Filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration Number: 333-217865

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

(To Prospectus dated May 19, 2017)

TransEnterix, Inc.

Up to $75,000,000

Common Stock

We have entered into an At-the-Market Equity Offering Sales Agreement, or Sales Agreement, with Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, or Stifel, to offer and sell up to $75,000,000 of our common stock, $0.001 par value per share, offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

In accordance with the terms of the Sales Agreement, we may offer and sell shares of our common stock at any time and from time to time through Stifel as our sales agent. Sales of the common stock, if any, will be made at market prices by any method that is deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act. Stifel may also sell our common stock in negotiated transactions with our prior approval.

The aggregate compensation payable to Stifel shall be equal to 3.0% of the gross sales price of the shares sold through Stifel pursuant to the Sales Agreement. In connection with the sale of the common stock on our behalf, Stifel will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and the compensation of Stifel will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts.

Subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement, Stifel will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell on our behalf any shares to be offered by us under the Sales Agreement. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in any escrow, trust or similar arrangement.

Our common stock is listed on the NYSE American under the symbol “TRXC.” On December 26, 2018, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the NYSE American was $2.45 per share.

Investing in our common stock involves risks. You should review carefully the risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” on page S-4 of this prospectus supplement and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

Stifel

The date of this prospectus supplement is December 28, 2018.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

PROSPECTUS

Table of Contents

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, dated May 19, 2017, are part of a “shelf” registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-217865). This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the terms of this offering of shares of our common stock and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. The second part, the accompanying prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference, provides more general information, some of which may not apply to this offering. Generally, when we refer to this prospectus, we are referring to both parts of this document combined. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus supplement, on the one hand, and the information contained in the accompanying prospectus or in any document incorporated by reference that was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, before the date of this prospectus supplement, on the other hand, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement. If any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date, the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.

You should rely only on the information contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. We have not, and Stifel has not, authorized anyone to provide you with different or additional information. You should assume that the information in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front of the respective document and that any information that we have incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or the time of any sale of a security. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

As used in this prospectus supplement, the terms “TransEnterix,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “ours” refer to TransEnterix, Inc.

This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the information incorporated by reference herein and therein include trademarks, service marks and trade names owned by us or other companies. All trademarks, service marks and trade names included or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus are the property of their respective owners.

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. For a discussion of the factors you should carefully consider before deciding to purchase any of our securities, please review “Part I, Item 1.A—Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, on March 8, 2018, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in its entirety, together with the other information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents we have filed or will subsequently file that are incorporated by reference. The risks and uncertainties described in the documents incorporated by reference are not the only risks and uncertainties we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations. If any of those risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition and results of operations would suffer. In that event, the market price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment in our common stock.

Management will have broad discretion as to the use of the net proceeds from this offering, and we may not use the proceeds effectively.

Our management will have broad discretion as to the application of the net proceeds and could use them for purposes other than those contemplated at the time of this offering. Our stockholders may not agree with the manner in which our management chooses to allocate and spend the net proceeds. Moreover, our management may use the net proceeds for corporate purposes that may not increase our results of operations or the market value of our common stock. Our failure to apply these funds effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, delay the development and approval of our products and cause the price of our common stock to decline.

We re-financed our debt in May 2018. We need to meet new milestone events in order to obtain additional funding.

On May 23, 2018, we and our domestic subsidiaries, as co-borrowers, entered into a Loan and Security Agreement, or the Hercules Loan Agreement, with several banks and other financial institutions or entities from time to time party to the Hercules Loan Agreement, collectively, the Lender, and Hercules Capital, Inc., as administrative agent and collateral agent, or the Agent. Under the Hercules Loan Agreement, the Lender has agreed to make certain term loans to us in the aggregate principal amount of up to $40,000,000, with funding of the first $20,000,000 tranche occurring on May 23, 2018. We drew on the second tranche of $10,000,000 in October 2018, and will be eligible to draw on a third tranche of $10,000,000 upon achievement of designated trailing six month GAAP net revenue from Senhance System sales. We are entitled to make interest-only payments until December 1, 2020, and at the end of the interest-only period, we will be required to repay the term loans over an eighteen-month period based on an eighteen-month amortization schedule, with a final maturity date of June 1, 2022. The term loans will be required to be repaid if the term loans are accelerated following an event of default. Our obligations under the Hercules Loan Agreement are to be guaranteed by all current and future material foreign subsidiaries of the Company and are secured by a security interest in all of the assets of the Company and our current and future domestic subsidiaries and all of the assets of our current and future material foreign subsidiaries, including a security interest in the intellectual property. The Hercules Loan Agreement contains customary representations and covenants that, subject to exceptions, restrict the Company’s and our subsidiaries’ ability to do the following, among other things: declare dividends or redeem or repurchase equity interests; incur additional indebtedness and liens; make loans and investments; engage in mergers, acquisitions, and asset sales; transact with affiliates; undergo a change in control; add or change business locations; and engage in businesses that are not related to its existing business. Under the terms of the Hercules Loan Agreement, we are required to maintain cash and/or investment property in accounts which perfect the Agent’s first priority security interest in such accounts in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) (x) 120% of the then-outstanding principal balance of the term loans, including accrued interest and any other fees payable under the agreement to the extent accrued and payable plus (y) an amount equal to the then-outstanding accounts payable of the Company on a consolidated basis that are more than 90 days past due and (ii) 80% of the aggregate cash of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries. The Agent is granted the option to invest up to $2,000,000 in any future equity offering broadly marketed by the Company to investors on the same terms as the offering to other investors.

