I've been in it since they started developing the snake arm/single port solution; I wasn't a fan of Amadeus because it didn't bring anything new to the game in my opinion, and I saw potential patent infringement issues at the time for Amadeus as well.
I don't think Titan has given anything away just yet (except for a lot of shareholder confidence!) because I am still convinced that Medtronic doesn't want to compete with the same tech they are offering to the market, and Titan still owns those patent rights (plus another 86 or so patent applications which should continue rolling in over the next year). If Medtronic doesn't buy us out, then Titan's resources would surely be unable to compete with them, but JnJ or any of another handful of biggies could easily step up to the plate, which Medtronic surely doesn't want - the only way to protect themselves against that is to buy us up front. Even ISRG could look to upgrade their SP with snake arms that move more "intuitively" than their current cross-over linkage system. Plus lens wash patent and second 2D camera, so they aren't removing the camera for washing every 15 minutes, or losing visualization of the site if it absolutely needs to come out for cleaning... ISRG would probably love that as well, especially if Medtronic uses those Titan-owned features.
I don't know what Steven Boyd knows... but it's nice that I can stop calling him Steven Blow, now that the Armistice cat is out of the iHub bag. Anyway, there are certainly limits on what they can legally share with any potential investor, but but they had to somehow hint at just enough to convince him to cut loose with $18M for a company that was having a tough time getting $1.5M chunks prior to that. And considering Armistice's investment in Medtronic is not inconsequential either (somewhere in the $50M range), maybe he was in a position to piece together story lines from two sides giving him a unique set of data points from which to make an $18M conclusion (Please don't misunderstand me; I am not suggesting any impropriety ever occurred here). To me, that is an $18M vote of confidence that my own investment will turn out very well.
The uncomfortable reality we are looking at today (specter of RS plus questionable BOD selection) could be a by-product of our inability to know the behind-the-scenes reality, the extent to which Medtronic and Titan have already decided their collective futures.
Like a nasty kidney stone, this too shall pass! And cause comparable pain in the meantime...
Glad to have another like-minded iHub poster with whom to converse intelligently!
Message in reply to:
Thanks 66 Mustang. I have been in this name for years and have been reading all the posts on this board on a daily basis for the last year. I particularly enjoy yours and Rolls posts. I fully understand that Rolls has been off with some of his recent predictions, but in all due fairness, who knew that Titan was going to include the R/S as an agenda item at the AGM? I am on the Foundation of a Major Hospital and was introduced to this stock by a group of a surgeons that had invested prior to the last R/S. Obviously, they haven’t faired to well. But, they convinced me of the desire and demand for a single port Robot in the market today, and that Titan’s Sport prototype is sound operationally and they had high hopes for it. Unfortunately, Mr McNalley and his supporting cast was unable to garner real interest in the Investment Community over the years, resulting in multiple small Offerings and much dilution. But, he did bring Medtronic to the table. This issue is, did Titan “give away the ranch” for the 1.5M Loan and subsequent Licensing and Development Deals? The obvious answer is, if Titan makes the respective milestones and Medtronic buys them then Titan cut a great deal. I also wonder what Stephen Boyd knows that led to both his and Armistices significant share purchases? And as many have pointed out, why don’t the Insiders have skin in the game? If there is a deal in principal that has been worked out between Medtronic and Titan subject to Titan teaching the milestones, then McNalley and his key people can be rewarded with Medtronic stock/and or options. A lot of questions, a lot of secrecy going on here. We shall see. .
