Vall d'Hebron Hospital Completes Europe's First Single-Port Robotic Pediatric Nephroureterectomy Using China's Surgerii System

Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Spain said it completed Europe's first single-port robotic pediatric nephroureterectomy in late June 2026, and the core surgical robot used in the procedure was supplied by Chinese surgical robotics company Surgerii, according to 36Kr. The hospital said this was its first direct-purchase procurement of Chinese medical devices, and it expects the deployment to add 200 to 300 minimally invasive robotic surgeries per year. Catalonia Trade & Investment said the region has 1,523 life-sciences-related companies, with employment equal to 7.3% of the local population and a 4.1% GDP contribution; Catalonia accounts for 46% of Spain's pharmaceutical exports. The agency said foreign direct investment in the local health and life sciences sector totaled EUR 2.28 billion in 2020-2024, spanning 46 projects and creating 6,050 jobs. Almirall said it opened an office in Shanghai in March 2026 to source innovation projects in China. The company previously signed a 2022 deal with Simcere Pharmaceutical (02096.HK) with milestone payments of up to USD 492 million, and in March 2026 signed a global research collaboration and licensing agreement with a subsidiary of Huahai Pharmaceutical (600521) with total payments of up to USD 340 million.