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If the Company defaults on its obligations under the Hercules Loan Agreement, such default would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position.

In May 2017, we issued Series B Warrants to purchase 18,675,000 shares of common stock, which must be revalued each reporting period. In addition, we owe contingent consideration to Sofar under the Senhance acquisition agreement that is also revalued each reporting period. Such assessments involve the use of estimates that could later be found to differ materially from actual results, which could have an adverse effect on our financial condition.

On May 3, 2017, we sold 24.9 million units, each consisting of one share of common stock, a Series A warrant to purchase one share of common stock, and a Series B warrant to purchase 0.75 shares of common stock, at a public offering price of $1.00 per unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $24.9 million in an underwritten firm commitment public offering. All of the Series A warrants have been exercised, but Series B warrants to purchase an aggregate of 2,729,085 shares of common stock are outstanding as of the date of this prospectus. The warrants contain provisions, often referred to as “down-round protection” that may lead to adjustment of the exercise price and number of underlying warrant shares with respect to future issuances by the Company of its securities, including its common stock or convertible securities or debt securities. In addition, two tranches of the contingent consideration to be paid to Sofar under the Senhance Acquisition agreement remain outstanding, to be paid if the designated milestones are met.

The warrants and the contingent consideration are each recorded as a liability on our financial statements, and we are required to revalue each of the warrants and the contingent consideration each financial quarter. Such revaluations necessarily involve the use of estimates, assumptions, probabilities and application of complex accounting principles. Actual value at the time the warrants are exercised or the contingent consideration paid could vary significantly from the value assigned to such liabilities on a quarterly basis. We cannot assure you that the revaluation of the warrants and contingent consideration will equal the value in the future, and know that the actual value could be significantly different, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.

The exercise of our outstanding options and warrants will dilute shareholders and could decrease our stock price.

The existence of our outstanding options and warrants, including the Series B warrants, may adversely affect our stock price due to sales of a large number of shares or the perception that such sales could occur. These factors also could make it more difficult to raise funds through future offerings of common stock or warrants, and could adversely impact the terms under which we could obtain additional equity capital. Exercise of outstanding options and warrants, or any future issuance of additional shares of common stock or other equity securities, including but not limited to options, warrants or other derivative securities convertible into our common stock, may result in significant dilution to our stockholders and may decrease our stock price.

If you purchase our common stock in this offering, you may incur immediate dilution in the book value of your investment.

The offering price per share in this offering may exceed the net tangible book value per share of our common stock outstanding prior to this offering. Assuming that an aggregate of 25,000,000 shares of our common stock are sold at a price of $3.00 per share for aggregate gross proceeds of $75,000,000, and after deducting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, you would experience immediate dilution of $2.47 per share, representing the difference between our as adjusted net tangible book value per share as of September 30, 2018 after giving effect to this offering and the assumed offering price. If we were to sell shares of our common stock in this offering at a price per share greater than our net tangible book value, it would result in dilution of your investment. The exercise of outstanding stock options and warrants or the settlement of outstanding restricted stock units would result in further dilution of your investment. See the section entitled

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“Dilution” below for a more detailed illustration of the dilution you may incur if you participate in this offering. Because the sales of the shares offered hereby will be made directly into the market or in negotiated transactions, the prices at which we sell these shares will vary and these variations may be significant. Purchasers of the shares we sell, as well as our existing stockholders, will experience significant dilution if we sell shares at prices significantly below the price at which they invested.

You may experience future dilution as a result of future equity offerings or other equity issuances.

