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📡 2026-10-05 — Where Medtech's Energy Is Going

Market-wide analysis: hot categories, cooling categories, new-entrant clusters, incumbent defensive moves, and distress signals. Independent of any specific product set.
Weekly Robotics Future Momentum: last 365d vs 1825d baseline Incumbent moves: last 90d New entrants: last 365d
Free edition · Published by Elephant Hawk — elephanthawk.com/tools
Hottest category (1y/5y ratio)
4.0×
— — see below
Codes attracting new entrants
15
top: 40 first-timers in QIH
Top-50 incumbent moves
82
64 reinforce · 18 expand · 36 active firms
Distress signals
0
acquisition candidates

🔥 Hot Categories — FDA Codes Accelerating

Top FDA product codes by velocity ratio (last 365d clearance rate ÷ last 1825d baseline rate). A ratio of 2.0× means the code is filing at twice its long-run pace right now. These are the codes the industry's R&D and capital are concentrating in.

RankCodeDeviceSpecialtyClass VelocityRecent (1y)Baseline (5y)Recent sponsors
1 — — — — 4.0× 12 15 12
2 DHB System, Test, Radioallergosorbent (Rast) Immunological Immunology II 3.18× 7 11 2
3 OLT Non-Normalizing Quantitative Electroencephalograph Software Neurology II 3.13× 5 8 5
4 LLL Extractable Antinuclear Antibody, Antigen And Control Immunology II 3.0× 3 5 3
5 FMZ Incubator, Neonatal General Hospital II 3.0× 3 5 2
6 LXB Hearing Aid, Bone Conduction Ear, Nose, Throat II 2.86× 4 7 4
7 GXN Plate, Cranioplasty, Preformed, Non-Alterable Neurology II 2.73× 6 11 6
8 OLR Oral Wound Dressing Unknown — 2.73× 6 11 6
9 MOF Guide, Wire, Catheter, Neurovasculature Cardiovascular II 2.61× 12 23 7
10 IOR Wheelchair, Mechanical Physical Medicine I 2.5× 20 40 13
11 MMK Container, Sharps General Hospital II 2.5× 5 10 5
12 OLI Fat Reducing Low Level Laser General, Plastic Surgery II 2.5× 5 10 4
13 SAN Automated Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test System For Positive Blood Culture Samples Microbiology II 2.5× 4 8 4
14 GXP Methyl Methacrylate For Cranioplasty Neurology II 2.5× 4 8 2
15 QJU Image Acquisition And/Or Optimization Guided By Artificial Intelligence Radiology II 2.5× 3 6 3

🚀 New-Entrant Clusters — Codes Attracting First-Time Filers

FDA product codes ranked by the number of sponsors who filed their FIRST 510(k) in that code during the last 365 days. High first-timer counts = new capital + new R&D entering the category. This is the leading edge of where the focus is going (lags the underlying R&D investment by ~12-24 months).

