Stryker announces takeover of Mako Surgical Corp

Stryker has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Mako Surgical Corp, a developer of robotic-assisted surgery solutions that offer considerable growth potential.

The $1.65 billion (1.02 billion pounds) deal will allow Stryker to expand its capabilities in this emerging medical technology field and provide it with new avenues for joint reconstruction solutions in the long term.

Mako was founded in 2004 and is a pioneer in the field of robotic-assisted surgery in orthopaedics, with its flagship offering being the Makoplasty Partial Knee Resurfacing procedure for the treatment of early to mid-stage osteoarthritis.

Its Rio Robotic Arm Interactive Orthopaedic System and Restoris family of implants complement this offering, while it also recently introduced Makoplasty Total Hip Arthroplasty, a new robotic arm application for patients in need of a total hip replacement.

Kevin Lobo, president and chief executive officer of Stryker, said: "Our combined expertise offers the potential to simplify joint reconstruction procedures, reduce variability and enhance the surgeon and patient experience. We look forward to welcoming the Mako team to Stryker."

This follows on from Stryker's takeover of Trauson Holdings Company earlier this year.