Nuvo's future transdermal product pipeline is founded upon its proprietary multiplexed molecular penetration enhancer (MMPE^™) technology.

The nature and organization of the molecules that comprise the outermost layer of the skin, the 'stratum corneum', is such that even though it is only one quarter of the thickness of a human hair, it functions as an extremely effective barrier. The stratum corneum is comprised of many different types of molecules and their structure, that is the way they are organized, is much more complex than the structure of a single protein that might be a drug target. However, just as a drug molecule can modify the activity of the target protein, certain molecules, which we term molecular penetration enhancers ("MPE^™’s"), can interact with molecules in the stratum corneum to modify its permeability. Because there are many different types of molecules in the stratum corneum and numerous paths by which a drug molecule can pass through it, it is not surprising that we have found the best way to modify the stratum corneum permeability is often to use cocktails of different MPE^™s, which we term multiplexed molecular penetration enhancers (MMPE^™s). Just as we might compare a physical approach to treating a disease, such as surgery, to a molecular approach, namely administration of a drug molecule, so too, can we contrast our molecular approach to modifying skin permeability, to the application of a physical assault, such as a hypodermic needle.

Nuvo’s MMPE^™ technology uses special combinations of MPE^™ materials to permeabilize the skin for enhanced delivery of a given drug. Nuvo filed patent applications claiming MMPE^™ technologies and applications in 2006. Throughout 2006, the Company completed tens of thousands of measurements on MMPE^™ systems applied to skin. NRI-1005, a pre-clinical candidate product for acute, soft tissue pain, discovered in 2006 uses the MMPE^™ technology. Nuvo is currently considering exploitation of the MMPE^™ technology in its next generation product for onychomycosis, for which fungal kill assays were completed in 2007.