Drug Database
CO

collagenase (Plaquase / Nucleolysin / lipolysin)

✓ Approved

Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. · therapeutic agent

What is collagenase?

collagenase is a therapeutic agent developed by Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc.. It is approved for therapeutic indications via injectable (others) or topical.

Drug Profile

Brand NamesPlaquase, Nucleolysin, lipolysin
CompanyJohnson & Johnson Services, Inc.
RouteInjectable (Others), Topical
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc.

Therapeutic Indications

collagenase is developed for 10 unique indications across 7 therapeutic areas.

Therapeutic AreaConditionPhase
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disordersDecubitus ulcer✓ Approved
Injury, poisoning and procedural complicationsThermal burn✓ Approved
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disordersDiabetic foot✓ Approved
Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disordersDupuytren's contracture✓ Approved
Eye disordersGlaucoma✓ Approved

+5 more indications available with a free account

Sign up free to view all indications →

Related Research Articles

PubMedPhytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology2026-07-17

Tetramethylpyrazine inhibits neuronal ferroptosis after intracerebral hemorrhage by regulating ferritinophagy.

Wu Yige Y, Wei Congmin C, Yang Yunqi Y, Yang Yi Y et al.

Emerging evidence suggests that ferroptosis, triggered by iron overload, plays a significant role in the resultant brain damage following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) is an alkylpyrazine bicyclic heterocyclic compound and a potent volatile aroma compound found in fermented foods, vinegar, cocoa, and traditional Chinese medicine. It has been extensively employed in the management of ICH; however, its precise mechanism of action remains to be elucidated. Current work aims to clarify the effects of TMP on neuronal ferritinophagy and ferroptosis in ICH. Collagenase VII was used to perform stereotactic injections into the brain of C57BL/6 mice to establish an ICH model. The therapeutic efficacy of TMP in mice with ICH was assessed using behavioral tests and hemorrhage volume measurement. The effect of TMP on neuronal ferroptosis and ferritinophagy following ICH was examined using in vivo and in vitro models. TMP significantly enhanced neurological functions and reduced hemorrhagic volume following ICH. It downregulated ferritinophagy markers, including nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4) and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3), while upregulating Sequestosome-1 (P62) and ferritin levels. Concurrently, TMP decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and increased the expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and ferroptosis suppressor protein 1 (FSP1), indicating a potent anti-ferroptotic effect. TMP protects neurons against ferroptosis after ICH by inhibiting NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy, an effect associated with activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway. These findings identify the natural product TMP as a promising candidate for ICH therapy and reveal novel mechanistic insights into the autophagy-ferroptosis axis.

PMID 42462531
Read full article →
PubMedInternational immunopharmacology2026-07-17

GALNT6-mediated O-glycosylation on PTGS2 regulates microglia inflammation and ferroptosis following intracerebral hemorrhage.

Han Chong C, Hou Xiaohong X, Zhang Fuan F, Wang Peirui P et al.

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a common type of stroke characterized by high mortality and disability rates. Polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyl transferase-6 (GALNT6), which can catalyze the O-GalNAc glycosylation, is related to the development of various diseases. Nevertheless, the action of GALNT6 on ICH pathogenesis remains elusive. Hence, this study clarified the role of GALNT6 in ICH pathogenesis and investigated the possible underlying mechanism. The in vivo ICH model was created using collagenase in mice. BV2 microglial cells were subjected to oxygen and glucose deprivation combined with hemin (OGD/H) to create the in vitro ICH model. Neurological dysfunctions were evaluated using the neurological deficit score and the Morris water maze test. CD86, CD206, and Iba1 expression and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in ICH model mice were measured by immunofluorescence and dihydroethidium staining, respectively. Cell viability was tested utilizing the Cell Counting Kit-8 method. The CD86+CD11b+, CD206 +CD11b+, and lipid ROS levels were assessed using flow cytometry. The secretion levels of inflammation-related factors were measured utilizing the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The binding of GALNT6 to PTGS2 was determined using the co-immunoprecipitation analysis. The O-GalNAc glycosylation of PTGS2 was defined utilizing the lectin pull-down assay. The binding of HIF-1α to the Galnt6 promoter was measured using ChIP-PCR and reporter gene assays. GALNT6 was elevated in ICH mice, and Galnt6 knockdown attenuated spatial memory impairment, inflammation, oxidative stress, and ferroptosis in mice with ICH. Besides, Galnt6 knockdown inhibited OGD/H-induced inflammation and ferroptosis in BV2 microglial cells, while its overexpression induced M1 polarization and inflammation in BV2 microglial cells via ferroptosis. Furthermore, GALNT6 induced O-GalNAc glycosylation of PTGS2, and Galnt6 knockdown inhibited OGD/H-induced M1 polarization, inflammation, and ferroptosis in BV2 microglial cells via PTGS2 inhibition. Moreover, HIF-1α could bind to the Galnt6 promoter and promote Galnt6 transcription. The HIF-1α-GALNT6-PTGS2 axis regulated BV2 microglial polarization, inflammation, and ferroptosis. Together, Galnt6 was transcriptionally regulated by HIF-1α and presented high expression in ICH. GALNT6 induced O-GalNAc glycosylation on PTGS2, and Galnt6 knockdown inhibited inflammation and ferroptosis in ICH via PTGS2 inhibition. Therefore, GALNT6 is a potential target for ICH management.

