BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IM HealthScience®, a medical foods company, announced the availability of IBgard, a new medical food for the dietary management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, a condition with a high unmet medical need that affects 15 to 20 percent of the U.S. population. IBgard utilizes breakthrough science to deliver peppermint oil, a well-studied ingredient in the management of IBS, where it is needed most, in the lower gut.
“IBgard brings new hope to the millions of Americans who suffer from this very common, embarrassing and often disruptive disorder,” said gastroenterologist Michael Epstein, MD, senior medical advisor with IM HealthScience. “I have seen significant results in my own practice.”
IBgard capsules contain individually enteric-coated sustained release microspheres of Ultramen™, an ultra-purified peppermint oil. A patented technology called Site Specific Targeting (SST™), developed by IM HealthScience, is used to deliver these microspheres of peppermint oil quickly and reliably to the small intestine.
Peppermint oil is commonly used overseas in well regulated countries such as the United Kingdom. Its use in the United States, however, has been hampered by the lack of a delivery system that would more precisely deliver it to the small intestine, until now.
The concept of IBgard is the brainchild of Fred Hassan, founder and chairman* of IM HealthScience. The former CEO of three large global pharmaceutical companies, including Schering-Plough, Hassan has been associated with many important innovations in biosciences.
“IBgard delivers peppermint oil in a new way to help restore digestive balance for people who suffer from IBS,” explained Michael Epstein, MD. “Peppermint oil is able to help normalize the digestion of food and absorption of nutrients while also promoting bacterial balance in the small intestine.”
IBS occurs in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, irritating the bowel and disrupting proper function. It is about twice as common in women as men and is most often found in people younger than age 45. People who have IBS often experience distressful symptoms such as abdominal pain or discomfort, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, or bouts of diarrhea interrupted by constipation. There is no cure for IBS, but there are tools, like IBgard, to manage IBS and its symptoms through dietary interventions.
IBgard can be ordered online at www.IBgard.com or by calling 1-855-GUT-GARD. It is also available exclusively in Walgreens stores throughout South Florida in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. While IBgard does not require a prescription, like any medical food it should be used under medical supervision. Learn more by watching “The Story of IBgard” on YouTube or by visiting www.IBgard.com.
About IM HealthScience: IM HealthScience is a privately-held company based in Boca Raton, Florida. Founded in 2010 by a team of highly experienced pharmaceutical research and development and management executives, the company is dedicated to developing medical foods for the dietary management of gastrointestinal issues where there is a high unmet need, including Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Functional Dyspepsia, Ulcerative Colitis, and Crohn’s Disease. The IM HealthScience advantage comes from developing products based on its patented targeted delivery technology called Site Specific Targeting (SST™).
*Non-Executive Chairman
Editor’s Note: Interviews are available with IM HealthScience chairman, medical advisor and patients. Contact Shawn Yanan, rbb Public Relations, 305-962-1768 / shawn.yanan@rbbpr.com.
