Next Generation Hydrogel with Only Natural Ingredients

Glycolink offers a novel class of hydrogel, free from synthetic components, easy-to-prepare, containing just two natural ingredients from sustainable sources and with no need for any chemical modification.

Natural hydrogel,Glycolink

Fully Bio-Based & Solvent-Free

Our natural hydrogel can be used in virtually any industrial application or R&D that needs a water-based matrix. The standard gel contains only two ingredients and can be engineered to contain functional bioactive compounds as needed. Using a proprietary approach to hydrogel formation developed at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, this new material is environmentally friendly and has an extremely small waste footprint.

What is unique about Glycolink?

Natural

The gel consists of bio-based components with no need for modification, making chemical cross-linkers and organic solvents redundant.

Tunable

The viscosity of the gel is tunable by simply changing the ratio of ingredients. Additional properties can also be added as desired, as other materials can be mixed into the gel.

Low cost

Bulk availability of ingredients and no need for expensive chemicals and temperature-specific production steps leads to a low cost manufacturing process.

Cruelty-Free

Ingredients derive from safe natural microorganisms, making our gel an ethical choice in contrast to formulations that use animal polysaccharides.

Easy to Prepare

The components simply mix in water at room temperature, and the gel forms spontaneously. The preparation is much easier than other gel forming processes.

Biodegradable

The ingredients are completely bio-based and found in nature. With no solvents or chemical modifications our hydrogel is also fully biodegradable.

Glycolink is committed to the well-being of animals and firmly believe that animal testing is unnecessary. Read more in our Animal Testing Policy.

What are hydrogels?

Hydrogels are a superabsorbent material created by long chains of molecules that form a network that can encapsulate huge amounts of water. Their use is widespread in society. We see them in moisturizing creams, cosmetic face masks, contact lenses, as absorbents in diapers, in toothpaste, and in hair gels. Hydrogels are also able to be embedded with useful properties for medicinal needs, as additional ingredients can be blended into the gel for later release onto the skin or into the body. It is common to have severe wounds treated with antibiotic-carrying hydrogels as it gives a perfect moist environment for the wound to heal while keeping infections away. Similarly, hydrogels can be loaded with pharmaceuticals to give a slow-release drug delivery to the patient. Hydrogels can even be combined with electronic interfaces to precisely monitor drug delivery, or to create advanced test strips to analyze small amounts of liquids. In the future, the use of hydrogels will also increase in tissue engineering for healthcare, lab grown meat, and 3D cell printing, as the gel can create a structure similar to human and animal tissue. Despite these great benefits, there is huge room for improvement in the current state of the art for hydrogel manufacture. Many hydrogels are produced from fossil-derived ingredients. Attempts have been made to create a more natural formulation from cellulose, animal mucus, or other polysaccharides found in nature that can be formed into a hydrogel. However, these ingredients often need to be chemically modified to allow them to cross-link into a gel structure. This decreases their biocompatibility and can expose the end user to chemicals, as well as generating waste during production. It also increases the cost and carbon footprint of production, as chemicals need to be handled in specific temperatures and at certain conditions.

Innovative, Amenable & Natural Hydrogel

Glycolink is offering an innovative and natural hydrogel developed at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology. By combining a novel protein that acts as a crosslinker and binds to certain polysaccharides, Glycolink can bring a 100% biocompatible and biodegradable hydrogel from renewable resources to the market. Our gel is built from polysaccharides, a class of biomolecule already abundant in food, medicine, and cosmetic products. We use a recombinantly produced protein to cross-link our polysaccharide. The spontaneous binding of our proteins and polysaccharides, which takes place in a water solution at room temperature, means that no chemical modifications are needed, reducing the cost of production. Our novel biomaterial possesses the same versatility and tunability as other hydrogels and is equally amenable to agitation while being completely non-toxic.

Meet the team

Martina Banyay, PhD, CEO

A seasoned biotech leader with a solid background in business development and strategic leadership. Passionate about guiding Glycolink as it scales operations, expands its business activities, and pioneers innovation in sustainable hydrogels. Holds a Ph.D. in Biophysics.
Glycolink Lauren McKee

Lauren McKee, PhD, CSO

Docent in Biotechnology and Researcher at KTH Division of Glycoscience. She focuses her research on many aspects of sustainable development, including environmental protection and efficient use of natural resources. Lauren holds a PhD in Biochemistry and is the founder of Glycolink.

Glycolink Isak Edvardsson

Isak Edvardsson, Business Development Assistant

A business developer with experience from several early-stage startups. Loves the challenge of commercializing scientific discoveries in the area of sustainability. Holds a degree in Business Administration and Financing from Lund University.

Glycolink Mohamad Takwa

Mohamad Takwa, PhD, Chairman of the Board

A serial biotech entrepreneur and strategist who has co-founded several successful start-ups such as Bioextrax, Epigenica, Thyrolytics, and Avsalt. Enjoys the transformation of early-stage technology from bench to market. Holds a PhD in Biotechnology and is a co-founder of Glycolink.

Don’t hesitate to get in contact with any of our team members if you wish to reach us!

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Teknikringen 1
100 44 Stockholm
Sweden

Glycolink is offering an innovative hydrogel based on a technology platform developed at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology. By combining a novel protein that acts as a crosslinker by binding to certain polysaccharides, Glycolink is creating a 100% biocompatible and biodegradable hydrogel from renewable resources.