Biomaterials development
Fucoidans hold significant promise in the field of cell transplantation and tissue regeneration due to their demonstrated anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties.
High purity Fucus vesiculosus fucoidan produced by Marinova has recently been utilised in the development of injectable, self-healing and biocompatible hydrogels.
The innovative imine crosslinked fucoidan-based hydrogels developed in the study provided beneficial biomechanical properties and excellent control over gelation rates. They demonstrated long-term stability (≥28 days), countering typical imine crosslinks that are typically less stable. The fucoidan-based hydrogels also displayed immune-modulatory properties both in vitro and in vivo and the ability to reduce inflammation. Researchers concluded the findings position fucoidan hydrogels as “a promising platform for therapeutic applications in cell transplantation and tissue engineering, addressing critical challenges in regenerative medicine.”
The full paper, ‘Imine Crosslinked, Injectable, and Self-Healing Fucoidan Hydrogel with Immunomodulatory Properties’ was published in Advanced Healthcare Materials.