Smith & Nephew Advanced Wound

RNS Number : 7563N

Smith & Nephew Plc

24 February 2009

 



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Smith & Nephew Advanced Wound Management makes Community Market distribution changes

AAH Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Phoenix Healthcare Distribution Ltd and UniChem Ltd to distribute Smith & Nephew Advanced Wound Management products in the Community Market 

*Improved supply chain efficiency and integrity

*Better stock management and access to Smith & Nephew Wound Management products by end users

*Environmental benefits - reduced carbon footprint in the UK

Hull, UK - February 24, 2009 - Smith & Nephew's Advanced Wound Management division (LSE: SN; NYSE: SNN) announced today changes to the wholesaler model for the supply of its advanced wound management products to the community market. This will bring about a number of benefits including improvements in supply chain efficiency, better stock management and access to Smith & Nephew Wound Management products by end users. It will reduce the number of wholesalers who distribute its Wound Management products in the community, commencing

1 June 2009.

The selected wholesalers, AAH, Phoenix and UniChem, will offer 100% national coverage across the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, whilst still providing pharmacists and dispensing doctors with a choice of supply. There is no change to their wholesaler status.  

AAH, Phoenix and UniChem already distribute the majority of all Wound Management products in the UK and pharmacists should already have existing arrangements with one or more of these wholesalers, ensuring continuity of supply.

Commenting on the announcement, Simon Beard, General Manager UK & Ireland, Smith & Nephew Healthcare Ltd UK said: 'Retail pharmacists and Dispensing Doctors are very important customers to us and a key link in ensuring patients and clinicians can access and use our Advanced Wound Management range of products. These changes to our community supply chain will improve service levels for our customers and improve access to our products for patients. In AAH, Phoenix and UniChem we are partnering with 3 highly professional organizations totally committed to improving their support of retail pharmacy and enhancing the patient experience'.

Mark James, Group Managing Director of AAH said: 'We are pleased that Smith & Nephew has chosen AAH as one of its wholesale partners. This decision reflects our ability to work in partnership with manufacturers to design distribution solutions which best meet their needs and those of dispensing customers. This decision will ensure that our customers will continue to be able to buy Smith & Nephew products from us at competitive terms combined with high levels of service. I hope new customers who choose AAH to supply them from June will find we exceed their expectations'.

Paul Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Phoenix said: 'We are delighted to announce that Phoenix has entered into partnership with Smith & Nephew as one of three wholesalers who will distribute their products in the UK. Phoenix has been recognised by Smith & Nephew for its logistics capability and coverage. We are delighted to be working with Smith & Nephew to deliver an excellent service to all customers'.

Mark Stephenson, Commercial and Supplier Relations Director, UniChem, commented: 'UniChem is delighted to be working in partnership with Smith & Nephew on what we believe is an innovative development for the UK supply chain. Through this latest agreement we hope to continue strengthening collaboration throughout the supply chain for the benefit of all stakeholders, including both our customers and of course patients. As always, maintaining excellent service will be our number one priority and we will be in close communication with our customers throughout this change.'

For more information regarding Smith & Nephew, please visit our web site at www.smith-nephew.com.

Inquiries

Media

Sidonie Myers                                                         [phone]

Head of Communication 

Smith & Nephew Advanced Wound Management

James Lindsay                                                        [phone]

Head of Corporate Relations

AAH Pharmaceuticals Ltd 

David Lea                                                                [phone]

Group Commercial Manager

Phoenix Medical Supplies Ltd

Sanam Conway                                                      [phone]

Communications Manager

UniChem Ltd

About Smith & Nephew

Smith & Nephew is a global medical technology business, specializing in Orthopaedics, including Reconstruction, Trauma and Clinical Therapies; Endoscopy and Advanced Wound Management. 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 operates in 32 countries around the world. Annual sales in 2008 were nearly $3.8 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.

 

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