Patent ID: 6569458
Filing Date: 2003-05-27
Classification: A61K

Abstract:
A process for making porous particles of biologically active molecules from particles having a diameter of approximately 10 to 90 micrometers comprising:providing a solution of biologically active molecules selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, nucleotides, inorganic compounds, synthetic organic molecules, polypeptides, and lipids, in a solvent that can be removed by lyophilization; atomizing the solution into a liquified gas selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, argon, and oxygen in a vessel to produce frozen particles containing biologically active molecules in combination with the solvent; removing the gas from the vessel containing the frozen particles; removing the solvent from the particles by lyophilization to produce porous particles having a diameter of between approximately 10 and 90 microns, suspending the porous particles in a non-solvent for the biologically active molecules, and fragmenting by exposure to dispersive energy with continuous cooling the suspension of particles until particles having diameters of approximately 0.1 to 10 micrometers and containing at least 70% of their original biological activity are produced.