In order to raise additional capital, we may in the future offer and issue additional shares of our common stock or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock. Under our effective shelf registration statement we can raise up to an additional $25 million through the issuance of equity or debt securities. We cannot assure you that we will be able to sell shares or other securities in any offering at a price per share that is equal to or greater than the price per share paid by investors in previous offerings, and investors purchasing shares or other securities in the future could have rights superior to existing stockholders. The price per share at which we sell additional shares of our common stock or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock in future transactions may be higher or lower than the price per share in previous offerings.

The Series B warrants contain provisions, often referred to as “down-round protection” that may lead to adjustment of the exercise price and number of underlying warrant shares with respect to future issuances by the Company of its securities, including its common stock or convertible securities or debt securities. Any such adjustment could further impact the dilution from future offerings of our securities.

In addition, we have a significant number of stock options outstanding. To the extent that outstanding stock options have been or may be exercised or other shares issued, you may experience further dilution. Further, we may choose to raise additional capital due to market conditions or strategic considerations, even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans.

The market price of our common stock has been, and may continue to be, highly volatile, and such volatility could cause the market price of our common stock to decrease and could cause you to lose some or all of your investment in our common stock.

During the two year period ended September 30, 2018, the market price of our common stock fluctuated from a high of $6.98 per share to a low of $0.45 per share, and our stock price continues to fluctuate. The market price of our common stock may continue to fluctuate significantly in response to numerous factors, some of which are beyond our control, such as:

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Further, the stock market in general, and the market for medical device companies in particular, can experience extreme price and volume fluctuations. Continued market fluctuations could result in extreme volatility in the price of our common stock, which could cause a decline in the value of our common stock and the loss of some or all of your investment.

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus supplement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement regarding our strategy, future operations, collaborations, intellectual property, cash resources, financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. The words “believes,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “potential,” “likely,” “projects,” “continue,” “will,” and “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. We cannot guarantee that we actually will achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements. These important factors include those set forth above under the heading “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement and in the reports incorporated by reference herein and therein. These factors and the other cautionary statements made in this prospectus supplement or incorporated by reference herein should be read as being applicable to all related forward-looking statements whenever they appear in this prospectus supplement or in the reports incorporated by reference herein. In addition, any forward-looking statements represent our estimates only as of the date that this prospectus supplement is filed with the SEC, and should not be relied upon as representing our estimates as of any subsequent date. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements. We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Any disclosure in this report regarding the receipt of CE Mark or Section 510(k) clearance for any of the Company’s products does not mean or infer any endorsement of the Company’s products by any government agency including, without limitation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

The amount of proceeds from this offering will depend on the number of shares sold and the market price at which they are sold. We currently intend to use the net proceeds of this offering for general corporate purposes, including working capital, sales and marketing, product development and capital expenditures. While we have estimated the particular uses for the net proceeds of this offering, we have not determined the amounts we plan to spend on any of the areas listed above or the timing of these expenditures. As a result, our management will have broad discretion to allocate the net proceeds from this offering for any purpose, and investors will be relying on the judgment of our management with regard to the use of these net proceeds. Pending use of the net proceeds as described above, we intend to invest the net proceeds in money-market funds or U.S. treasuries until we use them for their stated purpose.

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DILUTION

If you invest in our common stock, your interest will be diluted immediately to the extent of the difference between the public offering price per share of our common stock and the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of common stock after this offering.

The net tangible book value of our common stock as of September 30, 2018 was approximately $50.5 million, or approximately $0.24 per share. Net tangible book value per share represents the amount of our total tangible assets less total liabilities divided by the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding.

Dilution per share to new investors represents the difference between the amount per share paid by purchasers for our common stock in this offering and the net tangible book value per share of our common stock immediately following the completion of this offering.

After giving effect to the sale of shares of common stock offered by this prospectus supplement at an assumed public offering price of $3.00 per share, and after deducting commissions and estimated aggregate offering expenses payable by us, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of September 30, 2018 would have been approximately $125.5 million, or approximately $0.53 per share. This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of approximately $0.29 per share to our existing stockholders and an immediate dilution in as adjusted net tangible book value of approximately $2.47 per share to purchasers of our common stock in this offering, as illustrated by the following table:

The table above is based on 212,631,801 shares of our common stock outstanding as of September 30, 2018, and excludes, as of such date:

To the extent that outstanding options are exercised, you will experience further dilution. In addition, we may choose to raise additional capital due to market conditions or strategic considerations even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. To the extent that additional capital is raised through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of these securities could result in further dilution to our stockholders.

