New data presented at Digestive Disease Week 2026 reinforces endoscopic remission as being associated with long-term patient outcomes,[1],[2] yet more than 60% of people with IBD have not heard of this key treatment goal.[3],[4]
Anchoring World IBD Day, the interactive Gut Tunnel installation (18–21 May, Asia Square 2, Singapore) makes invisible inflammation and deeper gut-level control easier to understand.
SINGAPORE, May 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of World IBD Day, Johnson & Johnson today launched the interactive 'Gut Tunnel' experience in Singapore, alongside educational programs across Asia Pacific, to empower people living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to pursue endoscopic remission, a critical yet under-recognized treatment goal, as part of its ongoing Dual Control campaign.
Control Inside, Control Your Dreams. Discuss IBD remission with your doctor. Live fully.
‘Gut Tunnel’ experience in Singapore, Asia Square 2. Open to the public from 18–21 May.
J&J leaders with patient advocacy leaders at a preview tour of the Gut Tunnel.
APAC IBD Patient Dialogue hosted by Johnson & Johnson, convening 14 patient advocacy leaders from 11 organizations across Asia Pacific and the United States.
New data presented at Digestive Disease Week 2026 reinforces that endoscopic remission, defined as the absence of disease activity observed during a colonoscopy,[3] is associated with improved long-term patient outcomes.
Ulcerative colitis (UC) patients achieving endoscopic remission had a 68% lower risk of symptom worsening and were 4 times less likely to require IBD-related surgery. [2] Crohn's disease (CD) patients who achieved endoscopic remission showed a 41% lower risk of symptom worsening, were 3 times less likely to require IBD-related surgery and had reduced steroid use.[1] However, more than 60% of people with IBD have not heard of this key treatment goal,[2,3] highlighting a significant knowledge gap among patients.
"Decades of innovation have advanced IBD care. Endoscopic remission is now the long-term treatment goal for IBD, and it indicates deeper healing and drives better patient outcomes," said Sung-Ae Jung, MD, PhD, President of the Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Diseases, Korea.
Making the Invisible Visible: The Gut Tunnel Experience
CD and UC, the two main forms of IBD, affect around 10 million people worldwide, with numbers increasing across Asia.[5],[6] In Singapore, IBD affects an estimated 3,000 people.[7] Typically beginning in adolescence,[8] IBD causes symptoms like diarrhoea, blood in stool, and abdominal pain.[9] Many patients also experience invisible inflammation in the gut, which can continue even when symptoms appear controlled, disrupting patients' education,[10] careers,[11] and relationship development.
By translating complex clinical information into a tangible experience, the Gut Tunnel reinforces a key message in IBD care: symptom relief alone does not necessarily mean the disease is under control. The installation is designed to encourage people with IBD to take a more active role in conversations with their doctors about long-term outcomes so that they can take dual control of both the disease and their life aspirations.
"Symptom improvement does not necessarily indicate that inflammation has resolved," said Dr Shim Hang Hock, Consultant Gastroenterologist, Acorn Gastroenterology, Singapore. "The Gut Tunnel Experience helps make this invisible disease activity visible and understandable, helping patients recognize why deeper treatment goals like endoscopic remission matter."
Empowering shared decision making with practical tools: The IBD Patient Conversation Guide
To support shared decision-making between patients and their doctors on treatment goals, Johnson & Johnson created an IBD Patient Conversation Guide in English, Simplified Chinese and Korean.
"Many people with IBD often do not fully understand what 'remission' truly means, due to limited knowledge and suboptimal shared decision making. Practical tools such as patient conversation guides help patients navigate these discussions and take greater control of their condition to reclaim their lives," said Ms. Lishan Peng, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Crohn's and Colitis Foundation (CCCF).
Johnson & Johnson held an APAC IBD Patient Dialogue on 17 May in Singapore, bringing 14 patient advocacy leaders from 11 organizations across Asia Pacific and the United States to better support unmet patient needs.
"We share a common goal to help people with IBD achieve more than symptom relief and advance toward deeper disease control," said Earl Dancel, Vice President of Commercial Strategy, Asia Pacific Strategy Office, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine Asia Pacific. "For more than 30 years, we have driven scientific innovation in IBD and remain committed to supporting shared decision-making to empower patients to speak up, align on treatment goals, and help people with IBD pursue what matters most in their lives."
