According to a recent press release, Johnson & Johnson announced the formation of Verb Surgical Inc., a surgical solutions company developing robotic-assisted surgical products.  Verb Surgical is supported by a collaboration between Verily Life Sciences LLC, formerly Google Life Sciences, and Ethicon, a Johnson & Johnson Company.  The business will operate its headquarters in Mountain View, California.

Together, Verily and Ethicon have contributed funding, technology, and surgical, computer science, and advanced imaging expertise.  Verily is Google’s life sciences division, which is stated to focus on understanding health and improving the treatment of disease by developing more efficient and powerful tools and Togethesoftware.  Ethicon, a medical device company, states that it uses its significant expertise in minimally invasive surgery and advanced instrumentation to innovate creative surgical solutions, such as advanced sutures, staplers, energy devices, trocars and hemostats, and treat serious medical conditions including obesity and cancer.

The Wall Street Journal states that the newly formed Verb Surgical will specialize in improving minimally invasive surgery through the use of tools and other technology to reduce scarring, blood loss and pain, and to speed recovery times.  Specifically, Verb Surgical seeks to develop a comprehensive surgical solutions platform incorporating robotic capabilities and medical device technology to better organize information surgeons need during operation.  This will help surgeons and hospitals provide better outcomes, access, and efficiency.

Verb Surgical’s goal may even be broader than that.  Worldwide Chairman of Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Gary Pruden stated, “We believe Verb Surgical has the potential to change the future of surgery, not just robotic surgery.”  Following the same sentiment, recently appointed Verb Surgical President and CEO Scott Huennekens stated:

“Our name speaks for itself. We are a company dedicated to action and to making a difference in people’s lives, in partnership with surgeons globally.”

So far, the Verb Surgical team states that it has already begun testing the robotics platform for application across a spectrum of surgical specialties.