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PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK

Our common stock began trading on the NYSE American (formerly known as the NYSE MKT) on April 2, 2014 under the symbol “TRXC.”

The closing sale price of our common stock as reported on the NYSE American on December 26, 2018 was $2.45 per share. As of December 26, 2018, there were approximately 203 record holders of our common stock (counting all shares held in single nominee registration as one stockholder). This does not include the number of persons whose stock is in nominee or “street name” accounts through brokers.

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We have entered into an At-the-Market Equity Offering Sales Agreement, dated December 28, 2018, or the Sales Agreement, with Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, or Stifel, under which we may offer and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate gross sales price of up to $75,000,000 from time to time through Stifel. The Sales Agreement has been filed as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K filed under the Exchange Act and is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement.

Upon delivery of a placement notice and subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement, Stifel may sell our common stock by any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act. Stifel may also sell our common stock in negotiated transactions with our prior approval. We may instruct Stifel not to sell common stock if the sales cannot be effected at or above the price designated by us from time to time. We or Stifel may suspend the offering of common stock upon notice and subject to other conditions.

We will pay Stifel commissions, in cash, for its services in acting as agent in the sale of our common stock. Stifel will be entitled to compensation at a commission rate equal to 3.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds from each sale of our common stock. Because there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to close this offering, the actual total public offering amount, commissions and proceeds to us, if any, are not determinable at this time. We have also agreed to reimburse Stifel for certain expenses incurred in connection with the offering of our common stock pursuant to the sales agreement, up to a maximum of $50,000. We estimate that the total expenses for the offering, excluding compensation and reimbursements payable to Stifel under the terms of the Sales Agreement, will be approximately $125,000.

Settlement for sales of common stock will occur on the second business day, or such earlier day as is industry practice for regular-way trading, following the date on which any sales are made, or on some other date that is agreed upon by us and Stifel in connection with a particular transaction, in return for payment of the net proceeds to us. Sales of our common stock as contemplated in this prospectus will be settled through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company or by such other means as we and Stifel may agree upon. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.

Subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement, Stifel will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell on our behalf any shares to be offered by us under the Sales Agreement. In connection with the sale of the common stock on our behalf, Stifel will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and the compensation of Stifel will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to Stifel against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

The offering of our common stock pursuant to the Sales Agreement will terminate upon the earlier of (i) the sale of all of our common stock subject to the Sales Agreement or (ii) the termination of the Sales Agreement as permitted therein. We and Stifel may each terminate the Sales Agreement at any time upon written notice.

Stifel and its affiliates may in the future provide various investment banking, commercial banking and other financial services for us and our affiliates, for which services they may in the future receive customary fees. To the extent required by Regulation M, Stifel will not engage in any market making activities involving our common stock while the offering is ongoing under this prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus.

LEGAL MATTERS

Certain legal matters with respect to the securities offered hereby have been passed upon by Ballard Spahr LLP, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Stifel is being represented in connection with this offering by Duane Morris LLP, New York, New York.

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EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2017, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017, incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement have been so incorporated in reliance on the reports of BDO USA, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the SEC under the Securities Act. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus do not contain all of the information included in the registration statement. We have omitted certain parts of the registration statement in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information, we refer you to the registration statement, including its exhibits and schedules. Statements contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus about the provisions or contents of any contract, agreement or any other document referred to are not necessarily complete. Please refer to the actual exhibit for a more complete description of the matters involved.

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings, including the registration statement and exhibits, are available to the public at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

We maintain an Internet site at www.transenterix.com. We have not incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus the information on our website, and you should not consider any of the information posted on or hyper-linked to our website to be a part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with the SEC, which means we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information we incorporate by reference is an important part of this prospectus supplement, and certain information that we will later file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below as well as any future filings made with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this prospectus supplement until we sell all of the securities under this prospectus supplement, except that we do not incorporate any document or portion of a document that is “furnished” to the SEC, but not deemed “filed.” The following documents filed with the SEC are incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus:

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We will furnish to you, on written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents that have been incorporated by reference, including exhibits to these documents. You may request a copy of these filings at no cost by writing or telephoning our Secretary at the following address and telephone number:

TransEnterix, Inc.

Attention: Joshua Weingard, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary

635 Davis Drive, Suite 300

Morrisville, NC 27560

Telephone No.: (919) 765-8400

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PROSPECTUS

$150,000,000

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Warrants

Debt Securities

Units

We may offer and sell from time to time, in one or more offerings, up to $150,000,000 of any combination of common stock, preferred stock, warrants and debt securities, either individually or in units consisting of any two or more of such securities. We may also offer securities upon the exercise of warrants.

