NAHYCO® Hybrid Technology
The NAHYCO® Hybrid Technology, developed and patented by IBSA, represents an innovation in the field of hyaluronic acid (HA).
This technology is the foundation to produce hybrid hyaluronic acid formulations, which have marked a significant turn in infiltrative therapy for the treatment of osteoarthritis and other joint pathologies.
NAHYCO® Hybrid Technology is based on a controlled thermal process that allows the combination of high and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid molecules without the use of covalent bonds or chemical reagents.
Through the increase and subsequent reduction of temperature, the hyaluronic acid chains are induced to form cooperative hybrid complexes, stabilized by hydrogen bonds.
The Three Steps of the
Production Process
1
Physiological solution containing two types of hyaluronic acid: high and low molecular weight.
2
Thermal elevation leading to the breaking of all hydrogen bonds within the high and low molecular weight chains.
3
Thermal reduction leading to the formation of new hydrogen bonds between the L-HA and H-HA chains, resulting in cooperative hybrid hyaluronic acid complexes without chemical modifications.
L-HA: Low molecular weight hyaluronic acid
H-HA: High molecular weight hyaluronic acid
The hybrid complexes obtained maintain the original biological properties of hyaluronic acid, but with improved performance in terms of viscoelasticity and duration of the therapeutic effect.
Thanks to NAHYCO® Hybrid Technology, it has been possible to produce a hybrid hyaluronic acid with high concentrations (up to 3.2%) while maintaining a low viscosity. This allows for easier injection with small gauge needles, improving patient comfort during viscosupplementation.
The hybrid formulations obtained with NAHYCO® Hybrid Technology exhibit optimal viscoelastic properties that mimic the behaviour of healthy synovial fluid, thereby offering effective support to joint function. These characteristics make hybrid hyaluronic acid particularly resistant to enzymatic degradation, extending the duration of the therapeutic effect compared to traditional formulations.
IBSA has further extended the application of NAHYCO® Hybrid Technology with the development of combined hybrid hyaluronic acid, which integrates high molecular weight hyaluronic acid with sodium chondroitin, also produced through biofermentation. This innovation provides a synergistic benefit to joints mimicking more closely the composition of healthy synovial fluid and offering an even more effective treatment for patients with osteoarthritis.
The combined hybrid hyaluronic acid
Stable cooperative hybrid complexes composed by biofermentative hyaluronic acid with high molecular weight (2.4%) and biofermentative sodium chondroitin (1.6%)
NAHYCO® Hybrid Technology has been used for the development of the combined hybrid hyaluronic acid, the third generation of hyaluronic acid for viscosupplementation: these are hybrid complexes composed of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid and non-sulfated sodium chondroitin, another important polysaccharide with beneficial effects on the joints, for the first time in an injectable device.
The sodium chondroitin used is also produced by IBSA through biofermentation, ensuring a final product of high purity, biocompatible, non-immunogenic, and free from concerns associated with extraction from animal sources.
The development of these hybrid complexes has led to the creation of a formulation with one of the highest Glycosamynoglycans (GAGs) on the market (120 mg in 3 ml) for viscosupplementation, offering rheological behaviour very similar to that of healthy synovial fluid and an excellent safety profile.
By combining the mechanical effect of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid with the sodium chondroitin, this innovative formulation:
- Promotes rapid and long-lasting pain control
- Improves joint functionality which lasts long even with a single administration
- Scaffold and cushioning empowerment
- Best performances
Hybrid
Formulations
Hybrid formulations represent the second generation of hyaluronic acid compared to linear formulations, a significant evolution in infiltrative therapy thanks to the research and commitment of IBSA to meet the therapeutic needs of doctors and patients in diverse ways, leading to the development of increasingly advanced products.
Hybrid Formulations
They have been developed thanks to NAHYCO® Hybrid Technology, an exclusive patent of IBSA that, through a controlled thermal process, allows the obtaining of hybrid complexes of high and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid. This innovative technology has made it possible to reach a concentration of hyaluronic acid of 3.2%, one of the highest on the market, with increased benefits in treatment thanks to the synergistic action of the two different molecular weights.
BENEFITS OF HYBRID FORMULATIONS
HIGH CONCENTRATION AND LOW VISCOSITY
Offer high concentrations of hyaluronic acid while maintaining a low viscosity, thus improving patient compliance and product’s efficacy.
OPTIMAL RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES
Can reproduce the characteristics and behaviour of the hyaluronic acid contained in healthy endogenous synovial fluid, adapting based on the type of stress it is subjected to.
LONG PERSISTENCE IN JOINTS
Demonstrate greater resistance to hyaluronidases (the enzymes in the body that degrade hyaluronic acid) compared to linear hyaluronic acids, ensuring a longer duration of the therapeutic effect.
The NAHYCO® technology has also been applied to the formation of HYBRID complexes composed of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid and a new polysaccharide, sodium chondroitin, also produced through biofermentation.
The third generation of hyaluronic acid was born, the combined hybrid hyaluronic acid, a formulation with one of the highest concentrations of Glycosamynoglycans (GAGs) on the market (120 mg in 3 ml), which offers rapid control of painful symptoms and improvement in joint function that lasts long even with a single administration.
