Novozymes Starts Commercial Supply of New Hyaluronic Acid

Novozymes’ new facility produces in accordance with the highest pharmaceutical standards – Q7 cGMP. The first commercial products using Hyasis as a raw material are expected to reach the market in Q2 this year.

11 May 2012 --- Novozymes Biopharma, part of Novozymes A/S, the world leader in bioinnovation, has started commercial supply of hyaluronic acid from a newly inaugurated factory, which represents more than a DKK 350 million investment in China.

When someone is treated for arthritis, undergoes cataract surgery or wears contact lenses, there is a good chance this can now be done with the help of hyaluronic acid made at Novozymes’ new factory in Tianjin, China.

“Shipment of the first commercial hyaluronic acid material from our new facility marks an important milestone on our journey to becoming a leading provider of high-quality hyaluronic acid,” says Thomas Videbæk, Executive Vice President of Novozymes A/S.

Novozymes’ new facility produces in accordance with the highest pharmaceutical standards – Q7 cGMP. The first commercial products using Hyasis as a raw material are expected to reach the market in Q2 this year.

Used in pharma products

Despite the technical term, hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance that is distributed widely in the human body. By providing structure to tissues, including skin and cartilage, hyaluronic acid contributes to the optimal functioning of the body. This makes it well suited to a wide range of medical device and pharmaceutical applications.

“Our new product is called Hyasis, and we believe that we have a very strong offering for the medical device and pharmaceutical markets. Not only is Hyasis manufactured in accordance with the requirements for an active pharmaceutical ingredient, it also offers unrivalled safety, consistency and performance for the benefit of our customers and partners,” Thomas Videbæk says.

"In this way, we're setting a whole new standard in the market and redefining the use of hyaluronic acid."

Current commercial sources of hyaluronic acid are either from rooster combs or various attenuated strains of Streptococcus, which can be associated with a number of potential challenges such as risk of viral contamination or contamination with other impurities such as endotoxins. Novozymes’ Bacillus-based process removes these risks and has furthermore eliminated the use of organic solvents during processing, resulting in a more sustainable source of hyaluronic acid.

Long-term perspectives

The first customers have been testing the product for some time with good results, and Novozymes’ hyaluronic acid is now being sold to medical device and pharmaceutical customers. Addressing perspectives on the market, Thomas Videbæk says:

“The market for pharmaceutical use of hyaluronic acid is estimated to be DKK 1 billion. With regulations in the medical industry getting tougher and tougher, we believe we are well positioned in Novozymes to offer customers an improved source of hyaluronic acid that will meet their long-term needs. Through our long-term investment in this new facility, we aim to play a leading role in the market for hyaluronic acid for many years to come.”