The DermX^TM MegasphereTM Delivery System is a passive, topical technology platform that enhances the rate, volume, and depth of penetration of water- and oil-soluble cosmetic actives and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) into and through human skin. A water-thin, liquid solution created by JRX Biotech and protected by six issued U.S. patents, DermX^TM MegasphereTM is a novel system capable of:

• Delivering small and large molecules ("macro-molecules") up to 460,000 Daltons in size.
• Delivering large volumes of actives (a "large payload") into the skin.
• Stabilizing large volumes (a "high load factor") of actives in a finished formulation.
• Delivering compounds deep into the dermis (the third layer of skin).
• Delivering active ingredients into and through the skin within minutes, not days.

Large Molecules: Traditional delivery system technologies can deliver only small molecules to the skin, thus severely limiting their efficacy and dosage range and flexibility. The DermX^TM MegasphereTM System, however, can deliver both small molecules (like extracts) and large molecules (like proteins). DermX^TM MegasphereTM's unique value is its ability to deliver compounds that are potentially 10,000 times larger than those found in other non-invasive, passive systems.

Large Payloads: Unlike other technologies, DermX^TM MegasphereTM has been proven to deliver large volumes (or a "large payload") of active ingredients into and through the skin. Currently, traditional technologies allow only 0.1 to 0.2% of an applied dose to be absorbed. However, DermX^TM MegasphereTM employs "megasphere technology", a mechanism that does not require a separate carrier and penetration enhancer. As a result, up to 2 to 4% of an applied dose has been clinically proven to penetrate the skin, delivering 10 to 40 times more at one time than before.

High Loading: Efficient delivery starts with the formulation itself. The DermX^TM MegasphereTM system has the ability to encapsulate, stabilize and solubilize—long-term—a high concentration (up to 70%) of an active ingredient in a finished formulation. This means that 35 to 70 times more of an active ingredient is being "delivered" or applied to the skin with each application.

Deep Delivery: Human skin is made up of three main layers: the stratum corneum, the viable epidermis and the dermis. Traditional delivery system technologies can deliver agents to only the top layer, the stratum corneum. DermX^TM MegasphereTM however, has been proven to deliver these same agents deep into the third layer of skin, the dermis.

Fast Delivery: Competing skin delivery technologies are "time release" or "controlled release" technologies that release their payload of active ingredients into the skin over a matter of hours or days. This is not the case with the DermX^TM MegasphereTM system. Studies have shown that large payloads of large molecules (over 5kD in size) are delivered into the deep layers of skin (the dermis) in 1 hour.

DermX^TM MegasphereTM has been proven in a number of world renowned, independent laboratories using today's most sophisticated testing methods, including:

• In the clinic (in vivo) testing for irritation, wrinkles, hydration, age spots and pain,
• The in vitro Franz Diffusion Cell test,
• Chromatography analysis, and
• Controlled stability conditions (temperature and humidity).

All Franz Diffusion Cell tests were conducted using human cadaver skin and ¹⁴C radiolabeled compounds, and were performed at PRACS Institute - one of the leading dermatological and percutaneous (skin) absorption Contract Research Organizations (CROs).