Smith and Nephew agrees takeover of Blue Belt Technologies

Smith and Nephew has announced the acquisition of Blue Belt Technologies in a deal worth $275 million (178.88 million pounds).

The deal will provide Smith and Nephew with a leading position in the fast-growing area of orthopaedic robotics-assisted surgery, while approximately 120 members of staff will join the organisation following the takeover.

Blue Belt Technologies is the creator of the Navio surgical system, which provides robotic assistance in unicondylar or partial knee replacement surgery through computed tomography-free navigation software and a unique handheld robotic bone-shaping device.

The highly portable system can be moved freely within hospitals or ambulatory surgical centres, as well as offering a high degree of implant placement accuracy, cost-effective performance and ease of use.

It is expected that the merger will create a strong combined partial knee portfolio, accelerating growth in the partial knee replacement surgery market.

Olivier Bohuon, chief executive officer of Smith and Nephew, said: "Our experience working with Blue Belt Technologies and our customer insight has convinced us that robotics will become increasingly mainstream across orthopaedic reconstruction in the foreseeable future."