About the Dual Control Campaign
Launched in 2025, the Dual Control campaign is designed to bridge gaps in IBD care by shifting the focus of the disease management beyond short-term symptom relief towards long-term disease control in collaboration with gastroenterologists, advocacy groups and other experts across Asia Pacific, while empowering people living with IBD to take dual control of both the disease and life aspirations. In 2026, educational initiatives are being implemented across seven Asia Pacific markets.
About Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) refers to chronic gastrointestinal disorders, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.[12] Common symptoms include diarrhea, blood in stool, weight loss, mouth ulcers, and abdominal pain.[13] Typically beginning in adolescence,[8] IBD affects patients schooling,[10] careers,[11] and relationship development.[14]
Currently, no cure is available for IBD, and the primary treatment goal is achieving and maintaining remission. IBD remission including symptom control or clinical remission as resolution of active symptoms, endoscopic remission (also known as mucosal healing) refers to an absence of active disease seen during a colonoscopy, and histologic remission (also known as deep remission) occurs when no active inflammation is seen at the tissue level.[4]
About Johnson & Johnson At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal.
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[1] Truyers, C., Naessens, D., Sanon, M., Wu, E., Kwong, J. and Adsul, S. (2026) 'Long-term clinical outcomes, IBD-related surgery, and corticosteroid use in patients with Crohn's disease in endoscopic remission: a retrospective cohort analysis from the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation database', poster presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2026, Chicago, IL and online, 2–5 May. Abstract no. Sa1521.
[2] Truyers, C., Naessens, D., Sanon, M., Wu, E., Kwong, J. and Adsul, S. (2026) 'Impact of endoscopic remission on long-term outcomes and IBD-related surgery in patients with ulcerative colitis: a retrospective cohort analysis from the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation database', poster presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2026, Chicago, IL and online, 2–5 May. Abstract no. Sa1521.
[3] Rubin, D.T., Sninsky, C., Siegmund, B., Sans, M., Hart, A., Bressler, B., Bouhnik, Y., Armuzzi, A. and Afzali, A. (2021) 'International perspectives on management of inflammatory bowel disease: opinion differences and similarities between patients and physicians from the IBD GAPPS survey', Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 27(12), pp. 1942–1953. doi: 10.1093/ibd/izab006.
[4] Wood, D.W., Treiman, K., Rivell, A., van Deen, W.K., Heyison, H., Mattar, M.C., Power, S., Strauss, A., Syal, G., Zullow, S. and Ehrlich, O.G. (2025) 'Communicating information regarding IBD remission to patients: evidence from a survey of adult patients in the United States', Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 31(6), pp. 1605–1615. doi: 10.1093/ibd/izae201.
[5] Pathiyil, M.M., Jena, A., Venkataramana Raju, A.K., Aswani Omprakash, T., Sharma, V. and Sebastian, S. (2023) 'Representation and reporting of diverse groups in randomised controlled trials of pharmacological agents in inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review', The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 8(12), pp. 1143–1151. doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(23)00193-0.
[6] Chen, X., Xiang, X., Xia, W. et al. (2023) 'Evolving trends and burden of inflammatory bowel disease in Asia, 1990–2019: a comprehensive analysis based on the Global Burden of Disease Study', Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health, 13(4), pp. 725–739. doi: 10.1007/s44197-023-00145-w.
[8] Rosen, M.J., Dhawan, A. and Saeed, S.A. (2015) 'Inflammatory bowel disease in children and adolescents', JAMA Pediatrics, 169(11), pp. 1053–1060. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.1982.
[10] Giga A, Pappa D, Manthou P, et al. Psychological Impact of Inflammatory Bowel Disease on University Students: A Systematic Review. Cureus. 2024;16(4):e59176. Published 2024 Apr 27. doi:10.7759/cureus.59176
[11] Marri, S.R. and Buchman, A.L. (2005) 'The education and employment status of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases', Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 11(2), pp. 171–177. doi: 10.1097/00054725-200502000-00011.
[14] Rouncefield-Swales, A., Carter, B., Bray, L., Blake, L., Allen, S., Probert, C., Crook, K., & Qualter, P. (2020). Sustaining, Forming, and Letting Go of Friendships for Young People with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): A Qualitative Interview-Based Study. International journal of chronic diseases, 2020, 7254972. doi: https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/7254972
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