Heparosan crosslinked hydrogels for injectable dermal fillers: fabrication, physicochemical properties and biocompatibility

Heparosan (Hep), an unsulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAG), has a chemical structure closely resembling that of hyaluronic acid (HA). However, Hep has not been utilized in injectable dermal fillers as HA has been. In this article, injectable Hep crosslinked hydrogels were fabricated using 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDE) as the crosslinking agent. The physicochemical properties of the Hep crosslinked hydrogel, including pH and osmolality, were verified to be compatible with human physiology. The Hep crosslinked hydrogels exhibit higher viscoelasticity and a longer in vitro lifespan compared to HA crosslinked hydrogels. Furthermore, biocompatibility and safety assessments supported their potential use as injectable dermal fillers.