A uniquely Swiss story of innovation, precision, and clinical excellence.

To commemorate this milestone, a leadless pacemaker—the world’s smallest pacemaker—was implanted at Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, one of Switzerland’s leading academic medical centers.

Tolochenaz – February 5, 2026, Medtronic (NYSE: MDT), a global leader in medical technology, today celebrates a historic Swiss‑made milestone: the production of 10 million implantable devices at its Tolochenaz site — recognized globally as a center of excellence for high‑precision manufacturing.

To mark the occasion, a leadless pacemaker—the world’s smallest pacemaker—was implanted at Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, one of Switzerland’s leading academic medical centers. The commemorative procedure was performed by Prof. Andreas Häberlin, a renowned Swiss electrophysiologist and pioneer in leadless pacing innovation.

A legacy of Swiss precision and innovation
This celebration unites three major anniversaries at Medtronic: 50 years of Medtronic in Switzerland, 30 years of the Swiss Manufacturing Operation (SMO) in Tolochenaz, and 10 million implantable devices produced in Tolochenaz for patients all over the world.

Since establishing operations in Switzerland in 1976, Medtronic has built a uniquely Swiss ecosystem blending manufacturing precision, engineering excellence, and strong clinical partnerships.

With more than 1,000 employees nationwide and contributing 0.75% of Switzerland’s total export value, Medtronic stands as a significant force in the country’s innovation and life sciences sectors, producing 2,000 devices per day, equivalent to 1 in 4 pacemakers and 1 in 2 Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) worldwide. The company employs 650+ people in Switzerland, including 400+ dedicated to Swiss Medtronic Operations (SMO).

“Switzerland has long been an important part of the Medtronic innovation and manufacturing footprint,” said Geoff Martha, Chairman & CEO, Medtronic. “Celebrating our 10 millionth pacemaker milestone is a meaningful reflection of our enduring commitment to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life for patients here and all around the world.”

The Medtronic leadless pacemaker: A Swiss success story with global impact
The Medtronic leadless pacemaker is the world’s smallest pacemaker, designed to provide life-saving therapy with less risk and greater patient comfort. Unlike traditional pacemakers, they are implanted directly into the heart, eliminating the need for leads and thereby reducing complications associated with lead-related issues. It’s a minimally invasive procedure that offers faster recovery times and a lower risk of infection. 

With an extended battery life of over 15 years and advanced features like rate responsiveness and remote monitoring capabilities, it ensures reliable, and customized therapy for patients. Compact, innovative, and effective, this leadless pacemaker represents a groundbreaking advancement in cardiac pacing technology.

The first leadless pacemaker from Medtronic was implanted in December 2013 and the latest generation was introduced in Western Europe in early 2024. This latest generation has an increased battery life and includes algorithms to automate programming.

“Our leadless innovation represents an important evolution in cardiac pacing. Supported by more than a decade of clinical experience, including published data and real-world evidence, and through ongoing iterative development, it has demonstrated a favorable safety and performance profile in appropriately selected patients across Europe, in accordance with its approved indications,” said Mohammed Barhoumi, Vice President, Cardiac Rhythm Management (CRM), Medtronic Western Europe.

Inselspital Bern: clinical leadership behind the milestone
Inselspital plays a pivotal role in Swiss and European cardiovascular care: state‑of‑the‑art electrophysiology infrastructure, and a long-standing partnership with Medtronic in research, clinical innovation, and advanced therapies.

Prof. Andreas Häberlin, who performed the symbolic 10 millionth implantable device procedure with a Medtronic pacemaker, is internationally recognized for his work on leadless pacemakers, leadless pacing technologies, and pioneering electrophysiology research.

“This reflects how far leadless pacing has come: from an innovative concept to a therapy that meaningfully improves patient care. At Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, our focus has always been to translate scientific progress into safe and effective treatments, therefore long-standing collaborations are essential to making that happen,” says Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Andreas Häberlin, Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital.

Why this matters for Switzerland
Switzerland’s strong innovation ecosystem, combined with its world‑class healthcare system, uniquely positions the country as a global MedTech hub. Together with university hospitals like Inselspital, Medtronic continues to accelerate:
•          The adoption of minimally invasive therapies.
•          Clinical research and translational medicine.
•          High‑value jobs and advanced manufacturing.
•          Training of healthcare professionals (2,000+ trained yearly in Tolochenaz).

This milestone strengthens Switzerland’s role as an international reference point for the future of medical technologies.

“Switzerland’s combination of operations excellence and engineering precision makes milestones like this possible,” said Didier Perrin, Vice President, Swiss Manufacturing Operations for Medtronic.

50 years of partnership with Switzerland
Since its establishment in 1976, Medtronic Switzerland has evolved into a multidisciplinary hub combining: advanced manufacturing, clinical education, R&D and engineering, and collaborations with leading institutions, such as École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Biopôle and Inselspital, Bern University Hospital.

The Tolochenaz campus is fully integrated with Medtronic’s global R&D and manufacturing network, playing a central role in new product development, technology scaling, and clinical excellence.

About Medtronic
Bold thinking. Bolder actions. We are Medtronic. Medtronic plc, headquartered in Galway, Ireland, is the leading global healthcare technology company that boldly attacks the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions. Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life — unites a global team of 95,000+ passionate people across more than 150 countries. Our technologies and therapies treat 70 health conditions and include cardiac devices, surgical robotics, insulin pumps, surgical tools, patient monitoring systems, and more. Powered by our diverse knowledge, insatiable curiosity, and desire to help all those who need it, we deliver innovative technologies that transform the lives of two people every second, every hour, every day. Expect more from us as we empower insight-driven care, experiences that put people first, and better outcomes for our world. In everything we do, we are engineering the extraordinary. For more information on Medtronic, visit www.Medtronic.com and follow on LinkedIn.

Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.

Contacts:

Maria Trenzado
Western Europe Communications Director
maria.trenzado@medtronic.com
+34-653-30-4720