Each time we sell securities pursuant to this prospectus, we will provide the specific terms of the securities offered in a supplement to this prospectus. The prospectus supplements will also describe the specific manner in which we will offer these securities and may also supplement, update or amend information contained in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any related prospectus supplement carefully before you invest in our securities.

The securities may be sold on a delayed or continuous basis directly by us, through dealers, agents or underwriters designated from time to time, or through any combination of these methods. If any dealers, agents or underwriters are involved in the sale of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered, we will disclose their names and the nature of our arrangements with them in any prospectus supplement. The net proceeds we expect to receive from any such sale will also be included in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Our common stock is traded on the NYSE MKT under the symbol “TRXC.” On May 9, 2017, the closing price of our common stock was $0.62 per share.

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “RISK FACTORS” on page 4.

This prospectus may not be used to offer or sell securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement for the securities being sold.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this Prospectus is May 19, 2017.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included or incorporated in this prospectus regarding our strategy, future operations, collaborations, intellectual property, cash resources, financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects, plans, and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. The words “believes,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “potential,” “likely,” “projects,” “continue,” “will,” and “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. We cannot guarantee that we actually will achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements. These important factors include those referenced under the heading “Risk Factors.” These factors and the other cautionary statements made in this prospectus should be read as being applicable to all related forward-looking statements whenever they appear in this prospectus. In addition, any forward-looking statements represent our estimates only as of the date that this prospectus is filed with the SEC, and should not be relied upon as representing our estimates as of any subsequent date. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements. We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement (including in any documents incorporated by reference herein or therein). We have not authorized anyone to provide you with any different information. We are offering to sell our securities, and seeking offers to buy, only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted.

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities involves substantial risks. In addition to other information contained in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement, before investing in our securities, you should carefully consider the risks described under the heading “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as it may be amended, and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and in any other documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, as updated by our future filings. These risks are not the only ones faced by us. Additional risks not known or that are deemed immaterial could also materially and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, our products, business and prospects. Any of these risks might cause you to lose all or a part of your investment.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities under this prospectus together with our existing cash resources, for working capital and other general corporate purposes, including commercialization and regulatory clearance activities for our products. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds that we receive to acquire or invest in complementary businesses, products, services, technologies, or other assets. At this time, we have not determined the specific uses of any offering proceeds, or the amounts we plan to spend on any particular use or the timing of such expenditures, which may vary significantly depending on various factors such as our research and development activities, regulatory approvals, competition, marketing and sales, and the market acceptance of any products introduced by us or our partners. Pending application of the net proceeds from any particular offering, we intend to invest such proceeds in short-term, interest-bearing, investment-grade securities.

Each time we issue securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain information about how we intend to use the proceeds from each such offering.

We cannot guarantee that we will receive any proceeds in connection with any offering hereunder because we may choose not to issue any of the securities covered by this prospectus.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the securities being offered hereby from time to time in one or more of the following ways:

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We will set forth in a prospectus supplement the terms of the offering of securities, including:

The distribution of the securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to the prevailing market prices, or at negotiated prices.

Underwriters, dealers, agents and others that participate in the distribution of the securities may be underwriters as defined in the Securities Act and any discounts or commissions they receive from us and any profit on their resale of the securities may be treated as underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. In no event will the total amount of cash compensation paid to underwriters, placement agents, dealers or brokers exceed 10% of the gross proceeds of the offering. We will identify in the applicable prospectus supplement any underwriters, dealers, agents and others and will describe their compensation. We may have agreements with underwriters, dealers, agents and others to indemnify them against specified civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Underwriters, dealers, agents and others may engage in transactions with or perform services for us in the ordinary course of their businesses.

If required under applicable state securities laws, we will sell the securities only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in some states, we may not sell securities unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or unless we have complied with an exemption from any registration or qualification requirements.

Agents

We may designate agents who agree to solicit purchases for the period of their appointment or to sell securities on a continuing basis. Unless the prospectus supplement provides otherwise, agents will act on a best efforts basis for the period of their appointment. Agents may receive compensation in the form of commissions, discounts or concessions from us. Agents may also receive compensation from the purchasers of the securities for whom they sell as principals. Each particular agent will receive compensation in amounts negotiated in connection with the sale, which might be in excess of customary commissions.