RankCodeDeviceSpecialty First-time filersSample firms
1 QIH Automated Radiological Image Processing Software Radiology 40 3DIEMME SRLAI Planning Logic, Inc.Agada Medical, Ltd.Ai4medimaging Medical Solutions S.A.Anumana, Inc.
2 LLZ System, Image Processing, Radiological Radiology 37 ADVAHEALTH SOLUTIONS, LLCAS Software, LLCAgfa Healthcare N.V.Apryse Software CorpArchy Dental, Inc.
3 ITI Wheelchair, Powered Physical Medicine 23 Beijing OrionStar Technology Co., Ltd.Foshan Sowell Medical Technology Co., Ltd.Hebei Dansong Medical Technology Co., Ltd.Jiangsu Intco Medical Products Co., Ltd.Jiangsu Yveelt Medical Equipment Co., Ltd.
4 GEX Powered Laser Surgical Instrument General, Plastic Surgery 23 Baoding Te'Anzhou Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.Beijing HuaCheng Taike Technology Co., Ltd.Bellamia Technologies, Inc.Boston Aesthetics, Inc.C.R. Bard, Inc.
5 GEI Electrosurgical, Cutting & Coagulation & Accessories General, Plastic Surgery 21 Acotec Scientific Co., Ltd.Ascblue CorporationAsterasys Co., Ltd.Aventix Medical, Inc.Baylis Medical Technologies, Inc.
6 OHS Light Based Over The Counter Wrinkle Reduction General, Plastic Surgery 20 Atop Lighting Co., Ltd.Dongguan Miqiang Technology Co., Ltd.Dongguan Yijiaming Technology Co., Ltd.Guangdong Ace-Tec Co., Ltd.Kam Yuen Plastic Products , Ltd.
7 ODP Intervertebral Fusion Device With Bone Graft, Cervical Orthopedic 16 C.A. Medical, LLCDegen MedicalEffortmed, LLCFims Co., Ltd.HC Biologics, LLC
8 GCJ Laparoscope, General & Plastic Surgery Gastroenterology, Urology 16 Ab Medica SasFloShield, Inc.Freyja Healthcare, LLCHangzhou Hawk Optical Electronic Instruments Co., Ltd.Integrated Endoscopy, Inc.
9 NKB Thoracolumbosacral Pedicle Screw System Orthopedic 15 Allumin8, Inc.Beijing Fule Science & Technology Development Co., Ltd.Box Spine, LLCChanpin Medtak Co., Ltd.Double Medical Technology, Inc.
10 INI Vehicle, Motorized 3-Wheeled Physical Medicine 14 Dongguan Smarfody Mobility Technology Co., Ltd.Jiangsu Intco Medical Products Co., Ltd.Jochu Technology Co., Ltd.Lerado Zhongshan Peaceful Cove Business Trading Co., Ltd.Nanjing Kangni Smart Technology Co., Ltd.
11 DXN System, Measurement, Blood-Pressure, Non-Invasive Cardiovascular 13 80 Beats Medical GmbHBeijing Hanvon Health Technology Co., Ltd.Biozen, LLCGuangzhou Daxin Health Technology Co., Ltd.Happy Health, Inc.
12 FRO Dressing, Wound, Drug Unknown 12 Beijing Kreate Medical Co., Ltd.Huizhou Foryou Medical Co., Ltd.InnovaCorium, Inc.Letus CorporationMagic Science Supply, LLC
13 OLO Orthopedic Stereotaxic Instrument Neurology 12 Balmoral Medical, LLCFoundation Surgical Group, Inc.K2m, Inc.Life Spine, Inc.Orthofix US, LLC
14 DYB Introducer, Catheter Cardiovascular 12 Cardiocycle Medical(Suzhou) Co., Ltd.Cultiv8 1, LLCEcho Medical, LLCHartman Medical Group, LLCHealth Line International Corporation
15 NUC Lubricant, Personal Obstetrics/Gynecology 12 Ansella TherapeuticsBumlicious, LLC (DBA “Bumlicious”)Golden Isles Medical, Inc.Guangzhou Haoyimai Trading Co., Ltd.Hudi Pharma Srl

🛡️ What the Top 50 US Medtech Incumbents Are Doing

Recent filings by the top-50 sponsors (by lifetime US 510(k) volume) in the last 90 days. REINFORCE = filed in a code they already own (label expansion, supplement, follow-on = moat-protection move). EXPAND = filed in a code where they had NO prior presence (strategic territory move). Ratio of reinforce vs. expand tells you whether the incumbents are playing defense or going on offense.

Defensive balance: 64 reinforce moves vs 18 expand moves · 78% reinforce · 22% expand · 36 of 50 incumbents active in window
DateFirmMoveCode ClassSpecialtyDevice
2026-09-18 Inari Medical, Inc. reinforce QEW II Cardiovascular Triever Duo Catheter
2026-09-18 Nvision Biomedical Technologies reinforce HRS II Orthopedic EnHAnce PEEK Bunion System
2026-09-17 Medtronic, Inc. expand FGE II Gastroenterology, Urology Protégé™ EverFlex™ Self-expanding Peripheral Stent System
2026-09-17 Abbott Medical reinforce DQK II Cardiovascular EnSite™ X EP System
2026-09-17 SurGenTec, LLC expand GZT II Neurology Durashield Device Kit
2026-09-16 GE Medical Systems Ultrasound and Primary Care Diagnostics reinforce QIH II Radiology EchoPAC Software Only / EchoPAC Plug-in (v211)
2026-09-15 Covidien, LLC reinforce GEI II General, Plastic Surgery LigaSure™ RAS Maryland Jaw Vessel Sealer/Divider, Nano-coated
2026-09-14 Becton Dickinson and Company expand JTZ II Microbiology BD BBL Mueller Hinton II Broth (Cation-Adjusted); BD Difco Mueller Hin
2026-09-11 Boston Scientific Corporation reinforce OVB II Radiology SpaceOAR Flex™ System
2026-09-10 Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. reinforce OBJ II Cardiovascular ACUNAV Luxera 4D ICE Catheter
2026-09-08 Intuitive Surgical, Inc. reinforce NAY II Gastroenterology, Urology da Vinci Surgical System, Model IS5000
2026-09-08 Smith & Nephew, Inc. reinforce MBH II Orthopedic LANDMARK Total Knee System
2026-09-04 Dentsply Sirona, Inc. reinforce KCT II General Hospital Surgical and Prosthetic Trays
2026-09-03 Boston Scientific reinforce KNS II Gastroenterology, Urology Rezum System
2026-09-02 GE Medical Systems Ultrasound and Primary Care Diagnostics reinforce IYN II Radiology Vivid Explorer/Vivid Advanced/Vivid Focus
2026-09-02 Hologic, Inc. expand MUE II Radiology I-View®
2026-09-01 Arthrex, Inc. reinforce JDR II Orthopedic Arthrex DynaNite Staples
2026-08-31 Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. reinforce KPR II Radiology MULTIX Impact; MULTIX Impact C
2026-08-28 Medtronic, Inc. reinforce MXD II Cardiovascular LINQ II Insertable Cardiac Monitor (ICM) (LNQ22)
2026-08-28 Paragon 28, Inc. expand HTY II Orthopedic Primal K-Wire (P99-193-1410)
2026-08-28 Roche Molecular Systems, Inc. reinforce OZN II Microbiology cobas® Cdiff Nucleic acid test for use on the cobas® Liat® System (074
2026-08-28 Roche Molecular Systems, Inc. expand PGX II Microbiology cobas Strep A Nucleic acid test for use on the cobas Liat System (0734
2026-08-27 Prismatik Dentalcraft, Inc. reinforce EBI II Dental Glidewell™ Denture Base Resin
2026-08-27 Riverpoint Medical reinforce MBI II Orthopedic Iconix Knotless T
2026-08-26 Boston Scientific Corporation reinforce FGB II Gastroenterology, Urology LithoVue Elite Digital Flexible Ureteroscope System

