[Edaily Reporter YU JIN-HEE ] As the domestic stock market continues to show mixed trends recently, the pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device (hereinafter “bio”) sectors are also experiencing mixed fortunes. Investment capital appears to be concentrating on companies that have demonstrated a track record of securing global orders and obtaining regulatory approvals, rather than those relying on unrealistic expectations.

‘P&S Robotics’ Breaks Ground on Orders in Latin America and Expands Its Reach into Upper Limb Rehabilitation

According to the Korea Exchange on the 28th, #P&S Robotics and #LivsMed Inc. were both listed side by side on the “Top 30 Gainers” list for the day’s domestic stock market. In stark contrast, MOA Life Plus(142760), which has failed to resolve its weak financials and the risk of being designated a “monitored stock,” plummeted to the daily price limit, creating a stark contrast.

According to KG Zeroin’s MP DOCTOR on the 28th, P&S Robotics surged 29.95% from the previous day to 5,120 won, hitting the daily upper limit. LivsMed Inc. also closed at 43,400 won, up 16.98% (6,300 won). In contrast, MOA Life Plus, which has accumulated grounds for designation as a “monitored stock,” plummeted 29.78% to 257 won. The stark difference between cutting-edge medical robotics companies that have demonstrated a solid revenue base and struggling firms was clearly reflected in their stock prices.

P&S Robotics is a company specializing in wearable exoskeleton rehabilitation robots that debuted on KOSDAQ in July 2024. Its flagship model, “Walkbot,” precisely controls the three major lower-body joints—the hip, knee, and ankle—to support gait training tailored to the patient’s condition.

As of the first half of the year, product sales accounted for 92.6% of the company’s total revenue, and exports made up 79.6%, demonstrating its global competitiveness. Recently, the company received a request for partnership from the “Telethon Foundation”—Mexico’s largest rehabilitation organization, operating 27 medical centers nationwide—which triggered a sharp rise in its stock price.

After delivering its first unit in May, P&S Robotics signed a follow-up contract worth 2.56 billion won in July alone. This is a major contract exceeding 33% of the company’s annual revenue from the previous year (7.6 billion won). Given that hospitals previously using equipment from competitors have begun switching to P&S Robotics devices, the company is expected to expand its sales channels across the Americas.

Portfolio diversification is also proceeding smoothly. The company is expanding its reach with “Healerbot,” an upper-limb rehabilitation robot designed to assist patients with shoulder injuries such as frozen shoulder and rotator cuff tears. In August, the company began commercialization by supplying the device to three hospitals in South Korea through a public pilot project.

Having obtained European medical device regulation (CE MDR) certification, the company has met the requirements for overseas expansion. At the “Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2027)” to be held next January, it plans to unveil not only hospital-grade devices but also hybrid models and home-use prototypes for the first time, targeting the business-to-consumer (B2C) market as well.

Although the company posted an operating loss of 800 million won in the first half of the year due to delays in overseas shipments and R&D expenses, its financial soundness remains solid, backed by abundant cash and cash equivalents totaling approximately 27.7 billion won. A full-scale rebound in performance is expected once a large-scale order from Mexico is converted into revenue.

A P&S Robotics official stated, “Exports account for the majority of our revenue, centered on our Workbot,” adding, “We will continue to strengthen our core competencies to enhance our export competitiveness.”

“LivsMed Inc.” Sets Sights on Major Global Markets with “Stark,” a Multi-Jointed Laparoscopic Surgical Robot

Amid growing market attention on medical devices, LivsMed Inc. is attracting investor interest thanks to its solid capabilities. Its flagship product is “Artessential,” a multi-joint laparoscopic surgical instrument whose tip can bend freely 90 degrees in all directions—up, down, left, and right—much like a wrist joint. Its technological prowess has already been recognized, with approximately 600 surgeons using it daily at 250 medical institutions, including major general hospitals in Korea.

The company captured the market’s attention by unveiling “Stark,” a laparoscopic surgical robot that integrates this unique multi-joint patent with a robotic arm. It has issued a direct challenge to “Da Vinci” by Intuitive Surgical of the U.S., which has monopolized 90% of the global surgical robot market, valued at 15 trillion won.

Stark has addressed the shortcomings of both the Da Vinci’s bulky tower-type structure and Medtronic’s “Hugo” decentralized cart design. It features an innovative design that lowers two mobile carts, each equipped with two arms, from above, allowing for immediate deployment without the need for operating room remodeling.

Its price competitiveness is also formidable. For the cost of a single Da Vinci system, hospitals can acquire multiple Stark units. By reducing the cost of disposable supplies per surgery to less than half, Stark has significantly lowered the barrier to entry for surgical robots, even for small and medium-sized hospitals.

Stark has currently submitted its product license application to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and is expected to receive approval as early as this December. In particular, the company is taking an aggressive approach to securing a global foothold by advancing its entry into the U.S. and Japanese markets from a sequential to a simultaneous launch.

The company has also laid the groundwork for mass production. It has purchased a factory site in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, and is expediting its launch. With 135.8 billion won in capital secured through a public offering, the company plans to proceed with the construction of a second factory to meet the explosive demand for mass production.

A LivsMed Inc. official stated, “Stark is a robotic system that delivers top-tier multi-joint performance among product lines designed for surgical procedures,” adding, “Based on its outstanding functionality and reasonable price, it will open a new chapter in the global robotics market.”

In contrast, MOA Life Plus, which failed to demonstrate technological competitiveness and financial stability, was completely shunned by the market and plummeted to the daily price limit. The KOSDAQ Market Division of the Korea Exchange recently announced that it had added MOA Life Plus to the list of monitored stocks due to its market capitalization falling below the required threshold. As a result, the company now faces the dual constraints of being designated a monitored stock: a share price below 1,000 won (penny stock) and a market capitalization below 20 billion won.

According to exchange regulations, if a company designated as a “monitored stock” due to a market capitalization or share price shortfall fails to meet the requirements within the specified grace period (90 trading days), it will, in principle, undergo delisting procedures. MOA Life Plus’s stock price plummeted to 257 won without any signs of a turnaround in its management.

Hong Soon-jae, CEO of Biobook, analyzed the situation, stating, “The process of separating the wheat from the chaff within the biotech sector has become even stricter.” He added, “While companies with solid financial foundations that secure global orders attract strong buying interest, troubled companies on the brink of collapse without a clear pipeline face relentless pressure to exit the market.”