Alliqua, through its wholly owned subsidiary AquaMed, develops, manufactures and markets electron-beam cross-linked sheet gels for use as transdermal delivery of medication, topical application of non-prescription drugs, wound/burn dressings with and without active ingredients, components in certain medical devices, treatments, cosmetics and other commercial products.

Hydrogels are gel-like or colloidal substances made of water and solids.  They can be created chemically (through a combination of ultra violet cross-linking and chemical interface), or by mixing polymer and water, and then exposing it to an electron beam creating a “sheet” of water. Alliqua believes that its hydrogels have a competitive advantage, in part due to the following product characteristics: painless adhesion to the human body, stability of form and composition, purity, reproducibility (manufacturing high quality product on a consistent basis), compatibility with active ingredients, and high water content.

Many of the products of Alliqua’s competition feature physical characteristics which Alliqua believes are less desirable than its own hydrogels. These include aggressive skin bonding, chemical and form instability, lack of uniformity, low water content, odor and active receptivity issues.