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Underwriters

If we use underwriters for a sale of securities, the underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account. The underwriters may resell the securities in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to the conditions set forth in the applicable underwriting agreement. Unless the prospectus supplement provides otherwise, underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities offered by the prospectus supplement. We may change from time to time any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions the underwriters allow or reallow or pay to dealers. We may use underwriters with whom we have a material relationship, and we may offer the securities to the public through an underwriting syndicate or through a single underwriter. We will describe in the prospectus supplement naming the underwriter the nature of any such relationship and underwriting arrangement.

Dealers

We also may sell securities to a dealer as principal. If we sell our securities to a dealer as a principal, then the dealer may resell those securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by such dealer at the time of resale. The name of the dealer and the terms of the transactions will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Direct Sales and Institutional Purchases

We may also sell securities directly to one or more purchasers, in which case underwriters or agents would not be involved in the transaction.

Further, we may authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers by certain types of institutional investors to purchase securities from us at the public offering price set forth in the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. We will describe the conditions to these contracts and the commissions we must pay for solicitation of these contracts in an applicable prospectus supplement.

Stabilization Activities

Any underwriter may engage in overallotment, stabilizing transactions, short covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act.

Overallotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Short covering transactions involve purchases in the open market after the distribution is completed to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a covering transaction to cover short positions. Such activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than they would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of the activities at any time. These transactions may be effected on the NYSE MKT or otherwise.

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Passive Market Making

Any underwriters who are qualified market makers on the NYSE MKT may engage in passive market making transactions on the NYSE MKT in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M, during the business day prior to the pricing of the offering, before the commencement of offers or sales. Passive market makers must comply with applicable volume and price limitations and must be identified as passive market makers. In general, a passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid for such security; if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, however, the passive market maker’s bid must then be lowered when certain purchase limits are exceeded.

Costs

We will bear all costs, expenses and fees in connection with the registration of the securities, as well as the expense of all commissions and discounts, if any, attributable to sales of the securities by us.

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

Our authorized capital stock consists of 750,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and 25,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share.

Common Stock

Of the authorized common stock, as of March 31, 2017, there were 123,629,689 shares outstanding and as of March 31, 2017 there were 18,542,529 shares of our common stock reserved for the exercise of outstanding stock options, warrants and restricted stock units. There were approximately 240 record holders as of March 31, 2017. Subject to the prior rights of the holders of any shares of preferred stock which may be issued in the future, the holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends from our funds legally available therefor when, as and if declared by our Board of Directors, and are entitled to share ratably in all of our assets available for distribution to holders of our common stock upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of our affairs, subject to the liquidation preference, if any, of any then outstanding shares of preferred stock. Holders of our common stock do not have any preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share on all matters which they are entitled to vote upon at meetings of stockholders or upon actions taken by written consent pursuant to Delaware corporate law. The holders of our common stock do not have cumulative voting rights, which mean that the holders of a plurality of the outstanding shares can elect all of our directors. All of the shares of our common stock currently issued and outstanding are fully-paid and nonassessable. No dividends have been paid to holders of our common stock since our incorporation, and no cash dividends are anticipated to be declared or paid in the reasonably foreseeable future.

Transfer Agent

The transfer agent for our common stock is Continental Stock & Transfer Company.

Listing

The shares of our common stock are currently listed on the NYSE MKT under the symbol “TRXC.”

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Preferred Stock

Our Board has the authority, without further action by the holders of the outstanding common stock, to issue preferred stock from time to time in one or more classes or series, to fix the number of shares constituting any class or series and the stated value thereof, if different from the par value, as to fix the terms of any such series or class, including dividend rights, dividend rates, conversion or exchange rights, voting rights, rights and terms of redemption (including sinking fund provisions), the redemption price and the liquidation preference of such class or series.

Anti-Takeover Effects of Certain Provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation, our Bylaws and Delaware Law

Delaware Statute

We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, unless:

For purposes of Section 203, a “business combination” includes, among other things, a merger, asset sale or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder, and an “interested stockholder” is generally a person who, together with affiliates and associates of such person:

Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaw Provisions

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws include provisions that, among others, could have the effect of delaying, deferring or discouraging potential acquisition proposals and could delay or prevent a change of control of the Company. The provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws that may have such effect include:

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

General

The debt securities that we may issue will constitute debentures, notes, bonds or other evidences of indebtedness of the Company, to be issued in one or more series. The particular terms of any series of debt securities we offer, including the extent to which the general terms set forth below may be applicable to a particular series, will be described in a prospectus supplement relating to such series.

