Blueprint
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C.
20549
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934
April 01, 2019
Commission
File Number 001-14978
SMITH & NEPHEW
plc
(Registrant's
name)
15 Adam
Street
London, England WC2N 6LA
(Address
of registrant's principal executive offices)
[Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant files or will file
annual
reports
under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.]
Form
20-F
X
Form 40-F
---
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[Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K
in
paper
as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1).]
Yes
No X
---
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[Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K
in
paper
as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7).]
Yes
No X
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---
[Indicate
by check mark whether by furnishing the information
contained
in this
Form, the registrant is also thereby furnishing information to
the
Commission
pursuant to Rule 12g3-2 (b) under the Securities Exchange Act
of
1934.]
Yes
No X
---
---
If
"Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to
the
registrant
in connection with Rule 12g3-2 (b) : 82- n/a.
Smith & Nephew acquires developer of unique pressure injury
prevention device, Leaf Healthcare, Inc.
1 April 2019
Smith & Nephew plc (LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN), the global medical
technology business, today announces that it has agreed to
acquire Leaf Healthcare, Inc, the developer of the unique Leaf
Patient Monitoring Systemfor pressure injury prevention and patient
mobility monitoring. The transaction follows Smith & Nephew's
successful two-year partnership with Leaf Healthcare as an
exclusive distributor and strategic investor.
The Leaf Patient Monitoring System is comprised of a small,
lightweight, wearable sensor that wirelessly monitors a patient's
position and their mobility whilst in a hospital. The tracking data
is used to automate and document the compliance with prescribed
turn protocols for patients at risk for pressure
injuries.
An estimated 2.5 million pressure injuries are treated each year in
US acute care facilities alone1,
with an estimated annual burden of $11 billion in the United
States2. National
Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) guidelines recommend a
prevention protocol for high-risk patients that includes
prophylactic foam dressings, preventative skin care including pH
balanced skin cleanser, and patient repositioning with early
mobilisation3.
The Leaf Patient Monitoring System together with Smith &
Nephew's ALLEVYN◊LIFE
and ALLEVYN GENTLE BORDER and SECURA◊ Skin
Care products provide a comprehensive portfolio to help customers
achieve and optimise pressure injury prevention
protocols.
In January 2018, an independently conducted Randomized Controlled
Trial (RCT) from Stanford University evaluated optimal patient
repositioning and found that the Leaf Patient Monitoring System
induced a 43% relative increase in turning protocol compliance in
high-risk patients. Patients treated with the Leaf sensor were 73%
less likely to develop a pressure injury4.
"Consistent with our initial strategic investment, Smith
& Nephew is focused on providing not just products to treat
conditions, but also supporting clinicians with technologies
designed for prevention as well as treatment, and helping
healthcare facilities reduce the cost of care," said Simon
Fraser,
President of Advanced Wound Management, Smith & Nephew. "The
Leaf Patient Monitoring System is highly complementary to Smith
& Nephew's existing wound portfolio and we are excited by the
opportunities of expanding this product within our global
portfolio."
"The benefits of patient turning and improved patient mobility are
well recognised, including the potential for shorter hospital
stays," said Barrett Larson, MD, Co-Founder and Chief Executive
Officer, Leaf Healthcare. "We are proud of the impact our
technology has already made through our existing relationship with
Smith & Nephew. We are excited by this new opportunity to
deploy our award-winning pressure injury prevention technology
through Smith & Nephew's extensive Advanced Wound Management
portfolio."
The transaction is expected to close in Q2 2019, subject to the
satisfaction of customary conditions, and will be financed from
existing cash and debt facilities. The commercial terms have not
been disclosed.
1 Reddy M, Gill SS, Rochon
PA. Preventing pressure ulcers: a systematic
review. Jama. 2006;296:974-84.
2 Russo et el.
Hospitalizations Related to Pressure Ulcers, 2006. HCUP Statistical
Brief #64. December 2008. Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality, Rockville, MD.
3 National Pressure Ulcer
Advisory Panel, European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel and Pan
Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance. Prevention and Treatment of
Pressure Ulcers: Quick Reference Guide. Emily Haesler (Ed.).
Cambridge Media: Osborne Park, Australia; 2014
4 Pickham D, Berte N,
Pihulic M, Valdez A, Barbara M, Desai M. Effect of a wearable
patient sensor on care delivery for preventing pressure injuries in
acutely ill adults: A pragmatic randomized clinical trial (LS-HAPI
study). Int J Nurs Stud. 2018; 80, 12-19.
Enquiries
Investors
Andrew Swift, Smith &
Nephew
+44 (0) 20 7960 2285
Media
Charles Reynolds, Smith &
Nephew
+44 (0) 1923
477314
Ben Atwell/ Andrew Ward, FTI Strategic
Consulting
+44 (0) 20 3727 1000
About Smith & Nephew
Smith & Nephew is a portfolio medical technology business with
leadership positions in Orthopaedics, Advanced Wound Management and
Sports Medicine. Smith & Nephew has more than 16,000 employees
and a presence in more than 100 countries. Annual sales in 2018
were $4.9 billion. Smith & Nephew is a member of the FTSE100
(LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN).
For more information about Smith & Nephew, please visit our
corporate website www.smith-nephew.com and
follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.
Forward-looking Statements
This document may contain forward-looking statements that may or
may not prove accurate. For example, statements regarding expected
revenue growth and trading margins, market trends and our product
pipeline are forward-looking statements. Phrases such as "aim",
"plan", "intend", "anticipate", "well-placed", "believe",
"estimate", "expect", "target", "consider" and similar expressions
are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from what is expressed or implied by
the statements. For Smith & Nephew, these factors include:
economic and financial conditions in the markets we serve,
especially those affecting health care providers, payers and
customers; price levels for established and innovative medical
devices; developments in medical technology; regulatory approvals,
reimbursement decisions or other government actions; product
defects or recalls or other problems with quality management
systems or failure to comply with related regulations; litigation
relating to patent or other claims; legal compliance risks and
related investigative, remedial or enforcement actions; disruption
to our supply chain or operations or those of our suppliers;
competition for qualified personnel; strategic actions, including
acquisitions and dispositions, our success in performing due
diligence, valuing and integrating acquired businesses; disruption
that may result from transactions or other changes we make in our
business plans or organisation to adapt to market developments; and
numerous other matters that affect us or our markets, including
those of a political, economic, business, competitive or
reputational nature. 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
20-F, for a discussion of certain of these factors. Any
forward-looking statement is based on information available to
Smith & Nephew as of the date of the statement. All written or
oral forward-looking statements attributable to Smith & Nephew
are qualified by this caution. Smith & Nephew does not
undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statement to reflect any change in circumstances or in Smith &
Nephew's expectations.
◊Trademark
of Smith & Nephew. Certain marks registered US Patent and
Trademark Office.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
Smith
& Nephew Plc
(Registrant)
Date: April
01, 2019
By: /s/
Susan Swabey
-----------------
Susan
Swabey
Company
Secretary