PMID 42462477
Read full article →
PubMedBMC surgery2026-07-16

Efficacy and safety of low-temperature plasma ablation combined with collagenase in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation.

Li Deng-Hui DH, Wu Gao-Feng GF, Huang Ze-Yu ZY, Zhang Zhong-Hua ZH

Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a common cause of radicular pain and disability. Evidence regarding the incremental effectiveness of combining plasma-based intradiscal decompression with collagenase chemonucleolysis remains limited. This single-center retrospective cohort study included consecutive hospitalized adults with imaging-confirmed LDH treated between July 2021 and July 2025. Patients underwent low-temperature plasma ablation alone (control group, n = 108) or plasma ablation plus intradiscal collagenase (observation group, n = 116). The primary outcomes were longitudinal Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores assessed at baseline, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. Linear mixed-effects models evaluated treatment group, time, and group × time interactions after adjustment for clinical and imaging covariates. Secondary outcomes included clinically meaningful improvement, symptomatic imaging-confirmed recurrence, reintervention, perioperative characteristics, and complications. Propensity score matching and sensitivity analyses were performed. VAS and ODI scores decreased over time in both groups (both time effects, P < 0.001), with significant group × time interactions for VAS (P = 0.002) and ODI (P = 0.006). At 6 months, the adjusted mean differences favored the observation group for VAS (- 0.54; 95% CI, - 0.81 to - 0.27) and ODI (- 5.10% points; 95% CI, - 7.47 to - 2.73). Six-month VAS responder rates were 91.2% and 96.3% (RR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.98-1.13), while ODI responder rates were 83.2% and 91.6% (RR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.99-1.22), respectively. Recurrence and reintervention were numerically less frequent in the observation group, but confidence intervals were wide and crossed 1. Overall complications occurred in 11.1% and 7.8% of patients, respectively (RR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.31-1.59). Plasma ablation combined with intradiscal collagenase was associated with modestly lower VAS and ODI scores over 6 months than plasma ablation alone. Differences in clinically meaningful response rates were not statistically significant, and low event numbers precluded firm conclusions regarding recurrence, reintervention, or comparative safety.

PMID 42458375
Read full article →
PubMedTzu chi medical journal2026-07-15

Protective effect of blemish balm cream containing flesh of Salak Pondoh (Salacca zalacca [Gaert.] Voss) fruit extract against ultraviolet B-induced photoaging.

Widowati Wahyu W, Dani Dani D, Vera Vera V, Zahiroh Fadhilah Haifa FH

Ultraviolet (UV) light, particularly ultraviolet B (UVB), is a major external factor that accelerates skin aging by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS), which damage skin cells and biological molecules. The flesh of snake fruit (Salacca zalacca) contains compounds that may help neutralize ROS and protect the skin from premature aging. This research investigates the protective effects of a Blemish Balm (BB) cream formulated with S. zalacca fruit extract against UVB-induced photoaging. S. zalacca flesh extract (SFE) was formulated with various ingredients, resulting in the BB cream containing SFE (BBSFE). Antioxidant and antiaging in vitro assays were measured by H2O2 scavenging, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), collagenase, and tyrosinase inhibition activities on SFE and BBSFE. Male mice (Mus musculus L.) were used as a UVB-induced photoaging model by shaving the dorsal skin and exposing it to UVB irradiation twice daily for 14 days, except for the negative control. The treated mice were smeared with BBSFE once and twice daily for 14 days. Hematoxylin-eosin staining is used to detect collagen fiber damage and inflammation. An immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay was used to analyze the p53, MMP-2, MMP-13, and COL4A1 protein expression. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay was used to analyze the transforming growth factor-β1 (Tgf-β1), interleukin (Il)10, and Il18 gene expression. BBSFE shows strong antioxidant and antiaging effects by inhibiting FRAP, H2O2, collagenase, and tyrosinase. It enhances collagen levels, reduces skin inflammation, downregulates p53, MMP-2, MMP-13, and Il18, and upregulates COL4A1, Tgf-β1, and Il10 in mice skin. BBSFE has potential as an antiaging agent in vitro and in vivo studies.

