Work

Physicochemical Properties of Two Poly-L-Lactic Acid Injectable Implants: Potential Impact on Their Biological Properties

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate thermal properties and crystallinity of two poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) injectable implants, Sculptra® (PLLA-SCA) and GANA V® (PLLA-GA), and the extent to which these properties might impact their biological response. PLLA-SCA and PLLA-GA (800mg/sample) underwent differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray powder diffraction to evaluate their thermal properties and degree of crystallinity. X-ray powder diffraction spectra displayed a sharper, more intense peak for PLLA-GA than PLLA-SCA, with smaller peaks on either side of the main peak of PLLA-GA but not PLLA-SCA. Differential scanning calorimetry thermograms indicated three thermal events for both PLLA-SCA and PLLA-GA. For PLLA-SCA, the first two events occurred between 65°C and 90°C and the third event occurred at 165°C. For PLLA-GA all three events occurred between 156°C and 169°C. Heating samples to 120°C and cooling to room temperature prior to differential scanning calorimetry resulted in no thermal events being observed between 65–90°C with either product, while three events were observed with PLLA-GA and one event with PLLA-SCA between 156°C and 169°C. In conclusion, PLLA-SCA is more amorphous than PLLA-GA. The single melting point of PLLA-SCA contrasts with the broader spectrum of melting points for PLLA-GA suggests a more homogenous formulation of PLLA-SCA. This, and its less crystalline structure, result in the slower degradation rate and more sustained biological response of PLLA-SCA compared with PLLA-GA. The physiochemical properties of PLLAs affect the biological response in clinical practice and should be taken into consideration when selecting a PLLA treatment for aesthetic use.

Source: Cosmetics

DOI: 10.3390/cosmetics13010018