Debt securities that we may issue will be issued under an indenture between us and a trustee qualified to act as such under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. When we refer to the “indenture” in this prospectus, we are referring to the indenture under which debt securities are issued as supplemented by any supplemental indenture applicable to such debt securities. We will provide the name of the trustee in any prospectus supplement related to the issuance of debt securities, and we will also provide certain other information related to the trustee, including describing any relationship we have with the trustee, in such prospectus supplement.

Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be direct secured or unsecured obligations of the Company. The senior debt securities will rank equally with any of our other unsecured senior and unsubordinated debt. The subordinated debt securities will be subordinate and junior in right of payment to any senior indebtedness.

We may issue debt securities from time to time in one or more series, in each case with the same or various maturities, at par or at a discount. Unless indicated in a prospectus supplement, we may issue additional debt securities of a particular series without the consent of the holders of the debt securities of such series outstanding at the time of the issuance. Any such additional debt securities, together with all other outstanding debt securities of that series, will constitute a single series of debt securities under the applicable indenture and will be equal in ranking.

The following statements relating to the debt securities and the indenture are summaries and do not purport to be complete, and are subject in their entirety to the detailed provisions of the indenture.

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Information to be provided in a Prospectus Supplement

The prospectus supplement will set forth the following terms of the debt securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered:

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Interest Rate

Debt securities that bear interest will do so at a fixed rate or a floating rate. We may sell, at a discount below the stated principal amount, any debt securities which bear no interest or which bear interest at a rate that at the time of issuance is below the prevailing market rate. The relevant prospectus supplement will describe the special United States federal income tax considerations applicable to any discounted debt securities and any debt securities issued at par which are treated as having been issued at a discount for United States federal income tax purposes.

Transfer and Exchange

We may issue debt securities that would be represented by either:

(a)    “book-entry securities,” which means that there will be one or more global securities registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company, as depository, or a nominee of the depository; or

(b)    “certificated securities,” which means that they will be represented by a certificate issued in definitive registered form.

We would specify in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular offering whether the debt securities offered will be book-entry or certificated securities. Except as set forth under “Global Debt Securities and Book-Entry System” below, book-entry debt securities would not be issuable in certificated form.

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Certificated Debt Securities

If you hold certificated debt securities that have been offered by this prospectus, you may transfer or exchange them at the trustee’s office or at the paying agency in accordance with the terms of the indenture. You would not be charged a service charge for any transfer or exchange of certificated debt securities, but may be required to pay an amount sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with the transfer or exchange.

The transfer of certificated debt securities and of the right to receive the principal of, premium and/or interest, if any, on your certificated debt securities can occur only by surrendering the certificate representing your certificated debt securities and having us or the trustee issue a new certificate to the new holder.

Global Debt Securities and Book–Entry System

If we decided to issue debt securities in the form of one or more global securities, then we would register the global securities in the name of the depository for the global securities or in the nominee of the depository, and the global securities would be delivered by the trustee to the depository for credit to the accounts of the holders of beneficial interest in the debt securities. Each global security would:

No global security may be exchanged in whole or in part for debt securities registered in the name of any person other than the depositary or any nominee unless:

As long as the depositary, or its nominee, is the registered owner of a global security, the depositary or nominee would be considered the sole owner and holder of the debt securities represented by the global security for all purposes under the indentures. Except in the above limited circumstances, owners of beneficial interests in a global security would not be:

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Payments on a global security would be made to the depositary or its nominee as the holder of the global security. Some jurisdictions have laws that require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. These laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a global security.

Institutions that have accounts with the depositary or its nominee are referred to as “participants.” Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security would be limited to participants and to persons that may hold beneficial interests through participants. The depositary would credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the respective principal amounts of debt securities represented by the global security to the accounts of its participants.

Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security would be shown on and effected through records maintained by the depositary, with respect to participants’ interests, or any participant, with respect to interests of persons held by participants on their behalf.

Payments, transfers and exchanges relating to beneficial interests in a global security would be subject to policies and procedures of the depositary. The depositary policies and procedures may change from time to time. Neither any trustee nor we would have any responsibility or liability for the depositary’s or any participant’s records with respect to beneficial interests in a global security.

The prospectus supplement would describe the specific terms of the depository arrangement for debt securities of a series that are issued in global form. The Company and its agents, the trustee, and any of its agents would not have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the global debt security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to the beneficial ownership interests.

Conversion or Exchange Rights

Debt securities offered hereby may be convertible into or exchangeable for shares of our common or preferred stock. The terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. Such terms may include, among others, the following:

Covenants

Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, the debt securities would not have the benefit of any covenants that limit or restrict our business or operations, the pledging of our assets or the incurrence by us of indebtedness. We would describe in the applicable prospectus supplement any material covenants of a series of debt securities.

