Stryker is investing $400 million in CMR Surgical, MassDevice and the Cambridge Independent reported. Stryker is a big U.S. medical device company. CMR makes surgical robots in Cambridge, England.

Under the deal, Stryker will be the exclusive U.S. sales agent for CMR's Versius robots, both outlets reported. CMR will keep leading development and sales of the system outside the United States. Stryker also gets an option to buy the rest of the company in the future.

The deal marks Stryker's move into soft-tissue robotics, both outlets reported. Its existing Mako robots are used for knee, hip and shoulder replacements and spine procedures, MassDevice reported.

"Soft-tissue robotics is a high-growth adjacency and a natural extension of Stryker's strengths in endoscopy, visualization and enabling technologies," said Andy Pierce, a top Stryker executive, according to both outlets. Pierce will also join CMR's board.

The robots have been used in more than 45,000 procedures around the world, both outlets reported. CMR's newer Versius Plus got the U.S. green light late last year, starting with gallbladder removal procedures, MassDevice reported.

CMR was last valued at $3 billion in 2021, the Cambridge Independent reported. That came during a $600 million funding round led by SoftBank and Ally Bridge.

A CMR spokesperson told the Cambridge Independent that the company is not changing hands now. "No timing should be assumed or speculated on," the representative said about any future purchase.

The deal comes soon after Medtronic agreed to put $700 million into Cornerstone Robotics, MassDevice reported. Intuitive leads the market for surgical robots.

What we know: Stryker is investing $400 million in CMR and will sell its Versius robots in the U.S.
What we don't: Whether or when Stryker will use its option to buy all of CMR.