UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
Form 6-K
 
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
 
January12, 2026
 
CommissionFile Number 001-14978
 
SMITH & NEPHEW plc
(Registrant’sname)
 
Building 5, Croxley Park, Hatters Lane
Watford, England, WD18 8YE
 (Addressof principal executive office)
 
Indicateby check mark whether the registrant files or will file annualreports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
 
Form20-F          Form 40-F__
 
 
 
 
 
 
Smith+Nephew strengthens shoulder repair portfolio with acquisitionof sports medicine business Integrity Orthopaedics and its novelTendon Seam™ rotator cuff repair technology
 
12 January 2026
 
 
Smith+Nephew (LSE: SN, NYSE: SNN), the global medical technologycompany, today announces the acquisition of Integrity Orthopaedics,a US-based early-stage commercial developer of Tendon Seam™,an innovative rotator cuff repair (RCR) system designed tosignificantly reduce re-tear rates and improve patientoutcomes.
 
The acquisition represents a meaningful step in deliveringSmith+Nephew's RISE strategy to accelerate growth through strategicinvestment and portfolio leadership, and will be an importantbuilding block in our ambition to become the global leader inSports Medicine.
 
RCR is a substantial and growing treatment area, with approximately500,000 procedures performed annually in the US and an estimatedmarket value of $875 million1.Yet traditional surgical techniques have historically suffered fromhigh structural failure rates, averaging 20-40%2.
 
Tendon Seam™ directly addresses this unmet clinical need. Itspatented micro-anchors, continuous suture, individually lockedstitches, and integrated implantation instrument are designed todeliver stronger repairs, accelerated patient recovery, lowerre-tear rates, and a simplified surgical technique. Early clinicalexperience indicates low re-tear rates, reduced sling times andshorter procedures compared with standardmethods3.The system received 510(k) clearance in 2023 and is indicated forreattachment of soft tissue to bone, including tendons, ligaments,and joint capsules.
 
Integrity Orthopaedics was founded in 2020 and is headquartered inMaple Plain, MN, US. Its founders include Tom Westling, co-founderof Rotation Medical, the developer of theREGENETEN BioinductiveImplant, which was acquired by Smith+Nephew in2017.
 
Scott Schaffner, President Sports Medicine, Smith+Nephew,said:
 
"Smith+Nephew now has an unrivalled portfolio for shoulder,including a powerful next-generation rotator cuff repair platformto complement market-leading biological augmentation, the newestshoulder arthroplasty system, and proven solutions across shoulderinstability. We welcome the Integrity team, including thoseinvolved with our prior successful acquisition of Rotation Medical,and look forward to working together again to offer customers andtheir patients this exciting technology."
 
Tom Westling, Chief Executive Officer of Integrity Orthopaedics,said:
 
"Integrity Orthopaedics was founded to change the paradigm ofrotator cuff repair to improve the lives of patients and surgeons.We are excited by Tendon Seam's™ early results which indicatereduced pain, shorter sling times, and low retear/failure rates.Tendon Seam's™ promising performance combined withSmith+Nephew's track record launching innovative products, which Iexperienced firsthand with REGENETEN, give me confidence we willtogether change the standard of care in soft tissuerepair."
 
Ryan Majkrzak, President at Integrity Orthopaedics,said:
 
"Smith+Nephew is the ideal partner to accelerate the launch ofTendon Seam™ and enable this novel technology to best servesurgeons and patients worldwide. We are thrilled to be joining theSmith+Nephew team and its impressive portfolio of shoulder repairsolutions."
 
Smith+Nephew's portfolio for shoulder
 
Tendon Seam™ enhances Smith+Nephew's extensive shoulderrepair offering, which spans technologies for both replacement andrepair. This includes:
 
●       REGENETENBioinductive Implant - used in 200,000+ rotator cuff procedures inthe last decade, and shown to support new tissue growth andimproved healing4,5.
●       Q-FIX All-SutureAnchor - delivering market-leading fixation strength with a decadeof clinical performance6-12.
●       AETOS ShoulderSystem - launched in 2024, designed for both anatomic and reversetotal shoulder arthroplasty, supporting a fast-growing US shoulderreplacement segment estimated at 250,000 procedures in202513.
 
