From Waste to Treasure: Therapeutic Horizons of Polyhydroxyalkanoates in Modern Medicine

TL;DR

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), biodegradable materials made from waste, show promise in modern medicine for tissue repair and drug delivery.

Contribution

This paper highlights the growing biomedical applications of PHAs and their potential to address unmet medical needs through sustainable innovation.

Findings

PHAs offer biocompatible and tunable properties suitable for tissue engineering and drug delivery.

PHAs are environmentally sustainable across their entire lifecycle, from production to disposal.

Current clinical evaluations suggest PHAs have translational potential in modern healthcare.

Abstract

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a family of biodegradable polyesters produced through microbial fermentation of carbon-rich residues, are emerging as attractive alternatives to petroleum-based plastics. Their appeal lies in their exceptional biocompatibility, inherent biodegradability, and tunable physicochemical properties across diverse applications. These materials are environmentally friendly not just at the end of their life, but throughout their entire production–use–disposal cycle. This mini-review presents an update on the expanding biomedical relevance of PHAs, with emphasis on their utility in tissue engineering and drug delivery platforms. In addition, current clinical evaluations and regulatory frameworks are briefly discussed, underscoring the translational potential of PHAs in meeting unmet medical needs. As the healthcare sector advances toward environmentally responsible and patient-focused innovations, PHAs exemplify the convergence of waste valorization and biomedical progress, transforming discarded resources into functional materials for repair, regeneration, and healing.

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