❄️ Cooling Categories — FDA Codes Decelerating

FDA product codes where clearance velocity is FAR below long-run baseline. Two interpretations: (a) the category is dying / commoditized → vacated white space someone could re-enter cheaply, OR (b) the use case is being replaced by a different technology (e.g., glucose meters declining as CGM eats their share). Either way, useful intelligence.

RankCodeDeviceSpecialty VelocityRecent (1y)Baseline (5y)
1 OCX Endoscopic Irrigation/Suction System Gastroenterology, Urology 0.0× 0 22
2 LYY Latex Patient Examination Glove General Hospital 0.0× 0 22
3 LCX Kit, Test, Pregnancy, Hcg, Over The Counter Clinical Chemistry 0.0× 0 23
4 FLL Continuous Measurement Thermometer General Hospital 0.15× 2 68
5 FRC Indicator, Biological Sterilization Process General Hospital 0.19× 1 27
6 FXX Mask, Surgical General, Plastic Surgery 0.22× 8 184
7 ONF Powered Light Based Non-Laser Surgical Instrument With Thermal Effect General, Plastic Surgery 0.25× 1 20
8 JSM Culture Media, Non-Propagating Transport Microbiology 0.25× 1 20
9 LZA Polymer Patient Examination Glove General Hospital 0.25× 17 338
10 JWY Manual Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test Systems Microbiology 0.31× 2 32
11 JOJ Indicator, Physical/Chemical Sterilization Process General Hospital 0.32× 2 31
12 MQB Solid State X-Ray Imager (Flat Panel/Digital Imager) Radiology 0.32× 4 63
13 FRN Pump, Infusion General Hospital 0.33× 2 30
14 LON System, Test, Automated, Antimicrobial Susceptibility, Short Incubation Microbiology 0.34× 2 29
15 KGO Surgeon'S Gloves General, Plastic Surgery 0.36× 2 28

⚠️ New Distress Signals (Market-Wide)

Firms across all US medtech that recently tripped the distress signal: small US-cleared portfolio (≤8 clearances), Class I recall in window, dormant ≥730 days. Potential M&A targets via Hilco / Ocean Tomo / Heritage Global outreach.

No new distress signals in window. The standing watch order with Hilco / Ocean Tomo continues to monitor.

🔭 Robotics Future Lane Spotlight

Filtered view of the same window, restricted to 26 FDA codes in the Robotics Future code list. Shown because you ran the brief with --lane robotics. The market-analysis sections above are still the primary view; this is supplementary.

No events in Robotics Future lane during the window.

📡 External Signals — This Week

Leading-edge items from live external feeds; the warehouse sections above are the lagging FDA record (clearances reflect ~12-18 months of prior R&D + regulatory work).

Press Releases leads by ~12 months

AI Synthesis Layer leads by weekly

Coming next:

Clinical Trials (ClinicalTrials.gov)
New trial starts and registry updates — a strong leading indicator for where R&D money is being spent.
Trade Show Calendar + Target Attendee List
MD&M, RSNA, AAOS, AAOMS, ADA, ASCO, HIMSS, CES Health. Next-30-days view of firms exhibiting and what they're launching — real-time signal of where the booth budget is going.
Industry Trade Press + SEC EDGAR M&A
MedTech Dive, MassDevice, MedCity News, MD+DI editorial + SEC 8-K M&A filings. Concurrent and retrospective context.