Polymer conjugates are provided that are capable of mimicking functions of natural proteoglycans found in the extracellular matrix of connective tissues. The polymer conjugates of the invention have utility in treating a subject suffering soft tissue degenerative conditions. Also provided are simple and scalable chemical processes for the preparation of the polymer conjugates of the invention.

The present invention discloses a matrix comprising a modified polysaccharide consisting of repeating disaccharide units whereby in at least 11% of the disaccharide units one primary alcohol group is oxidized into a carboxylic acid group.

The invention relates to two-component biodegradable core-sheath fibers comprising a combination of native and C.sub.11-C.sub.18 acylated hyaluronan or C.sub.11-C.sub.18 acylated hyaluronans. It further relates to method of preparation and use thereof, especially for controlled release of the active agent. Fibers may be further processed into the form of staple fibers, yarn, braided, woven, knitted and non-woven textiles.

A cell tissue gel, comprising one or more matrix molecules cross-linked with a cross-linking agent, and a quenching agent bound to a reactive group of the cross-linking agent, wherein the quenching agent contains a moiety that is capable of reacting with the reactive group of the cross-linking agent and the one or more matrix molecules contain one or more functional groups that are capable of cross-linking with the reactive group, the amount of the reactive group of the cross-linking agent being equal to or less than a total amount including the amount of the one or more functional groups and the amount of the moiety.

To provide a carrier linker that is capable of improving the water solubility of a physiologically active substance and more quickly releasing the physiologically active substance under specific conditions without utilizing light or enzymatic cleavage. [Solution] A novel sugar chain-attached linker comprising a sugar chain that is attached as a carrier.

The invention relates to a hydrogel product comprising glycosaminoglycan molecules as the swellable polymer, wherein the glycosaminoglycan molecules are covalently crosslinked via crosslinks comprising a spacer group selected from the group consisting of di-, tri-, tetra-, and oligosaccharides.

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 method for at least partial deacetylation of a biopolymer comprising acetyl groups, including: a1) providing a biopolymer including acetyl groups; a2) reacting the biopolymer including acetyl groups with hydroxylamine (NH.sub.2OH) or a salt thereof at a temperature of 100? C. or less for 2-200 hours to form an at least partially deacetylated biopolymer; and a3) recovering the at least partially deacetylated biopolymer.

A method for cleaving amide bonds, comprising: a) providing a molecule comprising an amide group; b) reacting the molecule comprising an amide group with hydroxylamine (NH.sub.2OH) or a salt thereof to cleave the amide bond of the amide group.

A purification method for the capsular polysaccharide of type II GBS in which the capsular polysaccharide is filtered using a membrane with a cut-off of less than 30 kDa.