The skin is the largest organ of the human body, and its injuries and functional disorders threaten patients' health and cause significant psychological stress. This technology focuses on exploring and applying the bioactivity of natural polysaccharides to develop efficient and highly targeted innovative solutions for treating skin tissue injuries, scarring, and follicular disorders. After more than a decade of research, the project team has innovatively designed and integrated three key technologies: “function-oriented screening,” “structural modification and activation,” and “fragment-controlled enzymatic cleavage,” based on the mechanisms by which carbohydrate molecules regulate cellular responses and tissue regeneration. These technologies have been successfully applied to the extraction and activation of polysaccharides derived from traditional Chinese medicine (e.g., Eucommia polysaccharides), animal sources (e.g., hyaluronic acid), and plant sources (e.g., konjac polysaccharides). The research outcomes have been translated into a diversified range of applications, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and personal care products, targeting areas such as wound healing, scar management, hair regeneration, and skin hydration.

Currently, traditional Chinese medicine products (e.g., Eucommia-based topical lotion) and medical device products (e.g., sulfated hyaluronic acid-based topical emulsion) have entered clinical trials at Grade III hospitals in Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces, with preparations underway for registration filings in Mainland China and Macau. Other product types have entered into collaborative agreements with China National Pharmaceutical Group Corporation (Sinopharm) for the development of new drugs. The entire project demonstrates significant clinical and commercial value.

Fig 1 Eucommia-based topical lotion samples for hospital formulation application and clinical trials

Fig 2 China National Biotech Group (CNBG) Project Progress Report Meeting (Left: Zhang Yuntao, Chief Scientist of Sinopharm Group, Chief Scientist and Vice President of China Biotech Group; Right: Prof. Chunming Wang, the principal investigator of this project).