A hyaluronic acid derivative, and methods of producing and using said derivative, the derivative comprising n repeating units and having the general structural formula (I), wherein, in at least one repeating unit, one or more of R1, R2, R3, R4 comprises an etherbound aryl/alkyl sulfone having the general structural fomula (II), wherein R comprises an alkyl- or aryl-group, and otherwise R1, R2, R3, R4 are hydroxyl groups, OH.
