Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a natural polymer used in health care applications as a biological lubricant and protective agent. The higher its molecular weight (>3MDa), the greater the health care benefit. Researchers at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology have engineered microbial strains to produce HA of molecular weight in the range of 3.0-6.0 MDa. 

An unmet need exists for high molecular weight HA that can be produced from a safe, non-animal source at economical cost.  HA-based products generated over $2.25 billion in sales in the United States in 2006. This included ophthalmic applications as well as visco-supplementation, visco-surgical aid, cosmetic injection, and anti-adhesive wound care applications.

The High-HA technology has been developed through collaboration between the University of Queensland and the CRC Sugar Industry Innovationⁱ through Biotechnology.

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