Together, these technologies provide surgeons with one of thebroadest and most advanced portfolios for managing shoulderpathology, spanning biological enhancement, mechanical repair, andreplacement.
 
Transaction details
 
Under the terms of the transaction, Smith+Nephew willacquire IntegrityOrthopaedics foran initial cash payment of US$225 million plus additionalperformance-based payments of up to US$225 million over the nextfive years. The transaction is expected to be accretive to Grouptrading profit margin by 2028.
 
The acquisition will be financed from Smith+Nephew's existing cashfacilities and the Group remains below its leverage target of 2xEBITDA.
 
The transaction is expected to close before the end of January2026.
 
 
References
 
1.   SmartTRAK,2025, Shoulder Soft TissueFixation, 2025 BioMedGPS -SmartTRAK.
 
2.   Hein J, etal. Arthroscopy. 2015;31(11):2274-2281.
 
3.  Data on File at Integrity Orthopaedics.
 
4.  Camacho Chacón JA, Roda Rojo V, Martin Martinez A, CuencaEspierrez J, Garcia Calvo V, Calderón Meza JM, MartinHernandez C. An isolated bioinductive repair vs. sutured repair forfull-thickness rotator cuff tears: 2-year results of a doubleblinded, randomized controlled trial. J Shoulder Elbow Surg,2024.
 
5.  Ruiz Ibán M, García Navlet M, Moros Marco S, Diaz HerediaJ, Hernando Sánchez A, Ruiz Díaz R, Vaquero Comino C,Rosas Ojeda ML, Del Monte Bello G, Ávila Lafuente JL.Augmentation of a Transosseous-Equivalent Repair in PosterosuperiorNonacute Rotator Cuff Tears With a Bioinductive Collagen ImplantDecreases the Retear Rate at 1 Year: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Arthroscopy 40(6): 1760, 2024.
 
6.  ArthroCare Corporation 2017. Report: Design Verification, 1.8mmQ-FIX MINI Soft Suture Anchor. P/N 49190-03 Rev. B.
 
7.   Barber FA, Herbert MA. All-SutureAnchors: Biomechanical Analysis of Pullout Strength, Displacement,and Failure Mode. Arthroscopy. 2017;33(6):1113-1121.
 
8.   Douglass NP, Behn AW, Safran MR.Cyclic and Loadto Failure Properties of All-Suture Anchors inSynthetic Acetabular and Glenoid CancellousBone. Arthroscopy. 2017;33(5):977-985e975.
 
9.   RuderJA, Dickinson EY, Peindl RD, Habet NA, Trofa DP, FleischliJE. Cyclicand Load-to-Failure Properties of All-Suture Anchors in HumanCadaveric Shoulder Glenoid Bone. Arthroscopy. 2019;35(7):1954-1959e1954.
 
10. Smith+Nephew 2023. Q-FIX with MINITAPE Claims Report. InternalReport. 10090792- Revision B.
 
11. Smith+Nephew 2024 Internal Report, 10144423 Rev B.
 
12.  Ergun S, Akgun U, Barber A, Karahan M.The Clinical and Biomechanical Performance of All-Suture Anchors: ASystematic Review. Arthroscopy. 2020;2(3): e263-e275.
 
13. SmartTRAK Report, 2023.
 
 
Enquiries
 
Investors
 
Emily Heaven
+44 (0) 7811 919437
Craig Bijou
+1 (475) 850-8282
Smith+Nephew
 
 
Media
 
Charles Reynolds
+44 (0) 1923 477314
Smith+Nephew
 
 
 
 
 
 
Susan Gilchrist / Ayesha Bharmal
+44 (0) 20 7404 5959
Brunswick
 
 
 
About IntegrityOrthopaedics
 
Integrity Orthopaedics was founded in 2020 and is headquartered inMaple Plain, MN, US. Its founders include Tom Westling, co-founderof Rotation Medical, the developer of the REGENETEN BioinductiveImplant, which was acquired by Smith+Nephew in 2017, as well asDavid Crompton, Chief IP & General Counsel at IntegrityOrthopaedics and former Chief Patent Counsel for Rotation Medical,and distinguished surgeons Patrick Connor, MD, FAOA, Howard Harris,MD and Marc Labbe, MD.

