By PYMNTS | October 13, 2026
Regulatory approval of a new Johnson & Johnson tool opens a new category in surgical robotics, the MedTech company said in a presentation released Tuesday (Oct. 13) in conjunction with its third-quarter earnings call.
Johnson & Johnson’s new OTTAVA table-integrated soft tissue robotic system achieved U.S. Food and Drug Administration market authorization during the quarter. The authorization spans 10 general surgery procedures, including gastric bypass and hiatal hernia repair, according to the presentation.
In a Tuesday press release, Johnson & Johnson Chairman and CEO Joaquin Duato characterized OTTAVA as “one of our most transformative MedTech innovations.”
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Duato said that when the FDA granted de novo authorization to OTTAVA in July, the tool became the world’s first table-integrated soft tissue robotic system to achieve that.
“This is one of the most significant MedTech innovations we will bring to market this decade,” Duato said. “OTTAVA’s unique architecture, automated features and next-generation robotic instruments help address surgeon needs for operating room space and better surgical workflows. Its connection to our open digital ecosystem, Polyphonic, turns procedure data into actionable insights for clinicians.”
Johnson & Johnson gained this approval during a quarter in which its sales grew 5.9% and reached $25.4 billion, according to the press release.
During the third quarter, Johnson & Johnson saw operational sales growth of 7.9% in its Innovative Medicine business and 2.5% in its MedTech business, according to the presentation.
The company raised its full-year 2026 guidance for operational sales growth to a range of 6.7% to 7.1%, with a mid-point of 6.9%, up from its July 29 guidance of 6.5% to 7.1%, with a mid-point of 6.8%, per the release.
Johnson & Johnson now has 29 products and platforms that generate at least $1 billion in annual sales, and it is advancing a new product pipeline that will sustain its growth into the next decade, Duato said during the call.
“With sales in the quarter of more than $25 billion, we are on track to meet our guidance and exceed $100 billion in annual revenue for the first time in our company’s 140-year history,” Duato said. “As we advance our differentiated portfolio and pipeline, we have a clear path to double-digit growth by the end of the decade.”