The Robotic Cancer Race Just Changed Overnight

The new Precision IO Group combines robotic guidance and microwave ablation to expand minimally invasive cancer treatment

9 Mar 2026

A new entrant in robotic cancer treatment has taken shape following Quantum Surgical’s acquisition of NeuWave Medical from Johnson & Johnson. The deal brings together two technologies used in minimally invasive tumor therapy and forms a new entity, Precision IO Group, which company leaders say will focus on expanding robotic-assisted ablation worldwide.

The combined platform links Quantum Surgical’s Epione robotic system with NeuWave’s microwave ablation technology. Epione uses artificial intelligence and real-time imaging to guide physicians during percutaneous tumor ablation procedures, in which tumors are destroyed through targeted heat delivered via needles. NeuWave’s system, according to company statements, is already used in more than 70 percent of the top cancer centers in the United States. The integration of the two technologies could influence how hospitals approach treatment for certain early-stage cancers.

Precision IO Group is backed by investment from Ally Bridge Group and is led by Kurt Azarbarzin, a veteran medical technology executive who previously led Verb Surgical, a joint venture between Johnson & Johnson and Google focused on digital surgery. The company says its goal is to broaden access to robotic-assisted ablation and improve outcomes for patients undergoing minimally invasive cancer procedures.

Clinical adoption has already begun to build around the technologies involved. More than 1,400 patients have been treated using the Epione system across Europe and the United States, according to company data. The platform has received CE mark approval for abdominal, chest and musculoskeletal indications and holds U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance for abdominal ablation procedures, providing what executives describe as a regulatory base for wider deployment.

Hospital systems are increasingly evaluating robotic guidance and energy-based ablation as alternatives to more invasive surgical options. Advocates say such systems may improve procedural precision and shorten recovery times. Precision IO Group is also exploring remote intervention tools that could allow specialists to assist in procedures from distant locations, potentially expanding access to advanced cancer care in underserved regions.

The acquisition reflects a broader restructuring across the medical device sector, where large corporations have been narrowing their portfolios while specialized firms assemble focused technology platforms. In interventional oncology, a field centered on image-guided tumor treatments, that shift could shape how new tools reach clinicians and patients in the years ahead.