Medtech company Implantica AG (Nasdaq First North Premier Growth Market:IMP A SDB) announced on Wednesday that the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued positive Interventional Procedures Guidance for the RefluxStop procedure within NHS public hospitals.

The guidance enables the use of RefluxStop for patients with Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease (GORD/GERD) who suffer from Ineffective Oesophageal Motility (IOM/IEM), a subgroup largely untreatable by conventional methods.

This decision is expected to significantly impact patient care, as up to 40-50% of the estimated 1 billion acid reflux sufferers globally may fall within the IOM/IEM category.

RefluxStop offers a non-compressive surgical approach that restores the lower oesophageal sphincter's natural position without encircling the food passageway, reducing risks of common side effects associated with traditional procedures.

Consultant Surgeon Ahmed Ahmed of St. Mary's Hospital, Imperial College NHS Health Trust, described the approval as a transformative step in reflux care.

The NICE endorsement could have broader global influence, given its authority in shaping healthcare policies beyond the UK.

Implantica views RefluxStop as a potential paradigm shift in anti-reflux surgery by reconstructing the body's natural anti-reflux barrier and promoting long-term symptom resolution.