Poly l-lactic acid microparticles

In August 2004, the US Food and Drug Administration approved a Poly-l-lactic Acid (PLLA)-based injectable medical device for restoration and/or correction of the signs of facial fat loss (lipoatrophy) in people with human immunodeficiency virus.

As a result, the properties of the PLLA microparticles have received considerable interest from the medical community. Polylactides have a long-standing history of safe use in medical applications, such as pins, plates, screws, intra-bone and soft-tissue implants, and as vectors for sustained release of bioactive compounds.

The L-isomer of polylactic acid is a biodegradable, biocompatible, biologically inert, synthetic polymer. Putatively, PLLA microparticles initiate neocollagenesis as a result of a normal foreign-body reaction to their presence.

The build-up of collagen over time creates volume at the site of injection, while the PLLA microparticles are metabolized to carbon dioxide and water and expelled through the respiratory system.

Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) is the main ingredient in Reborn, a facial volume enhancer used for treating lipoatrophy of the cheeks.

PLLA is used to stimulate collagen synthesis in fibroblasts via foreign body reaction in the presence of macrophages. Macrophages act as a stimulant in secretion of cytokines and mediators such as TGF-β, which stimulate the fibroblast to secrete collagen into the surrounding tissue. Therefore, PLLA has potential applications in the dermatological studies.

Edit by Sharon