trade secret protection for significant new technologies, products, and processes.

We generally rely upon a combination of intellectual property laws, confidentiality procedures, and contractual provisions to protect our proprietary technology. For example, we