 
About Smith+Nephew
 
Smith+Nephew is a portfolio medical technology business focused onthe repair, regeneration and replacement of soft and hard tissue.We exist to restore people's bodies and their self-belief by usingtechnology to take the limits off living. We call this purpose'Life Unlimited'. Our 17,000 employees deliver this mission everyday, making a difference to patients' lives through the excellenceof our product portfolio, and the invention and application of newtechnologies across our three global business units ofOrthopaedics, Sports Medicine & ENT and Advanced WoundManagement.
 
Founded in Hull, UK, in 1856, we now operate in more than 100countries, and generated annual sales of $5.8 billion in 2024.Smith+Nephew is a constituent of the FTSE100 (LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN).The terms 'Group' and 'Smith+Nephew' are used to refer to Smith& Nephew plc and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless thecontext requires otherwise.
 
For more information about Smith+Nephew, pleasevisit www.smith-nephew.com and followus on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook or X.
 
 
Forward-looking Statements
 
This document may contain forward-looking statements that may ormay not prove accurate. For example, statements regarding expectedrevenue growth and trading profit margins, market trends and ourproduct pipeline are forward-looking statements. Phrases such as"aim", "plan", "intend", "anticipate", "well-placed", "believe","estimate", "expect", "target", "consider" and similar expressionsare generally intended to identify forward-looking statements.Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actualresults to differ materially from what is expressed or implied bythe statements. For Smith+Nephew, these factors include: conflictsin Europe and the Middle East, economic and financial conditions inthe markets we serve, especially those affecting healthcareproviders, payers and customers; price levels for established andinnovative medical devices; developments in medical technology;regulatory approvals, reimbursement decisions or other governmentactions; product defects or recalls or other problems with qualitymanagement systems or failure to comply with related regulations;litigation relating to patent or other claims; legal and financialcompliance risks and related investigative, remedial or enforcementactions; disruption to our supply chain or operations or those ofour suppliers; competition for qualified personnel; strategicactions, including acquisitions and disposals, our success inperforming due diligence, valuing and integrating acquiredbusinesses; disruption that may result from transactions or otherchanges we make in our business plans or organisation to adapt tomarket developments; relationships with healthcare professionals;reliance on information technology and cybersecurity; disruptionsdue to natural disasters, weather and climate change relatedevents; changes in customer and other stakeholder sustainabilityexpectations; changes in taxation regulations; effects of foreignexchange volatility; and numerous other matters that affect us orour markets, including those of a political, economic, business,competitive or reputational nature. Please refer to the documentsthat Smith+Nephew has filed with the U.S. Securities and ExchangeCommission under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, asamended, including Smith+Nephew's most recent annual report on Form20-F, which is available on the SEC's website at www. sec.gov, fora discussion of certain of these factors. Any forward-lookingstatement is based on information available to Smith+Nephew as ofthe date of the statement. All written or oral forward-lookingstatements attributable to Smith+Nephew are qualified by thiscaution. Smith+Nephew does not undertake any obligation to updateor revise any forward-looking statement to reflect any change incircumstances or in Smith+Nephew's expectations.
 
 Trademarkof Smith+Nephew. Certain marks registered in US Patent andTrademark Office.
 
 
 
 
 
 
SIGNATURES
 
Pursuantto the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, theregistrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalfby the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Smith & Nephew plc
 
 
(Registrant)
 
 
 
 
 
 
Date:January 12, 2026
By:
/s/Helen Barraclough
 
 
HelenBarraclough
 
 
CompanySecretary