Profile: Urban AG Corp (AQUM.PK)

Urban Ag. Corp., formerly Aquamer, Medical Corp., incorporated on February 4, 2000, is a clinical development-stage company. The Company focuses on providing invasive injectable modalities for dermatology, urology, gastroenterology and orthopedic surgery. The bulking agent that comprises its initial products involves the use of a polymeric component from the poly-n-vinyl pyrrolidinone (PVP) family, which is recognized for its biocompatibility and clinical use in other Class III medical devices. PVP is a non-toxic, non-metabolized hydrogel that has been approved for use as a plasma volume expander, a plasma detoxifying agent, an orally-ingested diagnostic aid, a component of soft contact lenses, a variety of dental applications, a filler for a permanent implantable urological device and as an excipient in the manufacturing of tablets containing a variety of drugs. The dose of PVP used in its products is minimal; approximately 95% of the injected volume is water contained in the polymer matrix. The Company’s bulking agent was created under two patents owned by Partners in Biomaterials Inc. (PIB), an independent third party based in California. It is developing the products designed for use in orthopedic surgery, dermatology, urology, and gastroenterology. In November 2011, it acquired CCS Environmental Worldwide Incorporated. In Febraury 2013, it acquired Green Wire Enterprises Inc (GWE).

Orthopedic Surgery

The Company acquired patent rights to the Hydropatella Implant. It relates to an improved patella with improved biocompatible properties, such as high surface lubricity, reduced component-to-component wear, and drug delivery capabilities.

Dermatology

AquaDerm is targeted at the long-term corrective effects of skin treatment. AquaDerm addresses conditions of tissue atrophy due to aging, facial wrinkles and depressed scars, as well as soft tissue defects resulting from surgery and inflammatory skin diseases. PVP has infinite molecular weight as a base polymer matrix, which impedes absorption and migration of polymer substrate into the surrounding tissue, thus lengthening the cosmetic effect. Other injectable materials are suspensions (leading to the absorption of suspension media and migration of suspended particles) or biological in nature (such as collagen, which the body digests). The Company’s product are injected into the affected areas and filled to the appropriate point, making the defect flush with the surrounding tissue, or in the case of lip augmentation plumped to the desired size.

Urology

AquaGen has been developed for use as a bulking agent in the minimally invasive treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI), the common form of urinary incontinence. AquaGen is injected into the urethra/bladder junction (urinary sphincter muscle), reinforcing the muscle tissues around the bladder neck, the bulking of the closure mechanism that prevents accidental urine leakage. SUI relates to the accidental or unintentional leakage of urine.

Gastroenterology

AquaFlux has been designed for use as a bulking agent in the minimally invasive treatment of chronic heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). AquaFlux is utilized as a bulking agent to strengthen and build the sphincter muscle at the base of the esophagus through a minimally invasive procedure, reinforcing and augmenting the closure mechanism that prevents reflux or gastric heartburn. GERD is a condition whereby gastric contents from the stomach rise into the esophagus, known as reflux. In a normal stomach, the sphincter at the bottom of the esophagus (lower esophageal sphincter, or LES) opens to let food pass into the stomach and then closes to prevent the gastric contents in the stomach from rising into the esophagus.