A team of Korean researchers has developed a composite filler made of cross-linked hyaluronic acid (HA) and human collagen (COL) derived from the umbilical cord.
The researchers, from CHA University in Pocheon, South Korea, write that their goal was to improve the kind of biocompatibility and durability found in commercially available fillers.
With this in mind, the researchers made HA/COL composite fillers in two distinct ratios: one at 10:1, the other at 5:1. To evaluate their biocompatibility and durability in vivo, the researchers injected the composite fillers into nude mice subcutaneously. Interior morphologies and in vivo degradation were characterized at one to 16 weeks after injection. The variations of injected gel weight were measured and compared with commercial dermal fillers Restylane and TheraFill.
The authors write that the composites showed improved or similar physical properties over the commercial fillers. Sixteen weeks after injection, the ratio of remaining composite filler weight to initial weight was greater than that of either of the commercial fillers. In addition, immunohistochemical analysis with angiogenesis-related markers revealed newly formed blood vessels and cellular influx into the composite filler — something that was not observed with the commercial fillers.
“These results clearly suggest that the HA/COL composite filler is a superior candidate for soft-tissue reconstruction,” the authors write. “The filler we developed may be a suitable candidate as an injectable dermal filler for tissue augmentation in humans.”
The study was published in the Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology.
