Medacta selected as partner for groundbreaking international research project

Media Release                          

Medacta selected as partner for groundbreaking international research project

CASTEL SAN PIETRO, 01 April 2026 – Medacta Group SA (“Medacta”, SIX: MOVE) announced today that in a groundbreaking scientific initiative, Medacta has been selected to officially join an international research project aimed at recreating dinosaurs from preserved DNA samples. 

Resurgence Biotechnology who had successfully resurrected the extinct Falkland Islands Wolf in 2018 and the Protoceras (“First-horn”) in 2025 using ancient DNA, cloning and gene-editing technology is aiming to revive Tyrannosaurus rex. The international research project brings together a multidisciplinary team with leading scientists from Resurgence Biotechnology, ETH Zurich, the World Regenesis Lab and the Natural Science Museum London.

Scientific oversight and paleontological data will be provided by the Natural History Museum. Coordination and conservation-focused research will be led by World Regenesis Lab and Resurgence Biotechnology. While the project team is seeing these prehistoric giants walk the Earth again, researchers quickly identified an unexpected challenge: Due to their imposing size, early laboratory tests suggest that the regenerated bone quality of dinosaurs - particularly of the Tyrannosaurus Rex - may be too weak to support their enormous frames. 

In collaboration with leading engineers and scientists from ETH Zurich, Medacta has been chosen to develop the world’s first orthopaedic hip prosthesis for a T-Rex. Leveraging decades of expertise in joint replacement technology, Medacta is adapting its trusted hip implant designs to meet truly “supersized” anatomical requirements. At the center of the project is the challenge of designing a load-bearing hip implant for creatures weighing up to 10 tons. Engineers and palaeontologists will reconstruct the biomechanics of the Tyrannosaurus rex using fossil data, CT scans, and advanced modelling. Medacta’s biomechanical engineers will then translate those findings into a specialised prosthetic concept capable of handling the enormous stresses of dinosaur locomotion.

For Medacta and its partners the project offers a rare opportunity to push biomedical engineering into truly new prehistoric territory.

Part of the peninsula near Morcote (Ticino, Switzerland) has been chosen as the site to host the gene-engineered T-Rex. Construction is already underway on a specially designed containment fence that meets all required safety standards. The mayors of Morcote and Lugano have welcomed the international research initiative, noting that it is expected to stimulate additional economic growth by attracting more tourists to the region.

“This is by far the largest challenge in Medacta’s history - literally,” commented Francesco Siccardi, CEO of Medacta, adding with a smile: “We’ve always said our mission is to improve patient outcome and mobility worldwide. We just didn’t specify the species. It will be an exciting time for us, and I wish everyone who enjoyed the diverting story of the T-Rex a happy April fools’ day!”

Picture: Francesco Siccardi, CEO of Medacta (right) and
Dr. Bernd F. Hermann (left), Director of World Regenesis Lab

Contact

Medacta Investor Relations
Telephone: +41 91 696 6060
investor.relations@medacta.ch

About Medacta

Medacta is a global key player specializing in the design, production, and distribution of innovative, personalized, and sustainable solutions for joint replacement, sports medicine, and spine surgery. Established in 1999 in Switzerland, Medacta is committed to improving the care and well-being of patients and maintains a strong focus on healthcare sustainability. Through close collaboration with expert surgeons globally, continuous investments in R&D, and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies, Medacta’s innovation prioritizes minimally invasive surgery and personalized solutions for every patient. Through the M.O.R.E. Institute, Medacta supports surgeons with a comprehensive and tailored program dedicated to the advancement of medical education. Medacta is headquartered in Castel San Pietro, Switzerland. Follow us on Medacta.com, Medacta TV, YouTube, LinkedIn and X.