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Hyaluronic acid – a versatile active ingredient for use in medicine and cosmetics

07. February 2022 by Andreas Pompenig Biotech, Feature article, Process Expertise, Project Expertise

ZETA scores with its engineering know-how for the production of hyaluronic acid preparations

With its core competencies of engineering, plant construction, automation, digitization, TGA and clean room design, ZETA has been a leader in the development of technical solutions for liquid-aseptic production plants for years. A modern production plant for processing hyaluronic acid was created in cooperation with an international pharmaceutical company. An active ingredient that is in great demand thanks to its special properties - both for medical applications and in the cosmetics industry.

What is hyaluronic acid?

Hyaluronic acid is a substance present throughout the body - especially in the vitreous body of the eye, connective tissue, skin, cartilage and intervertebral discs. There is a constant biological degeneration of hyaluronic acid throughout life. This can be seen externally in the form of sagging skin and wrinkles and internally in the form of health problems such as herniated discs.

Chemically, hyaluronic acid is a long-chain, linear biopolymer composed of thousands of repeating sugar molecules and having enormous water-binding capacity and high viscoelasticity.

ZETA scores with its engineering know-how for the production of hyaluronic acid preparations.

What is hyaluronic acid used for?

Thanks to its ability to bind large amounts of water, hyaluronic acid is popular as a cosmetic moisturizer and volume enhancer. Whether it only moisturizes the skin or cushions it from the inside depends on the form of administration. Hyaluronic acid stores water and has a plumping effect when injected into the body. Aesthetic medicine uses this effect for various treatments.

Hyaluronic acid is also ideal for use in cosmetics due to its extraordinary water-binding capacity. As an ingredient in anti-aging cosmetics (creams, serums, lipsticks, lotions, masks, etc.), it keeps the epidermis moist and counteracts dry skin and the formation of wrinkles.

Preparations with hyaluronic acid are also used in a variety of ways in the pharmaceutical sector, for example, for wound healing, dry eyes, dry skin and skin diseases. In addition, hyaluronic acid is injected into diseased joints for the treatment of osteoarthritis where there are symptoms such as pain and limited mobility.

How is hyaluronic acid produced and processed for medical and cosmetic applications?

For decades, hyaluronic acid was obtained from animal body parts such as cockscombs or cattle eyes. This was not free of risk, since there was always the slight possibility of contamination with allergens and pathogens such as viruses or prions. Nowadays, hyaluronic acid preparations can be produced through biotechnology in modern production facilities. This is done through suitable streptococci strains. These are bacteria that have a polysaccharide coat. Pure hyaluronic acid, which structurally does not differ from animal hyaluronic acid, is formed from these bacteria through fermentation processes.

ZETA is an engineering expert for customer-specific systems in the medical and cosmetics industry. Cooperation with an international pharmaceutical company resulted in a state-of-the-art production facility for the processing of hyaluronic acid.

Contact: Alexander Lausecker
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Production facilities for hyaluronic acid gels through ZETA's know-how

A global pharmaceutical company that specializes in products for medical aesthetics and is a leading European processor of hyaluronic acid commissioned ZETA with the expansion of a production facility. ZETA supplied a complete engineering package and the corresponding plant construction as part of the pharmaceutical company's site expansion. Included in this were the concept design of the equipment, detail design, the construction of the media and process systems as well as the coordination of the trades involved up to the commissioning and qualification.

Hyaluronic acid is processed into various gel-like products in this state-of-the-art facility. The preparations are primarily produced for aesthetic medicine and for the treatment of joints in sports injuries. The design of this multipurpose system enables maximum flexibility in production and easy adaptation to other or future products.

The heart of the plant is formed by four preparation systems which were designed with mobile containers. So-called planetary mixers ensure the homogenization of the viscoelastic substances. Various mobile process containers for the production of aqueous and highly viscous products can be connected to two preparation stations. A vacuum system prevents air bubbles from entering the gel product.

Furthermore, ZETA supplied the systems for the production and distribution of pure and ultrapure water (PW and WFI), as well as clean steam, a central CIP unit and the process air distribution system. ZETA experts also took packaging lines and laminar flow systems into account in the planning.

The customer was highly satisfied with the solutions developed by ZETA for the special technical challenges. For example, special mixing containers and mixing tools enable homogeneous mixing without gas bubbles for different volumes. The planetary mixers used are also suitable for CIP/SIP (cleaning in place/sterilization in place) processes.

ZETA - your expert for individual solutions

ZETA's interdisciplinary engineering team combines expert knowledge from a wide range of areas, such as biotechnology, process engineering, automation and mechanical engineering. ZETA's engineers worked together with the customer to develop an individual solution with a high degree of sustainability for this state-of-the-art system for processing hyaluronic acid.