Preclinical, clinical, and commercialization of chitosan in the biomedical space

The interest in chitin and chitosan for various polymeric applications, has grown substantially since the 1930s. Chitosan is a biopolymer and the most abundant after cellulose. The processing of chitosan via deacetylation from various sources of chitin possesses superior physicochemical properties, expanding chitosan applications in the biomedical space. To bridge preclinical findings with clinical and commercial use of chitosan, this review highlights various chitosan derivatives in relation to well-studied applications. We further elucidate implementations by modification strategy where we look at functionalization vs coupling highlighting approaches that currently dominate the market. We also extensively examine the industrial landscape and outline economic considerations of chitosan relevant to translation, while comparing chitosan platforms with non-chitosan alternatives to clarify where chitosan offers distinctive value. The review provides a comprehensive view of preclinical, clinical, and commercial use of chitosan, serving as a ready reference for researchers, clinicians, and industry stakeholders.