Lubrium chemical

Technology

Lubrium™ is a synthetic polymer that mimics a natural lubricating protein called lubricin or proteoglycan-4

Bottle Brush

The "Bottle Brush", a better lubricant

Lubrium™ ‘s in vitro friction coefficient is lower than lubricin, our natural joint lubricant, hence potentially more efficient.

Bottle Brush Adhesive block

Surface adhesive block (at both ends)

Bottle Brush Repulsive block

Surface repulsive block

Potential reduction of articular wear

An intra-articular injection of Lubrium™ alone or in combination with hyaluronic acid, could help in reducing articular wear.

Injection

Potential advantages of Lubrium™

Compared to lubricin

  • Greater efficacy
  • Longer duration of action / longer half-life

Compared to hyaluronic acid

  • Could help patients with more advanced disease
  • Longer duration of action
  • Cartilage protection
  • Analgesic effect

Manufacturing

  • Terminal sterilization possible
  • Lower cost of goods

Preliminary results

  • Reduced abrasion of polymeric surfaces in the presence of the Lubrium™ polymer.
  • The friction coefficient of the Lubrium™ polymer is lower than that of Lubricin (natural joint lubricant).
  • The Lubrium™ polymer is highly stable in solution and in synovial fluid.
  • Protection of joint wear by the combination of hyaluronic acid and the Lubrium™ polymer.

Example of an osteoarthritis rat model

In a model of cross-section of the cruciate ligament of the knee with meniscus displacement, the cartilage lesion is manifested by a rapid and localized loss of cartilage elasticity (dark blue area).

With the combination of Lubrium™ and hyaluronic acid, the loss of elasticity can be significantly reduced.

Our results show that hyaluronic acid alone does not possess this protective property of cartilage, which is also the case in humans.

Example of an osteoarthritis rat model
Reference
Pham, D. A., Wang, C.-S., Sguy, L., Zhang, H., Benbabaali, S., Faivre, J., Sim, S., Xie, G., Olszewski, M., Rabanel, J.-M., Moldovan, F., Matyjaszewski, K., & Banquy, X. (2024). Bioinspired bottlebrush polymers effectively alleviate frictional damage both in vitro and in vivo. Advanced Materials, 36(24), Article 2401689. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202401689.

Partnerships

We are looking for partners to help us develop Lubrium™ for its different potential indications and markets.

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