FDA Authorizes Johnson & Johnson OTTAVA Robotic Surgical System

The Food and Drug Administration granted De Novo marketing authorization to Johnson & Johnson on July 22, 2026, for its OTTAVA Robotic Surgical System. As the first table-integrated soft-tissue robotic platform, the system is authorized for general upper-abdominal procedures, such as gastric bypass and gallbladder removal.

Johnson & Johnson plans a targeted commercial rollout through select U.S. hospital partners while pursuing international approvals and conducting further U.S. clinical trials for expanded procedural use. The authorization places the company in direct competition with established robotic surgery providers, including Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Medtronic plc, and Stryker Corporation.

Market analyst Jim Cramer stated that the approval served as a catalyst for investors to recognize the healthcare company as a technology innovator, which resulted in a surge in stock price.