The present invention discloses a functionalized hyaluronic acid or a derivative thereof, as well as a process for the preparation thereof, and the use thereof as a biomaterial and as an ingredient in pharmaceutical compositions. The present invention furthermore discloses the use of said functionalized hyaluronic acid or a derivative thereof in the treatment of pathologies ascribable to altered galectin expression.

The present invention discloses a branched polyethylene glycol epoxy derivative crosslinked sodium hyaluronate gel, preparation and application thereof. The crosslinking agent used in the crosslinked sodium hyaluronate gel prepared by the present invention is a polyethylene glycol epoxy derivative, due to the existence of multiple ether bonds in the molecule of the crosslinking agent, there are more hydrogen bonds in the gel system; meanwhile, due to the particularity of the space structure of the branched polyethylene glycol epoxy derivative, the gel prepared has a more complex winding structure in its space, thus achieving better stability. Moreover, the branched polyethylene glycol epoxy derivative involved in the present invention is a compound with single molecular weight, therefore, the gel prepared thereby has better batch stability.

The present invention concerns a block copolymer having at least one oligo- or polysaccharide block and at least one elastin-like polypeptide block, wherein said block copolymer comprises at least one repetitive unit having the following formula (I):

##STR00001##

wherein R′ is the side chain of a natural or synthetic amino acid other than proline and derivatives thereof.

A method of preparing a hydrogel product comprising crosslinked glycosaminoglycan molecules, said method including: i) providing a glycosaminoglycan crosslinked by amide bonds, wherein the crosslinked glycosaminoglycans include ester crosslinks formed as byproducts during the amide crosslinking; and ii) subjecting the crosslinked glycosaminoglycans to alkaline treatment to hydrolyze ester crosslinks formed as byproducts during the amide crosslinking.

A process is described for the purification of HA, and pharmaceutical, cosmetic and nutritional compositions containing HA thus purified.

A skin care composition comprising low molecular weight acetylated hyaluronic acid or its sodium salt having a weight average molecular weight less than 50 kDa, and a degree of acetylation of at least 3.6 is useful in the treatment of the visible effects of age on human skin.

The present invention provides hyaluronic acid derivatives including one or more of each of repeating units represented by the formulae (Ia), (Ib), and (Ic) in which certain cationic sites, certain hydrophobic sites, and certain hydrophilic sites have been introduced. In addition, the present invention provides complexes of the hyaluronic acid derivatives with a drug and pharmaceutical compositions including the hyaluronic acid derivatives, in particular, complexes of the hyaluronic acid derivatives with a drug.

The present disclosure pertains to iodinated polysaccharide compounds that comprise a polysaccharide backbone that comprises a plurality of carboxyl groups and a plurality of iodinated side groups. The present disclosure also pertains iodinated polysaccharide compounds in which at least a portion of carboxyl groups that are present in a carboxyl-containing polysaccharide chain are functionalized with a plurality of iodinated side groups. Other aspects of the present disclosure pertain to methods of forming iodinated polysaccharide compounds, medical compositions comprising iodinated polysaccharide compounds, medical procedures comprising introducing such medical compositions into or between tissue of a patient, and medical kits that comprise such medical compositions.

Provided is a method that achieves tunable crosslinking and reversible phase transition of hydrogels. The method is useful for preparing 3D-printable hydrogel, for example, for wound healing, aneurysm treatment or tissue regeneration.

The invention provides a new method of synthesizing cross-linked hyaluronic acids, compositions thereof, tubes and syringes containing such compositions alone or in combination with PRP/BMC, new devices for PRP/BMC preparation, and uses thereof in cell culture, skincare and joint preservation. The invention provides a method for the production of a crosslinked gel (preferably of desired molecular weight and/or concentration) from at least one first polymer (preferably hyaluronic acid), comprising the steps of: homogenizing said first polymer, hydrating said first polymer in a basic solution, crosslinking said basic solution by adding at the least one crosslinking agent at a higher temperature than room temperature, neutralizing said basic solution in an acidic solution, homogenizing said solution, mixing said solution with a supplemental quantity of a second polymer (preferably a second polymer of substantially the same molecular weight and/or concentration as said first polymer), and purifying said solution.