Novozymes Adds Hyaluronic Acid

Novozymes Biopharma will spend about $53 million to build a current Good Manufacturing Practices-compliant facility at its site in Tianjin, China, to make hyaluronic acid using Bacillus subtilis bacteria. Produced without organic solvents and free from animal components, the Bacillus-based products are targeted for medical device and pharmaceutical applications, ranging from ophthalmic surgery to drug delivery. According to the company, its HyaCare products are the world's first and only recombinant source of hyaluronic acid, a polysaccharide compound found in connective and other tissues. The company plans to begin production in the first quarter of 2011.