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London Cartilage Clinic · The TriCombo guide

The science behind Bioport TriCombo

Explore the three-ingredient formulation, physical cross-linking and published research on related combination injections, with the original Bioport brochure available to download.

Discuss my kneeExplore the documents ↓

At a glance

Designed around the joint’s lubricating environment

TriCombo brings together hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate and N-acetylglucosamine in a viscoelastic solution. The product’s rationale combines a mechanical aim—supplementing joint fluid—with ingredients associated with the cartilage environment.

Understanding those two aspects makes the science easier to follow. The formulation explains what is placed into the joint and how it is designed to behave. Research then explores outcomes such as changes in fluid properties, pain, function and movement. Here, the emphasis is on explaining the approach in terms that are useful when considering treatment.

Inside the formulation

A closer look at the three components

Each ingredient has a role in the combined formulation. Together, they underpin Bioport’s approach to joint-fluid supplementation and cartilage support.

01

Hyaluronic acid

Sodium hyaluronate

The foundation of the formulation’s joint-fluid approach, intended to support lubrication and the mechanical environment of the knee.

02

Chondroitin sulfate

Chondroitin sodium sulfate

Combined with hyaluronate to form the physically associated polymer network described by Bioport. It also contributes to the product’s cartilage-support rationale.

03

N-acetylglucosamine

NAG

An amino sugar included for its relationship to the molecules that form the cartilage and joint-fluid environment. It completes the three-component formulation.

01 · The science explained

Hyaluronic acid: the foundation of viscosupplementation

Hyaluronic acid, also called hyaluronan, is central to the concept of viscosupplementation. Within an injectable formulation, it contributes to the solution’s physical properties. These properties help explain why injection products can differ even when they share an ingredient name.

For patients, viscosity can be thought of as resistance to flow, while elasticity concerns the way a material responds to loading. A knee experiences changing loads during walking and other activity. Looking at both properties is therefore more informative than simply describing an injection as thick or thin.

How the combination is organised

HA

Hyaluronic acid

CS

Chondroitin sulfate

Physically associated network

The two polymers interact within the solution

Plus N-acetylglucosamine

The third ingredient in the formulation

Conceptual guide to the manufacturer’s formulation; not a molecular-scale diagram.

Chondroitin sulfate: part of the formulation’s structure

In TriCombo, chondroitin sulfate is included alongside hyaluronate rather than being presented as a separate oral supplement. Bioport describes physical association between the two polymers as an important part of the formulation.

That distinction matters when reading about the product. Research on a capsule, a different injectable mixture or an isolated ingredient answers different questions. Here, the relevant starting point is the combination delivered into the joint, followed by how that formulation behaves and the clinical context in which it is used.

03 · The science explained

N-acetylglucosamine: the third component

N-acetylglucosamine is an amino sugar, commonly abbreviated to NAG or GlcNAc. It forms part of the biological rationale for combining joint-fluid and cartilage-related ingredients in one formulation. It should not be confused with assuming that all products labelled glucosamine have the same composition or method of administration.

Bioport discusses cartilage-supporting processes in its ingredient explanation. These provide a rationale for the design; the practical goals discussed at consultation remain knee comfort, function and activity. Your clinician can connect that science to the problem identified in your own knee.

  1. 1N-acetylglucosamine
  2. 2Cartilage-related biology
  3. 3One combined formulation

04 · The science explained

Physical cross-linking and the gel network

Cross-linking describes interactions that help create a network within a material. Bioport describes TriCombo’s network as physically associated through interactions including hydrogen bonding, rather than chemical or irradiation cross-linking.

This design is intended to influence the stability and behaviour of the gel. It provides a useful explanation of why the three-component formulation is more than a list of ingredients. The original brochure includes the manufacturer’s technical account for readers who would like to explore the product chemistry in greater depth.

Knee rehabilitation with a physiotherapist
Treatment and rehabilitation considered together

05 · The science explained

Human research on a related combination formulation

A 2025 observational study examined Kombihylan, a formulation containing hyaluronate, chondroitin sulfate and N-acetylglucosamine, in 52 people with moderate knee osteoarthritis. It compared injection with and without an accompanying physiotherapy programme and examined joint-fluid properties over six weeks.

The study reported more favourable fluid viscosity and viscoelasticity with the combined approach. This is relevant research on lubrication and rehabilitation, rather than a direct measure of long-term symptom relief. Bioport’s own brochure mentions Kombihylan; the study is presented here under its published product name, without assuming that the marketed preparations are interchangeable.

  1. 152 participants
  2. 26-week follow-up
  3. 3Joint-fluid measurements

06 · The science explained

From formulation to your treatment plan

The scientific discussion becomes useful when it connects to a clinical goal. At LCC, that means looking at the diagnosis, the activities limited by the knee, previous treatment and the approach to rehabilitation after an injection.

If TriCombo is being considered, the consultation can explain why its joint-fluid approach fits the proposed plan and how the response will be reviewed. Use the brochure and research link to explore the background, then bring the questions that matter to your decision: what the treatment aims to improve, what the appointment involves and how progress will be assessed.

Professor Paul Lee in the clinic
Discuss your individual plan at LCC

Manufacturer formulation specifications

The formulation in numbers

Hyaluronic acid per syringe
36 mg
Chondroitin sulfate per syringe
67.5 mg
N-acetylglucosamine per syringe
67.5 mg
Stated average molecular weight
3 MDa
Source: Bioport TriCombo brochure, page 2 ↗

Published research · 2025

Joint-fluid properties after a combination injection and physiotherapy

This observational study examined Kombihylan in 52 people with moderate knee osteoarthritis. It provides a closer look at the role of a three-component formulation alongside rehabilitation, with measurements of synovial-fluid behaviour over six weeks.

Published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. The study’s formulation contains the same three ingredient types discussed here; it is identified by its own product name.

Read the complete research paper ↗

Read the original documents

Explore the TriCombo product brochure

Take a closer look at the formulation and product information before your consultation.

Bioport TriCombo product brochure — original document cover

Manufacturer information · 8 pages

Bioport TriCombo product brochure

Explore the three ingredients, the formulation and its intended use in the original eight-page Bioport product brochure.

Download PDF ↓
consulting-in-office-with-pen

Your TriCombo questions, answered

What does viscoelastic mean?

It describes a material with both fluid-like and elastic properties. In a joint injection, those properties are relevant to how the solution behaves as the knee moves and bears load.

What is physical cross-linking?

It refers to interactions that help hold a molecular network together. Bioport describes physical association between hyaluronate and chondroitin sulfate in TriCombo, rather than chemical or irradiation cross-linking.

Why does the research mention Kombihylan?

The published study uses that product name, which also appears in Bioport’s brochure. We identify the study product explicitly; confirmation of equivalence between marketed preparations requires product documentation.

What did the 2025 study measure?

It investigated synovial-fluid rheology—its flow and elastic behaviour—after injection, with and without physiotherapy. It provides information about the joint-fluid environment and the combined approach.

Where can I read the full product explanation?

The original eight-page Bioport brochure is linked below, with information on the ingredients, formulation, intended use and manufacturer treatment schedule.

Still have more specific concerns?

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