Medtronic Gains FDA Clearance for MiniMed Go MDI System, Partners on BCI Neurosurgery
Medtronic and Precision Neuroscience will integrate Precision’s Layer 7 cortical interface with Medtronic’s StealthStation surgical navigation system to deliver real-time functional and structural brain mapping in the operating room. The FDA cleared Medtronic’s MiniMed Go Smart MDI system—integrating InPen smart pen and Abbott’s Instinct sensor—for a U.S. spring commercial launch.
1. Medtronic Emphasizes Acquisition Capacity at Industry Conference
At the annual Neuromodulation Summit in San Francisco, Medtronic executives revealed the company maintains more than $15 billion in unallocated cash and credit capacity to pursue strategic acquisitions across its portfolio. CEO Geoff Martha highlighted that this “significant firepower” positions Medtronic to target high-growth segments such as robotic surgery and advanced cardiac therapies, noting the company completed five bolt-on deals averaging $250 million each over the past 18 months. CFO Karen Parkhill added that Medtronic’s debt leverage ratio remains below 2.5x EBITDA, providing flexibility for both small-scale technology buys and potential larger transactions in diabetes care or neural interfaces.
2. Strategic Neurosurgery Partnership with Precision Neuroscience
Medtronic has entered a co-development agreement with Precision Neuroscience to integrate the Layer 7™ cortical interface into Medtronic’s StealthStation™ surgical navigation platform. Under terms disclosed at the Globe Newswire announcement, Medtronic will contribute its Cranial & Spinal Technologies expertise and deployment network across 1,200 operating rooms globally, while Precision brings its minimally invasive electrode arrays. The joint system is expected to generate intraoperative functional and structural brain maps in under five minutes, a 30% reduction in workflow time compared with current separate modalities. Field trials are scheduled to begin in Q3 2026 at five leading U.S. academic medical centers.
3. FDA Clears MiniMed Go™ Smart MDI System
Medtronic’s Diabetes segment secured FDA 510(k) clearance for the MiniMed Go™ Smart MDI system, which integrates the InPen™ smart insulin pen with Abbott’s Instinct continuous glucose sensor via the MiniMed Go™ mobile app. Clinical data from 1,852 type 1 diabetes users showed Time in Range improved from 55.7% to 71.5% when patients responded promptly to high-glucose alerts. The system is approved for ages 7 and up, with an extension to ages 2–6 under caregiver supervision pending. Commercial rollout is slated for U.S. launch in spring 2026, leveraging Medtronic’s existing 3,500 diabetes-care-specialist network.