Functionalized hyaluronic acid or a derivative thereof having the formula wherein R 1, R 2, R 3, R 4 are, independently of one another, H, SO 3 -, an acyl group derived from a carboxylic acid of the aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic series, -CO-(CH 2) 2 -COOY, where Y is a negative charge or H, and R is Z or Z, and R 5 is -CO-CH3, H, SO 3 -, an acyl group derived from a carboxylic acid of the aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic series, an acyl group of acid hyaluronic acid, where Z is a moiety of formula: wherein Z 1 is -NR 6 CH 2 -, and R 6 is H or an aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic group, substituted or non-substituted, Z 2 is -OH, or -NHCOCH 3, Z 3 is H, monosaccharide, disaccharide, or oligosaccharide, or Z is a moiety of formula: wherein Z 4is -NR 6 CH-, and R 6 is H or an aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic group, substituted or non-substituted, Z 5 and Z 6 are, independently of each other, H, monosaccharide, disaccharide, or oligosaccharide, or R 5 is Z or Z, and R is NR 6 R 7, or an alcoholic group of the aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic series, OH, O -, an alcoholic group of hyaluronic acid, an amino group of hyaluronic acid, and R 6, R 7 are, independently of each other, H or an aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic group, substituted or non-substituted, where Z is a moiety of formula: wherein Z 1 is -CH 2 - or -CO-, Z 2 is -OH, or -NHCOCH 3, Z 3 is H, monosaccharide, disaccharide, or oligosaccharide, or Z is a moiety of formula: wherein Z 4 is -CH-, Z 5 and Z 6 are, independently of each other, H, monosaccharide, disaccharide, or oligosaccharide, or R is Z or Z, and R 5 is Z or Z. R 1, R 2, R 3, R 4 are, independently of one another, H, SO 3 -, an acyl group derived from a carboxylic acid of the aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic series, -CO-(CH 2) 2 -COOY, where Y is a negative charge or H, and R is Z or Z, and R 5 is -CO-CH3, H, SO 3 -, an acyl group derived from a carboxylic acid of the aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic series, an acyl group of acid hyaluronic acid, where Z is a moiety of formula: wherein Z 1 is -NR 6 CH 2 -, and R 6 is H or an aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic group, substituted or non-substituted, Z 2 is -OH, or -NHCOCH 3, Z 3 is H, monosaccharide, disaccharide, or oligosaccharide, or Z is a moiety of formula: wherein Z 4is -NR 6 CH-, and R 6 is H or an aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic group, substituted or non-substituted, Z 5 and Z 6 are, independently of each other, H, monosaccharide, disaccharide, or oligosaccharide, or where Z is a moiety of formula: wherein Z 1 is -NR 6 CH 2 -, and R 6 is H or an aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic group, substituted or non-substituted, Z 2 is -OH, or -NHCOCH 3, Z 3 is H, monosaccharide, disaccharide, or oligosaccharide, wherein Z 1 is -NR 6 CH 2 -, and R 6 is H or an aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic group, substituted or non-substituted, Z 2 is -OH, or -NHCOCH 3, Z 3 is H, monosaccharide, disaccharide, or oligosaccharide, or Z is a moiety of formula: wherein Z 4is -NR 6 CH-, and R 6 is H or an aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic group, substituted or non-substituted, Z 5 and Z 6 are, independently of each other, H, monosaccharide, disaccharide, or oligosaccharide, wherein Z 4is -NR 6 CH-, and R 6 is H or an aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic group, substituted or non-substituted, Z 5 and Z 6 are, independently of each other, H, monosaccharide, disaccharide, or oligosaccharide, R 5 is Z or Z, and R is NR 6 R 7, or an alcoholic group of the aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic series, OH, O -, an alcoholic group of hyaluronic acid, an amino group of hyaluronic acid, and R 6, R 7 are, independently of each other, H or an aliphatic, aromatic, arylaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic group, substituted or non-substituted, where Z is a moiety of formula: wherein Z 1 is -CH 2 - or -CO-, Z 2 is -OH, or -NHCOCH 3, Z 3 is H, monosaccharide, disaccharide, or oligosaccharide, or Z is a moiety of formula: wherein Z 4 is -CH-, Z 5 and Z 6 are, independently of each other, H, monosaccharide, disaccharide, or oligosaccharide, or where Z is a moiety of formula: wherein Z 1 is -CH 2 - or -CO-, Z 2 is -OH, or -NHCOCH 3, Z 3 is H, monosaccharide, disaccharide, or oligosaccharide, wherein Z 1 is -CH 2 - or -CO-, Z 2 is -OH, or -NHCOCH 3, Z 3 is H, monosaccharide, disaccharide, or oligosaccharide, or Z is a moiety of formula: wherein Z 4 is -CH-, Z 5 and Z 6 are, independently of each other, H, monosaccharide, disaccharide, or oligosaccharide, wherein Z 4 is -CH-, Z 5 and Z 6 are, independently of each other, H, monosaccharide, disaccharide, or oligosaccharide, R is Z or Z, and R 5 is Z or Z.