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Concerning the Trustee

We would identify the trustee with respect to any series of debt securities in the prospectus supplement relating to the debt securities. You should note that if the trustee becomes a creditor of the Company, the indenture and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 limit the rights of the trustee to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of certain claims, as security or otherwise. The trustee and its affiliates may engage in, and would be permitted to continue to engage in, other transactions with us and our affiliates. If, however, the trustee acquires any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, it must eliminate the conflict or resign.

The holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities of any series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the trustee. If an event of default occurs and is continuing, the trustee, in the exercise of its rights and powers, must use the degree of care and skill of a prudent person in the conduct of his or her own affairs. Subject to this provision, the trustee would be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture at the request of any of the holders of the debt securities, unless they have offered to the trustee reasonable indemnity or security.

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

We may issue warrants to purchase preferred stock or common stock. We may offer warrants separately or together with one or more additional warrants, debt securities, shares of preferred stock or common stock, or any combination of those securities in the form of units, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. If we issue warrants as part of a unit, the prospectus supplement will specify whether those warrants may be separated from the other securities in the unit prior to the warrants’ expiration date. We may issue the warrants under warrant agreements to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, all as described in the prospectus supplement. If we issue the warrants under warrant agreements, the warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants.

We will describe the particular terms of any warrants that we offer in the prospectus supplement relating to those warrants. Those terms may include the following:

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Pursuant to the Amended and Restated Loan and Security Agreement, as amended, among the Company and its U.S. operating subsidiaries, including TransEnterix Surgical and TransEnterix International, and Oxford Finance LLC and Silicon Valley Bank, as lenders, we have issued warrants to purchase an aggregate of 430,815 shares of common stock to the lenders since 2012. Pursuant to a stock purchase agreement dated March 22, 2013 among a predecessor of the Company and the investors executing such agreement, warrants to acquire 1,209,600 shares of common stock were issued. As of March 31, 2017, warrants to acquire 1,426,622 shares of our common stock remain outstanding.

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

We may issue units consisting of one or more of the other securities that may be offered under this prospectus, in any combination. These units may be issuable as, and for a specified period of time may be transferable only as, a single security, rather than as the separate constituent securities comprising such units. The statements made in this section relating to the units are summaries only and are not complete. When we issue units, we will provide the specific terms of the units in a prospectus supplement. To the extent the information contained in the prospectus supplement differs from this summary description, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement.

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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

If we offer debt securities and/or shares of preferred stock under this prospectus, then, if required at that time, we will provide a ratio of earnings to fixed charges and/or ratio of combined fixed charges and preference dividends to earnings, respectively, in the applicable prospectus supplement for such offering.

LEGAL MATTERS

Certain legal matters with respect to the securities offered hereby have been passed upon by Ballard Spahr LLP.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2016 incorporated by reference in this prospectus have been so incorporated in reliance on the reports of BDO USA, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, (the report on the consolidated financial statements contains an explanatory paragraph regarding the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern) incorporated herein by reference, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” in this prospectus the information in other documents that we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents containing such information. This prospectus is part of a registration statement we filed with the SEC. You should rely on the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus and the registration statement. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus and information we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information and information contained in documents filed earlier with the SEC. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings made with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the termination of the offering; provided, that we are not incorporating by reference any documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules. The documents we are incorporating by reference are:

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We will furnish to you, on written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents that have been incorporated by reference, including exhibits to these documents. You may request a copy of these filings at no cost by writing or telephoning our Secretary at the following address and telephone number:

TransEnterix, Inc.

Attention: Joshua Weingard, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary

635 Davis Drive, Suite 300

Morrisville, NC 27560

Telephone No.: (919) 765-8400

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act to register our securities being offered in this prospectus. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all the information set forth in the registration statement or the exhibits and schedules filed thereto. For further information about us and our securities offered by this prospectus, we refer you to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed with the registration statement. Any statement contained in this prospectus regarding the contents of any contract or any other document that is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement is not necessarily complete and each such statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the full text of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement. You may read and copy any materials we file with the SEC, including the registration statement, at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20549, on official business days during the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also maintains an Internet website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information about issuers, like us, that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is http://www.sec.gov. You may also inspect our SEC reports and other information at our website at www.transenterix.com. Information on or accessible through our website is not a part of this prospectus. We are subject to the information reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, and file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. These reports, proxy statements and other information are available for inspection and copying at the public reference room and website of the SEC referred to above.

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Up to $75,000,000

Common Stock

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

Stifel

December 28, 2018