A Composite Dermal Filler Comprising Cross-Linked Hyaluronic Acid and Human Collagen for Tissue Reconstruction

In this study, we developed a composite filler comprising cross-linked hyaluronic acid (HA) and human collagen (COL) derived from the human umbilical cord with the aim of improving its biocompatibility and longevity compared with commercially available fillers. After HA/COL composite fillers were made in two different ratios (10:1 and 5:1), the physical properties of the fillers were evaluated. The interior morphologies and in vivo weight change of these hydrogels were also characterized at 1-16 weeks after injection into mice. To evaluate their biocompatibility and durability in vivo, we injected the composite fillers into nude mice subcutaneously. The variations of injected gel weight were measured and compared with the commercial dermal fillers (Restylane and TheraFill). The composites showed improved or similar physical properties (complex viscosity of 19-22 × 10⁵ cP, and injection force of 10-12 N) over the commercial dermal fillers. Sixteen weeks following the injection, the ratio of remaining composite filler weight to initial weight (75.5 ± 16.9%; 10:1) was shown to be greater than that of the commercial fillers (43.2 ± 8.1%, Restylane; 12.3 ± 5.3%, TheraFill). In addition, immunohistochemical analysis with angiogenesis-related markers such as isolectin and vWF revealed newly formed blood vessels and cellular influx into the composite filler, which were not observed in the other fillers. These results clearly suggest that the HA/COL composite filler is a superior candidate for soft tissue reconstruction. The filler we developed may be a suitable candidate as an injectable dermal filler for tissue augmentation in humans.