Patent of the Month April
Wrinkle free and mobile with the natural Hyaluronic Acid Stabilizer
Everyone wants to reach a high age, but no one wants to look old! Physical fitness and a juvenile appearance into old age are a wishful dream of our society. In the human body, Hyaluronic Acid (HA) makes for firm connective tissue and flexible joints. However, the production of natural HA decreases with age and is also influenced by environmental factors and disease.
Scientist at RWTH Aachen University have now developed a new method that counteracts the degradation of natural hyaluronic acid with the help of stabilizing proteins. The patent application for the brand-new technology, which is a promising alternative to the administration of synthetic preparations, was published in April 2020, entitled “Hyaluronic Acid Stabilizer” (US2022118048A1) and is thus our Patent of the Month April!
Synthetic hyaluronic acid preparations have already been used since the 1990s to fight signs of ageing. Such hyaluronic acid preparations serve as a growth agent in tissue engineering and are used to reduce wrinkles in aesthetic dermatology or as a viscoelastic "lubricant" in joint arthrosis therapy. For this purpose, they are usually applied topically or injected. However, both forms of administration have disadvantages. When applied to the skin, absorption through the skin barrier is limited, the effectiveness of the efficacy is questioned and there is a possible increase in pro-inflammatory cleavage products of the hyaluronic acid. Intradermal injections work better in reaching the deeper layers of the skin, but carry a higher risk of side effects such as infections.
The new technology, developed by Prof. Dr. med. Jens Malte Baron, Deputy Director of the Clinic for Dermatology and Allergology at University Hospital Aachen, together with Dr. rer. nat. Sebastian Huth, shows a completely new way to compensate for the loss of hyaluronic acid in the skin. The scientists discovered an endogenous protein in the skin that naturally binds to hyaluronic acid and stabilises it through cross-linking. This protein, also referred to as "Natural Hyaluronic Acid Stabilizing Protein (NHASP), enhances the biological effect of natural hyaluronic acid, reduces its age-related degradation and thus the formation of pro-inflammatory cleavage products. So far, the results in skin models are impressive: due to stabilisation effects and a reduced risk of immune reactions, a new treatment approach has been found that has the potential to make the application much more effective.
To bring the innovation to the market, the researchers are looking for a strong partner for the development of a gel containing NHASP for cosmetic application. Initial studies in the laboratory have not only proven the effect of the protein, but have also been able to demonstrate experimentally that it is safe to use on humans, which is important for approval for upcoming clinical trials. The technology offer for the "hyaluronic acid stabiliser" as well as other exploitation offers for RWTH technologies are available on the website of RWTH Innovation Ltd.
The Patent and Standards Centre wishes every success with it and is already looking forward to trying the new product one day!
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Sources
Patent document US2022118048A1