2 April 2012

Smith & Nephew invests in product development through acquisition of biomechanical software company, LifeModeler

Smith & Nephew (LSE:SN NYSE:SNN), the global medical technology business, announces the acquisition of LifeModeler, Inc. (LMI), the leading provider of biomechanical human body simulation tools and services.

LMI's groundbreaking software shortens the time taken to develop new products by enabling the evaluation of innovations in a virtual model of the human body. New orthopeadic products can be tested and validated faster, further and more cost effectively prior to the production of a physical prototype.

Smith & Nephew has worked with LMI for more than 10 years and has used LMI's LifeMOD◊ human simulation tool in developing several key products.

“Smith & Nephew's history of developing innovative medical technology and its increasing investment in R&D convinced us that this was the right opportunity to take our business forward.” said Shawn McGuan, the CEO of LMI, who will continue to lead the business within Smith & Nephew. “We share a vision to bring forward new products that help clinicians improve the quality of life for patients.”

"We're extremely pleased to welcome LMI and their employees into Smith & Nephew," said Gaurav Agarwal, Senior Vice President of Smith & Nephew's Advanced Surgical Devices division. "This addition will help us shorten the time it takes to safely deliver current product enhancements to the operating room, as well as helping us to develop the next generation of orthopaedic implant innovations.”

Privately owned LMI is based in San Clemente, California. The business has been acquired through Smith & Nephew's US subsidiary Smith & Nephew, Inc. The terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

Enquiries

Investors/Analyst

 
Phil Cowdy+44 (0) 20 7401 7646
Smith & NephewPhil.Cowdy@smith-nephew.com
  
Media 
Brad Merrick(901) 399-1089
Smith & Nephewbrad.merrick@smith-nephew.com

About Smith & Nephew

Smith & Nephew is a global medical technology business dedicated to helping improve people's lives. With leadership positions in Orthopaedic Reconstruction, Advanced Wound Management, Sports Medicine, Trauma and Clinical Therapies, Smith & Nephew has almost 11,000 employees and a presence in more than 90 countries. Sales in 2011 were nearly $4.3 billion. Smith & Nephew is a member of the FTSE100 (LSE: SN, NYSE: SNN).

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In particular, statements regarding planned growth in our business and in our operating margins discussed under "Outlook" are forward-looking statements as are discussions of our product pipeline. These statements, as well as the phrases "aim", "plan", "intend", "anticipate", "well-placed", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "consider" and similar expressions, are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors (including, but not limited to, the outcome of litigation and regulatory approvals) that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Smith & Nephew, or industry results, to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Please refer to the documents that Smith & Nephew has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including Smith & Nephew's most recent annual report on Form 20F, for a discussion of certain of these factors.

All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Smith & Nephew as of the date hereof. All written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to Smith & Nephew or any person acting on behalf of Smith & Nephew are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing. Smith & Nephew does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in Smith & Nephew's expectation with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Title

Text