PMID 42453519
Read full article →
PubMedNutrients2026-07-15

Comparative Bioassay-Guided Fractionation of Citrus Species: Phytochemical Characterization and Nanoformulation of a Polyphenol-Rich Leaf Fraction from Citrus aurantifolia for Skin Anti-Aging Applications.

Swilam Noha N, Nematallah Khaled A KA, Albohy Amgad A, Badawi Noha M NM et al.

Skin aging is driven by oxidative stress and ultraviolet (UV) exposure, leading to extracellular matrix degradation and loss of skin elasticity. This study aimed to identify the most biologically active Citrus species using a bioassay-guided approach and evaluate its potential for dermal applications. Hydroalcohol extracts and ethyl acetate fractions of Citrus sinensis, Citrus aurantifolia, and Citrus reticulata leaves were screened for antioxidant, enzyme-inhibitory, and polyphenol content. The most active fraction was characterized by UPLC-PDA and LC-MS/MS, formulated into Span-based nanovesicles, and evaluated for physicochemical properties and drug release. Biological activity was assessed using an in vitro scratch wound-healing assay on human dermal fibroblasts and a UVA-induced photoaging mouse model, supported by molecular dynamics simulations. The ethyl acetate fraction of C. aurantifolia (CAE) exhibited the highest biological activity among the tested samples. This fraction showed potent antioxidant activity (DPPH IC50 = 3.53 ± 0.05 µg/mL), marked inhibition of elastase (91.3%), collagenase (92.0%), and tyrosinase (80.2%), and a high total flavonoid content (110.49 mg rutin equivalents/g). Phytochemical profiling of CAE tentatively identified fourteen compounds, predominantly flavonoids, with hesperidin (30.4 mg/g) as a major constituent. The optimized nanovesicles (184 ± 0.9 nm, PDI 0.10, EE% 75.0%) enabled sustained hesperidin release. CAE and CAEnp enhanced fibroblast migration and accelerated wound closure at 24 h (p < 0.05). In vivo, CAEnp improved UVA-induced histopathological alterations and modulated oxidative stress-related markers by reducing p62/SQSTM1 by 28.7%, Keap1 expression to 21% compared with the CAE-treated group, and enhancing Nrf2, ARE, and NQO1 expression by 54.1%, 28.3%, and 57%, respectively. Molecular dynamics simulations supported stable hesperidin binding to elastase and suggested possible modulation of collagenase flexibility. The polyphenol-rich leaf fraction from C. aurantifolia, identified through comparative bioassay-guided fractionation, demonstrated antioxidant, enzyme-inhibitory, wound-healing, and photoprotective effects, particularly after nanoformulation. These findings support its potential for further development as a natural topical anti-aging candidate.

PMID 42451133
Read full article →
PubMedChemistry & biodiversity2026-07-15

Tissue-Specific Phytochemical Profiling and Bioactivity of Ricinus communis L. Under Varying Agronomic Conditions.

Guzel Yunus Y, Basbag Sema S, Tarhan Abbas A, Yener Ismail I

Natural bioactive compounds have emerged as essential candidates for pharmaceutical development due to their high efficacy and low toxicity. Hence, this study was designed to evaluate how varying sowing dates and nitrogen treatments influence the phytochemical profile and biological activity of Ricinus communis L. Quantitative LC-MS/MS profiling of the aerial parts established quinic acid (94.789 mg/g), ellagic acid (39.955 mg/g), and gallic acid (35.732 mg/g) as the major phenolic-flavonoid compounds in the extract. The extracts exhibited strong antioxidant potential, with determined values of 37.35 ± 0.32 µg/mL (DPPH IC50), 13.05 ± 0.08 µg/mL (ABTS IC50), and 30.93 ± 0.56 µg/mL (CUPRAC A0.5). Enzymatic assays revealed tissue-specific inhibition, with the aerial parts targeting urease (66.44% ± 0.67%) and collagenase (47.61% ± 0.82%), and the seeds predominantly affecting α-glucosidase (97.12% ± 1.69%) and AChE (55.37% ± 0.89%). In conclusion, this study bridges agronomy and pharmacology by demonstrating that sowing dates and nitrogen treatments determine phytochemical yield. Furthermore, it reveals a novel, tissue-specific divergence, as the aerial parts and seeds of R. communis target completely distinct enzymatic pathways.

PMID 42455647
Read full article →

+9996 more articles available with a free account

Sign up free to view all articles →

Ask about collagenase