IM HealthScience® Recruits Stéphane Langevin As General Manager, Canada

New executive position reflects the approval of IBgard®, First Peppermint Oil Natural Health Product (NHP), by Health Canada for the Relief of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Symptoms

MONTREAL and BOCA RATON, Fla., Oct. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- IM HealthScience®, innovators of IBgard®, today announced the appointment of Stéphane Langevin to the newly created position of General Manager, Canada, effective immediately. The company is expanding its geographic footprint to the Canadian market in light of the approval by Health Canada of IBgard®, the first peppermint oil natural health product for the relief of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Langevin's responsibilities will include developing the company's commercial strategies and business operation within the Canadian marketplace.

"We are delighted to welcome Stéphane to our rapidly growing company," said Ellen Geisel, President of IM HealthScience®. "He brings a wealth of knowledge in areas of expertise that include brand management, consumer marketing and sales and start-up operations. He has managed numerous large brands, such as Imodium® and Claritin® and worked in large companies such as Schering-Plough and Sanofi. Canada is our first launch outside the United States and we are confident that he will help to successfully launch IBgard®, an important innovation in IBS, to Canadian consumers," she added.

Langevin joins IM HealthScience® with over 17 years of consumer healthcare experience. His most recent position was with Sanofi Consumer Health, where he was Senior Director managing the Canadian OTC portfolio.

Prior to this role, he was Vice President, Marketing at HumanWare, where he developed a consumer-centric business plan to increase market penetration within the low-vision segment. Previously, Langevin held commercial positions in large companies, including Johnson and Johnson, Schering-Plough and Bristol-Myers Squibb. He received his M.B.A. from the University of Quebec in Montreal.

About IBgard®
IBgard® capsules contain L-menthol, the principal component in peppermint oil, which has been shown to have significant impact on the management of IBS symptoms. In multiple clinical studies, peppermint oil has been shown to provide relief from IBS symptoms. With its patented Site Specific Targeting (SST®) technology, pioneered by IM HealthScience®, IBgard® capsules release Ultramen®, an ultra-purified peppermint oil, in the small intestine. Peppermint oil can help normalize the digestion of food and absorption of nutrients, which have been compromised by IBS.

Basis For Approval
Health Canada's Natural and Non-Prescription Health Products Directorate (NNHPD), in granting this approval, reviewed the results of a pivotal clinical trial recently conducted in the United States. This clinical trial, entitled IBSREST™ (Irritable Bowel Syndrome Response 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® in the management of IBS. Data from this landmark trial was recently made available on line in the peer-reviewed journal, Digestive Diseases and Sciences.

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 affects an estimated 15-20 percent of the U.S population and an estimated 18 percent of the Canadian population. People who have IBS often experience distressful digestive symptoms, some of which can be severe or unbearable. Abdominal pain, bloating and altered abdominal bowel habits are examples of these symptoms.

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 research and development 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

Related Links

http://www.IBgard.com