Analyzing the Growing Utility of Collagen in Drug Delivery and Tissue Engineering Applications

Key takeaways:

• Introduction
• Recent research on drug delivery and tissue engineering
• M&A deals in the collagen industry

Collagen is an important protein responsible for maintaining the integrity of connective tissues in the human body, including skin, bones, joints, etc. Moreover, this insoluble, fibrous enzyme is the main component of the extracellular matrix of several tissues in the body such as cartilage, tendons, and muscles. One of the most abundantly found proteins, it also forms a prominent part of blood vessels and the digestive system in humans. While collagen is naturally produced in the body through the synthesis of amino acids like proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline, the demand for external supplements has also increased significantly.

The overall surge in awareness regarding the importance of health and well-being has contributed to the growth of the collagen industry. Additionally, in the post-pandemic period, people have become more conscious about their diets and lifestyle, thus improving the consumption of immunity-boosting, nutrition-enhancing supplements. Moreover, collagen is also widely used in other end-use industries such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics manufacturing, food and beverages, etc. These factors have further expanded the scope of the sector in the past few years.

Increasing focus on advanced drug delivery systems improving the demand for collagen

Collagen, apart from providing structural support to tissues, performs certain vital functions, including immune response, cellular communication, and cellular migration. In the past few years, research in medical studies has shown that collagen can be used to develop antimicrobial biomaterials for several engineering applications. A paper in the National Library of Medicine and PubMed Central® says this micronutrient has properties that make it useful for many medical applications.

The high biocompatibility, hydrophilicity, and excellent biodegradability offered by collagen have increased its utility as a new medium for drug discovery processes. Furthermore, advancements in medical sciences have led to the development of collagen nanoparticles, which are being used for molecular detection and targeted drug delivery. The primary benefit of these nanoparticles is that they improve the drug’s half-life, thus enhancing its efficacy in the long run. Moreover, the sustained drug release mechanism offered by collagen particles has made them a preferred choice for various biomedical processes such as cell patterning, DNA structure probing, specific site imaging, and biosensing. Along with this, collagen’s low antigenicity and its high cell-binding ability have increased its applicability in tissue engineering tasks. Several researchers have even started using advanced additive manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing to develop recombinant collagen materials for therapeutic purposes.

Strategic alliances among key players fueling industry growth and success

The growing investments by leading biomedical and pharmaceutical companies in collagen products are expected to help the industry amass a sum of $14.4 billion by 2033. The market accounted for $5.9 billion in 2023 and is projected to rise at a CAGR of 9.5% during 2024-2033. The strategic alliances between major players to expand their operations globally are projected to improve the revenue share of the sector significantly. For instance, in May 2024, HTL Biotechnology, a leading developer of pharmaceutical-grade polymers, announced that it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire Modern Meadow, a biomaterials manufacturing company. As part of the deal, HTL Biotechnology has gained access to Modern Meadow’s human recombinant collagen platform, designed especially for biomedical applications. The collagen type III (rhCOL3) protein developed by Modern Meadow has been widely used by cosmetics and pharmaceutical businesses in the US and Europe. Thus, this acquisition is anticipated to help HTL Biotechnology to increase its footprint around the world in the coming period.

Similarly, in November 2024, RTI Surgical, a leading healthcare company, announced the acquisition of Collagen Solutions, a key medical-grade collagen manufacturer. Over the last few years, RTI Surgicals has been one of the pioneers in the field of allograft and xenograft biomaterials design and has developed high-quality regenerative drugs for sports medicine and orthopedic applications. As per the press release issued by RTI Surgical, the acquisition of Collagen Solutions is predicted to help the company expand its product portfolio in the coming period and address the demands of its customer base comprehensively.

In essence, the rise of the collagen industry is due to the growing applicability of this unique protein in biomedical, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage industries. Moreover, recent studies and advancements in medical sciences have increased the utility of collagen in drug delivery systems and tissue engineering applications.

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