Thursday, August 6, 2026

Johnson & Johnson launches MONARCH platform in the Middle East

Johnson & Johnson has announced the first robotically assisted bronchoscopy case using the MONARCH platform in the Middle East. The procedure was performed at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and, according to the company, introduces robotic bronchoscopy to the region.

The case also represented the first regional clinical use of MONARCH QUEST. The navigation technology uses AI-enabled algorithms, is designed to support the user experience and can integrate with a range of mobile and fixed advanced imaging systems.

Earlier lung cancer diagnosis in focus

Johnson & Johnson presents the platform as a minimally invasive option to help clinicians access and evaluate suspicious lung nodules. Peripheral lung lesions can be difficult to reach with conventional bronchoscopy approaches. The company notes that nearly half of early-stage lesions are located in the periphery of the lung.

Timing remains central in lung cancer care. Based on figures cited by the company, up to 90 percent of people diagnosed at an early stage survive at least five years. When lung cancer is diagnosed at a late stage, five-year survival can be below 10 percent.

AI navigation and digital ecosystem

MONARCH QUEST adds enhanced navigation to the platform using intraprocedural 3D imaging data. The digital capabilities now cover preoperative planning as well as AI-enabled navigation during the procedure.

The MONARCH platform is also set to become part of Johnson & Johnson’s Polyphonic digital ecosystem, which is intended to connect data across surgical technologies, robotics and surgical software.

In the United States, Johnson & Johnson states that the MONARCH bronchoscope, platform and accessories are intended to provide bronchoscopic visualization of and access to patient airways for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Potential bronchoscopy complications include breathing difficulty, infection, bleeding at the biopsy site and low blood oxygen, while more serious complications can include collapsed lung, respiratory failure or cardiac arrhythmia.