Broncus Medical

Broncus Medical develops interventional pulmonology platforms, with the company describing its product line as the only globally integrated system combining real-time image-fusion navigation with diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities for lung diseases. The technology enables physicians to reach lesions in the lungs through the natural airway, addressing unmet needs in lung cancer diagnosis and COPD treatment.

Company Overview

Founded in 2012 in Hangzhou, Broncus Medical operates dual R&D centers in China and the United States, with manufacturing facilities in San Jose, California and domestic production capabilities in China. The company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange main board in September 2021, raising approximately HK$1.55 billion.

A strategic investment from Intuitive Surgical, the maker of the da Vinci surgical robot system, validates Broncus’s technology platform and positions the company for potential synergies in the expanding robotic-assisted bronchoscopy market. Other notable investors include Qiming Venture Capital, Baidu Capital, Lake Bleu Capital, and FountainVest Partners.

Core Products

Navigation Systems

The Archimedes/LungPro platform represents the company’s flagship technology — Broncus describes it as a globally unique system providing real-time augmented reality navigation to access any location within the lung through the bronchus. The system fuses live bronchoscopy imaging with virtual navigation paths derived from CT scans, enabling precise access to peripheral nodules that conventional bronchoscopy cannot reach.

LungPoint serves as the procedure planning and virtual bronchoscopic navigation software, while LungPoint Plus (marketed as Archimedes Lite outside Asia) provides enhanced real-time navigation capabilities for lung biopsy and other interventional procedures.

Therapeutic Products

InterVapor is described by Broncus as the world’s first and only thermal vapor treatment system for COPD; the FDA has designated it a Breakthrough Device. The technology delivers heated water vapor to destroy diseased lung tissue in emphysema patients, offering a non-implant alternative to lung volume reduction surgery. The product received NMPA approval in March 2022 and has since gained regulatory clearance in Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

The RF-II radiofrequency ablation system targets lung cancer treatment through the bronchoscopic approach — Broncus describes it as the only RFA system globally focused exclusively on transbronchial lung cancer ablation. Clinical trials are progressing with registration studies underway in China.

Diagnostic Products

The company offers a broad range of diagnostic consumables including FleXNeedle multipurpose biopsy needles, BioStarNeedle ultrasound-guided aspiration needles, and BroncTru transbronchial access tools. Mist Fountain (雾泉), a drug-device combination nebulizing micro-catheter, received NMPA approval in October 2022 as China’s only approved nebulizing micro-catheter for endoscopic use.

Technology & Innovation

Broncus’s proprietary Bronchoscopic Transparenchymal Nodule Access (BTPNA) technology enables physicians to create direct pathways through lung tissue to reach lesions outside the airways—a capability unique to the Archimedes platform. This technology overcomes the fundamental limitation of conventional bronchoscopy, which can only access lesions adjacent to airways.

The company holds over 476 patents applied or granted as of its IPO, protecting its core navigation algorithms, thermal vapor delivery systems, and transbronchial access technologies. Recent expansion into AI-powered imaging includes BroncQCT, a lung imaging processing software that received NMPA approval in 2025.

In September 2023, Broncus announced the acquisition of Fibernova Holding Corporation for $2.7 million, adding fiber optic navigation and imaging technology to its portfolio. This positions the company to develop next-generation flexible surgical robotics for natural orifice procedures.

Market Presence

According to Frost & Sullivan data, Broncus ranked first in China’s interventional respiratory navigation equipment market by sales volume from 2018 to 2022, maintaining a market share of 43.2%. Products are distributed to 33 countries and regions including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Australia, and Japan.

As of 2023, InterVapor has achieved commercial deployment in over 40 hospitals across 21 provinces in China, with provincial pricing established in more than 20 regions. The company’s navigation products maintained the leading installed base position in China’s market through 2022.

Key Milestones

• 2012: Company founded in Hangzhou
• 2019: InterVapor designated FDA Breakthrough Device
• 2020: Series C funding with Intuitive Surgical as strategic investor
• 2021: Listed on HKEX main board (September 24)
• 2022: InterVapor receives NMPA approval (March); Mist Fountain approved (October)
• 2023: Domestic LungPoint receives NMPA registration; Fibernova acquisition announced
• 2025: BroncQCT AI imaging software receives NMPA approval

Frequently Asked Questions

What diseases does Broncus Medical’s technology treat?

Broncus Medical’s platform addresses lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including emphysema. The navigation systems enable early diagnosis of peripheral lung nodules, while therapeutic products like InterVapor and RF-II provide minimally invasive treatment options that preserve lung function.

How does Broncus differ from other surgical robot companies?

Unlike conventional surgical robots that operate through external incisions, Broncus’s technology works entirely through the natural airway. The platform combines software-based navigation with specialized diagnostic and therapeutic instruments, enabling procedures without any skin incisions.

Is Broncus Medical publicly traded?

Yes, Broncus Medical trades on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under ticker 2216.HK. The company completed its IPO in September 2021, raising approximately HK$1.55 billion.