Implantica's RefluxStop® U.S. market launch kicked off at the 2026 American Foregut Society Meeting, receiving an outstanding reception

VADUZ, Liechtenstein, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Implantica AG (publ.), a medtech company at the forefront of introducing advanced technology into the body, announces RefluxStop® received an enthusiastic reception from leading surgeons and gastroenterologists at the American Foregut Society (AFS) 2026 Annual Meeting in Washington D.C., marking an important milestone in the U.S. launch of RefluxStop®.

Following the recent FDA Premarket Approval (PMA) for RefluxStop®, the U.S. launch kicked off at the AFS Annual Meeting, bringing the Implantica team together with many of the most esteemed U.S. surgeons and gastroenterologists (GIs) specializing in foregut disease. Attendees showed strong interest in RefluxStop® and its unique mechanism of action and non-encircling approach to treating GERD, a chronic disease affecting approximately 78 million Americans. Unlike traditional anti-reflux surgical procedures that "wrap" around the esophagus, the RefluxStop® procedure is designed to restore and maintain the body's natural anatomy and physiology to prevent reflux without encircling the esophagus. This innovative approach minimizes common post-surgical side effects like swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) or the inability to belch or vomit.

Building on four consecutive years of extensive scientific engagement, the RefluxStop® panel discussion at AFS drew an over-booked crowd of 120+ surgeons, GIs, and other experts, all eager to learn about this innovative surgical treatment for GERD.

The panel was moderated by AFS past President, Dr. John Lipham, Chief of the Division of Upper GI and General Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of USC (University of Southern California). Dr. Lipham comments:

"FDA PMA approval of RefluxStop represents a significant milestone and inflection point in the evolution of GERD treatment over the past 70+ years. Supported by compelling 5-year clinical study results and extensive real-world experience across more than 60 centers from Europe, RefluxStop brings a disruptive, non-encircling approach to millions of GERD patients in the U.S., many of whom were not ideal candidates for traditional treatments." Dr. Lipham sums it up, "The RefluxStop procedure is a major advancement with great potential to transform the field of anti-reflux surgery. It was a pleasure to witness the strong interest and growing engagement of my peer experts as RefluxStop enters the U.S. healthcare system."

The additional distinguished RefluxStop panelists at the AFS symposium included doctors from both the U.S. and Europe:

• Dr. Christy Dunst, AFS President, Medical Director, Heartburn and Foregut Center of Excellence, Hoag Digestive Health Institute, Newport Beach, California
• Dr. Peter Kahrilas, Past AFS President, Professor of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
• Dr. Tripp Buckley, Director of the Center for Heartburn & Esophageal Disorders, Surgeon, and Professor of Surgery at University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
• Dr Prakash Gyawali, Professor of Medicine Director, Neurogastroenterology and Motility Program, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri
• Dr. Walter Chan, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Director, Center for Gastrointestinal Motility, Director, Clinical Research Education, Director, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
• Dr. Felice Schnoll-Sussman, Past AFS President, Professor of Clinical Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, Director of the Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health, New York-Presbyterian & Weill Cornell Medicine, New York
• Dr. Ahmed Ahmed, Clinical Associate Professor in Metabolic Surgery, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Honorary Consultant, Upper Gastrointestinal and Bariatric Surgery, Clinical Lead, Bariatric Surgery, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
• Professor of Surgery, Sebastian Schoppmann, MD, F.A.C.S., Head, Upper GI Service, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria, EFS Chairman
• Dr. Joerg Zehetner, Professor (USC), Specialist, Surgical Director Swiss1Chirgurgie, Hirslanden Clinic Beau-Site, Bern, Switzerland
• Dr. Thorsten Lehmann, Center Director & Chief Physician, Clinics for General and Visceral Surgery, Friedrichshafen & Tettnangis, Friedrichshafen, Germany
• Dr. Moustafa Elshafei, Chief, Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Marienhaus Klinikum Mainz, Frankfurt, Germany

Also, a recently published paper on the RefluxStop surgical approach, "How I do it?," written by the two largest users of RefluxStop in Germany and Switzerland, published in the Journal of the American Foregut Society (Foregut), was among the top trending papers at the meeting.

