IM HealthScience® Recruits David Swenson As Vice President, Marketing And Operations

BOCA RATON, Fla., Aug. 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- IM HealthScience^®, innovators of IBgard^®, today announced the appointment of David Swenson to the newly created position of Vice President, Marketing and Operations, effective immediately. The company is developing its bench of executives in light of the rapid, scientific acceptance of IBgard^®, its new product for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Swenson's responsibilities will include developing the company's commercial strategies and action plans and being intimately involved with the execution of these plans.

"We are pleased to welcome Dave to our fast-growing company," said Ellen Geisel, President of IM HealthScience^®. "He brings a meaningful depth of experience and expertise. He has touched many large products, such as Advil^®, and has worked with powerhouse companies, such as Wyeth. We are confident that he will enrich our executive bench and help move IBgard^® to its next stage of providing an important new option for IBS patients," she added.

Swenson joins IM HealthScience^® from DOS & Associates, where he was Managing Director since 2009. His practice focused on helping bring consumer healthcare innovations to the consumer marketplace.

Prior to this role, he was General Manager at Alaven Consumer HealthCare, where he formed a consumer healthcare division with specialty products in personal hygiene and gastroenterology.

Previously, Swenson was director of field sales at a division of SSL International (now Reckitt Benckiser). Prior to this position, he was the Chief Executive Officer of Everglades Laboratories, which acquired four consumer products in the first-aid and insect repellent categories. Swenson spent 16 years at Wyeth Consumer HealthCare in commercial positions where he worked on over 30+ top consumer healthcare products.

He received a B.A. degree in Psychology from Stony Brook University (New York).

About IBgard^® 

IBgard^® is specially formulated for the dietary management of IBS. It is the first product using a patented, breakthrough technology, called Site Specific Targeting (SST^®),  to deliver individually triple-coated, sustained release microspheres of Ultramen^®, an ultra-purified peppermint oil, quickly and reliably to the small intestine where its actions help manage IBS.

In multiple clinical studies, peppermint oil has been shown to provide relief from IBS symptoms. Peppermint oil can help normalize the digestion of food and absorption of nutrients, which have been compromised by IBS.

IM HealthScience^® recently presented results of a pivotal clinical trial recently conducted in the United States. This clinical trial, entitled IBSREST^™ (Irritable Bowel Syndrome Reduction Evaluation and Safety Trial), was a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of IBgard^® at four sites across the United States. This clinical trial showed unprecedented efficacy and safety for IBgard^® and was selected by a committee of gastroenterology experts for four poster sessions and one oral presentation at the plenary session during Digestive Disease Week (DDW), a premier gastroenterology meeting of the American Gastroenterological Association in Washington, D.C., in May 2015. This meeting is the largest gastroenterology meeting in the world with 15,000 attendees. A standing-room-only gathering heard this oral presentation on May 18, 2015. At this presentation, the 24-hour onset of action of IBgard^® was discussed and commented upon by the gastroenterology experts during the meeting.

Over 10,000 healthcare practitioners, including 3,000 gastroenterologists, are estimated to have already used IBgard^® for their patients. While IBgard^® does not require a prescription, it should be used under medical supervision. IBgard^® is now accessible to consumers in the digestive aisle at most CVS/pharmacy and Walgreens stores nationwide.

About Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a frustrating, underdiagnosed and undertreated condition that irritates the bowel and can disrupt the digestion of food and absorption of nutrients. It is characterized by abdominal pain, bloating and altered abnormal bowel habits and it affects an estimated 15-20 percent of the U.S population. People who have IBS often experience distressful digestive symptoms, some of which can be severe or unbearable.

About IM HealthScience^®
IM HealthScience^® is a privately held company based in Boca Raton, Florida, that developed IBgard^®. It was founded in 2010 by a team of highly experienced pharmaceutical R&D and management executives. The company is dedicated to developing products to address 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 technologies called Site Specific Targeting (SST^®). For more information, visit www.IBgard.com to learn more about IBgard^®.

SOURCE IM HealthScience