Smith & Nephew plc : Modification de l'accord avec Nucryst

Smith & Nephew modifie son accord avec le fabricant de la gamme de pansements antimicrobiens à nanocristaux d'argent ACTICOAT*

HULL, Royaume-Uni, le 1er Octobre 2007 – La division Advanced Wound Management (traitement avancé des plaies) de Smith & Nephew plc (LSE: SN; NYSE:SNN) annonce aujourd'hui qu'il modifie son accord avec Nucryst Pharmaceuticals Corp, ("Nucryst"), le fabricant de la gamme de pansements antimicrobiens à nanocristaux d'argent ACTICOAT*.

Ce nouvel accord offre de meilleures conditions commerciales à Smith & Nephew, dont l'introduction par Smith & Nephew de nouvelles formes de pansements à l'argent, le droit de priorité sur la technologie à nanocristaux d'argent développée par Nucryst et la continuité des droits exclusifs sur la gamme ACTICOAT.

The financial terms of the agreement include the early payment of a $5m milestone payment to Nucryst by Smith & Nephew as part of a package of amended financial terms.

Joe Woody, President of the Advanced Wound Management division said "Our work within the group-wide Earnings Improvement Programme, announced earlier this year, includes a review of our product portfolio, including ACTICOAT. This agreement enables Smith & Nephew to introduce new forms of silver products which meet the increasingly diverse needs of patients and improve the quality of their lives. The enhanced financial terms we have agreed will allow Smith & Nephew to increase its investment in the silver dressings market and to expand its market presence".

Contact:
Sidonie Myers
Head of Communication
Smith & Nephew Advanced Wound Management
+44 (0) 1482 673246
[email protected]

Notes for Editors

About Us

Smith & Nephew Advanced Wound Management, with headquarters in the United Kingdom, employs more than 3,100 people around the world. The organisation has manufacturing centres in the United Kingdom and Largo, FL.

Smith & Nephew is a global medical technology business, specialising in Orthopaedic Reconstruction, Orthopaedic Trauma and Clinical Therapies, Endoscopy and Advanced Wound Management products. Smith & Nephew is a global leader in arthroscopy and advanced wound management and is one of the leading global orthopaedics companies.

Smith & Nephew is dedicated to helping improve people's lives. The Company prides itself on the strength of its relationships with its surgeons and professional healthcare customers, with whom its name is synonymous with high standards of performance, innovation and trust. The Company has 9,600 employees and operates in 31 countries around the world generating annual sales approaching $2.8 billion.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In particular, statements regarding expected revenue growth and trading 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, claims 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.

* Trademark of Smith & Nephew. Certain marks registered US Patent and Trademark Office.