Dr. Peter Forsell, Founder and CEO of Implantica stated, "The level of interest and enthusiasm in RefluxStop® from leading U.S. surgeons, GIs and foregut experts at AFS 2026 was truly remarkable. Our RefluxStop® symposium, featuring several past and present AFS Presidents alongside other leading experts, reached over-capacity at 120+ attendees, requiring us to close the doors and turn away additional participants. This was followed by nearly 30 one-on-one meetings with me personally and top surgeons and GIs interested in introducing RefluxStop® at their institutions."

Dr. Forsell continued, "The exceptional reception at our first major U.S. launch meeting following FDA approval is very encouraging, and we believe reflects the significant unmet need in GERD treatment. With more than 40% of U.S. patients continuing to experience symptoms despite daily medication¹, we believe RefluxStop® is perfectly positioned and timed to fill this massive treatment gap and create a new treatment standard for GERD. We are now focused on the systematic U.S. roll-out and partnering with leading medical institutions and physicians as they introduce RefluxStop® into clinical practice."

1. Delshad, S.D., et al., Prevalence of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Proton Pump Inhibitor-Refractory Symptoms. Gastroenterology, 2020. 158(5): p. 1250-1261.e2.

For further information, please contact:
Nicole Pehrsson, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer
Telephone (CH): +41 (0)43 505 2057
[email protected]

Implantica is listed on Nasdaq First North Premier Growth Market in Stockholm.

The company's Certified Adviser is FNCA Sweden AB, [email protected]

The information was sent for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, on September 29, 2026, at 08:00 a.m. (CEST).

About Implantica

Implantica is a medtech company focused on bringing advanced implantable technologies into the body designed to improve patient outcomes and quality of life. The company's lead product, RefluxStop®, is an FDA approved and CE-marked implant for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with the potential to transform the standard of care in anti-reflux surgery, supported by strong long-term clinical outcomes.

In addition to RefluxStop®, Implantica has developed a broad, patent-protected product pipeline partly incorporating two platform technologies: an eHealth platform designed to enable communication with and remote monitoring and control of implants inside the body, and a wireless energizing platform designed to wirelessly power implantable devices through intact skin. These investigational devices are intended to facilitate remote changes to treatment, potentially saving cost for society.

Implantica is listed on Nasdaq First North Premier Growth Market (ticker: IMP A SDB). Visit www.implantica.com for further information.

About RefluxStop®

RefluxStop® is a treatment for GERD designed to address the root cause of acid reflux. Conventional anti-reflux surgical procedures typically rely on encircling the esophagus and are often associated with side effects such as swallowing difficulties, inability to belch or vomit, and gas bloating. RefluxStop is different and aims to restore and maintain the lower esophageal sphincter in its natural anatomical position without encircling or applying pressure on the food passageway. Commercial performance from a multitude of centers supports the clinical study data collected and shows that the RefluxStop® device can successfully treat GERD without wrapping or constricting the esophageal sphincter, thereby avoiding the side effects commonly seen with the other current treatment approaches. Long-term 5-year clinical outcomes on RefluxStop® have been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and support that a significant portion of the patient population will achieve clinically meaningful results, with minimal risks, when used in accordance with the indications for use.

Indications for Use: RefluxStop® is an implantable sterile medical device intended to treat acid and non-acid reflux in patients diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The device ensures maintenance of a normal physiological situation for the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) in a defined intra-abdominal position, allowing natural physiological function of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), thereby reducing or eliminating acid and non-acid reflux. The RefluxStop® Deployment Tool is indicated for patients diagnosed with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), defined by abnormal impedance pH and/or pH testing, and indicated for RefluxStop® implantation.

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Juanita Eberhart, VP Marketing & Advocacy
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