Manage Your Reflux Symptoms: The Food4GERD app

Zurich, [October 20, 2014] - Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), often referred to as heartburn, is a major issue for many people worldwide.i Choice of foodsii and eating habits iii may have an impact on GERD symptoms. Takeda has developed the mobile application Food4GERD to assist people to manage their reflux symptoms.

The Food4Gerd app is a mobile application that provides insights into common foods and beverages, making it a helpful tool for checking ingredients and their possible effects on reflux symptoms. It is commonly known that gradual dietary and lifestyle changes are recommended to improve GERD-related symptoms.iv

The "Ingredient Check" included in the Food4GERD app helps sufferers to observe which of their preferred food choices are good ones and which should be avoided. In the latest version, patients can also add their own foods and beverages and protect access to the app with a pin-code.

An integrated "Symptom Tracker" allows users to record the severity of reflux symptoms such as heartburn, sore throat or chest pain. In addition, the app offers the possibility to track times of symptom occurrence, as well to define personal triggers e.g. stress or irregular eating, and ingredients that may be related to the symptoms. A personal diary can be reviewed in the "Symptom History" and all data can be exported, which is a helpful tool as patients can use the results for discussion with their physicians: Using the Food4GERD app as part of the follow up communication between patients and physicians about the course of disease will support both to optimize treatment.v

The Food4GERD app is available for all common mobile devices (including IOS and Android). It recently received its first Spanish language update, with more translations to follow. For more information please visit www.food4gerd.com.

About GERD

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or acid reflux disease (ARD), is a common condition that develops when reflux of stomach contents causes troublesome symptoms or complications.vi Common symptoms are e.g. pain or burning in the chest and difficulties in swallowing, yet untreated GERD may result in asthma, voice change or hoarseness.vii

The prevalence of GERD has increased over the last 20 yearsviii, mainly in western industrialized nations1,8, and affects all ages.7 Prevalence estimates range from 18-28% in North America and 9-26% in Europe.1

About Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH

Headquartered in Zurich as a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Osaka, Japan; the company has a commercial presence covering more than 70 countries, with particular strength in Asia, North America, Europe and fast-growing emerging markets including Latin America, Russia-CIS and China. Areas of focus include cardiovascular and metabolic, oncology, respiratory and immunology, central nervous system, general medicine, and vaccines.

Takeda is a research-based global company with its main focus on pharmaceuticals. As the largest pharmaceutical company in Japan and one of the global leaders of the industry, Takeda is committed to strive towards better health for people worldwide through leading innovation in medicine. Through the integration of Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Nycomed, Takeda has been transforming itself, broadening its therapeutic expertise and geographic outreach.

Additional information about Takeda is available through its corporate website, www.takeda.com.

Cross reference: Picture is available at epa european pressphoto agency (http://www.epa.eu) and http://www.presseportal.de/pm/111920/ -

Contacts:

m:werk GmbH & Co. KG

Humboldtstraße 11

D-65189 Wiesbaden

Tel.: +49 (0)611-16086-0

Fax: +49 (0)611-16086-15
Email: reflux@m-werk.de

i El-Serag HB et al. Gut, 13 Jul 2013 (Epub ahead of print); doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2012-304269.

ii Mansour-Ghanaei F et al. Int J Mol Epidemiol Genet 2013; 4:175-182.

iii Fujiwara Y et al. Am J Gastroenterol 2005; 100:2633-2636.

iv Heidelbaugh JJ et al. Am Fam Physician 2003; 68:1311-1318.

v McColl E et al. Am J Gastroenterol. 2005; 100:11-18.

vi Vakil N et al. Am J Gastroenterol 2006; 101:1900-1920.

vii Koop H et al. Z Gastroenterol 2005; 43:163-164.

viii El-Serag HB. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2007; 5:17-26.