Composites Based on Hyaluronic Acid and Inorganic Materials for Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Applications

Benefiting from the synergy between hyaluronic acid (HA) and inorganic components, advanced composites provide a platform for the development of new drug delivery materials. Many advanced properties of such composites are attributed to the biocompatibility of HA and its ability to be recognized by CD44+ cells through receptor-mediated mechanisms. The latter is ideal for cancer targeting, biosensing, and imaging. HA can also form interfaces between organic and inorganic components in the bone, whereas HA is able to govern bone mineralization. Therefore, in this chapter, the fabrication of organic-inorganic composites for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications utilizing metals, ceramics, clays, glasses, and cements is described.