• Robotics startup has benefited from UAE’s ecosystem and focus on innovation
  • Agrawal: “As the UAE continues to invest in AI, robotics, and medical technology, XCath demonstrates how this ecosystem will enables breakthrough innovation. This is truly technology delivered from the UAE to the world.”

Sharjah, UAE–XCath, a medical device company pioneering neuro-endovascular surgical robotics that is part-owned by Crescent Enterprises, announced today the successful completion of the world’s first in-human telerobotic stroke procedure.

The landmark remote robotic mechanical thrombectomy was performed using the XCath Iris Endovascular Robotic (EVR) System by Dr. Vitor Mendes Pereira, M.D. from a remote control room in Santiago, Panama, located 200 kilometers from the patient in Panama Clinic in Panama City. Local principal investigator, Dr. Anastasio Ameijeiras Sibauste oversaw the procedure and was situated with the patient at Panama Clinic.

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, and a global health crisis that claims over 5 million lives globally every year, and leaves 80 million people worldwide to live with post-stroke disability. Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is the gold standard treatment for ischemic stroke with large vessel occlusion (LVO); however this lifesaving treatment is out of reach for most people. According to an American Heart Association study, worldwide access to MT as measured by median MT Access was just 2.79%.

The XCath Iris System, first demonstrated at Abu Dhabi Health in 2025, has delivered submillimeter precision surgery operated over a long-distance connection, showing no latency in the successful MT procedure. XCath’s Iris System is the only endovascular robotic system in development to achieve a neurointerventional treatment and is also the world’s only triaxial neurovascular robot to perform treatment. Following the successful telerobotic aneurysm procedures held in November 2025, the MT procedure further solidifies XCath’s position as the global leader in neurovascular and endovascular telerobotics.

Neeraj Agrawal, Executive Director of Crescent Enterprises and Board member at XCath said, “XCath has achieved what no other surgical robotics company has accomplished in stroke treatment, delivering a remote mechanical thrombectomy at the highest standard of care. As the UAE continues to invest in AI, robotics, and medical technology, XCath demonstrates how this ecosystem enables breakthrough innovation. This is truly technology delivered from the UAE to the world.

Agrawal added, “This milestone will help drive the regulatory and policy support needed to make remote treatment widely accessible. Telerobotics represent the future of surgery, and XCath is at the forefront of that transformation.”

Eduardo Fonseca, CEO of XCath said, “This is an important achievement for XCath as we pursue a world where access to lifesaving surgery is accessible no matter where you live through the power of telerobotics. This world-first telerobotic stroke procedure represents the collaborative efforts of neurovascular surgery and remote surgical robotics experts, in addition to funding and support of UAE-based Crescent Enterprises to enable XCath’s team of brilliant engineers and advisors including Dr. Fred Moll, Drs. Pereira and Sibauste and the incredible teams at the Panama Clinic in Panama City and Santiago to deliver this milestone.”

Dr. Vitor Mendes Pereira, who performed the surgery, said: “This surgery builds on the results of a demonstration held during Abu Dhabi Health last year to prove the technology and scale it up. Mechanical thrombectomy is proven to reduce mortality and disability in patients with ischemic stroke, but unfortunately access to the procedure is extremely low. That’s why the investment made in XCath’s technology, and the support of UAE’s innovation ecosystem is so critical to broadening access to mechanical thrombectomy for patients around the world.”

Dr. Periera noted: “The world changing experience of performing the first-in-human procedure matched the successful simulated procedures we performed previously, with imperceptibly low latency and no disruptions to the surgical workflow. It was a highlight of my career to be involved in this historic achievement.”

Telerobotic platforms can enable access to the surgery in places that would otherwise not be able to provide the treatment and may shorten time-to-treatment by bringing the surgeon to the patient, rather than the patient to a specialized clinic. Time-to-treatment is a critical determinant in stroke outcomes – “time is brain” and patients risk losing more than 2 million brain cells per minute until treatment is administered. In ischemic stroke, MT should take place typically within a few hours of stroke onset.

The successful surgery follows the announcement last week that XCath secured $30 million in Series C funding co-led by Crescent Enterprises, bringing the total raised since the company’s inception to $92 million. The funds will support XCath’s ongoing efforts to bring the world’s first commercially-practical endovascular robot to the market as well as to perform a clinical telerobotic mechanical thrombectomy.

About XCath

Founded in 2017, XCath is a dynamic startup and the industry leader in the mission to improve neurovascular care through robotic capabilities. XCath’s Iris System is the only endovascular robotic system currently in development to have achieved remote robotic intracranial navigation and neurointerventional procedures.

With strategically located campuses in Houston, Texas – home to the world's largest medical center – and Pangyo, South Korea, often referred to as the Silicon Valley of Korea, XCath is committed to bringing its innovative solutions to patients around the world.

The XCath Iris endovascular robotic system is currently under development. It is not yet cleared for commercial distribution in any country.

Media Contacts:
Ghyna Kurdi at Sahara PR