A water-soluble and/or water-swellable hybrid polymer comprising: (i) from 5 wt.-% to 95 wt.-% water-soluble and/or water-swellable polysaccharide polymer selected from the group consisting of xanthan gum, carrageenan, guar gum, chitosan, alginate and combinations thereof; (ii) from 5 wt.-% to 95 wt.-% synthetic polymer comprising up to 100 mol-% repeating units according to Formula (1a): wherein components (i) and (ii) are polymerized by radical precipitation polymerization in a polar solvent.