Patent ID: 8367427

Claim:
A method of processing microparticles comprising: providing a composition comprising a plurality of solid microparticles and at least one non-volatile material; providing a non-solvent comprising an aqueous solution containing at least one free multivalent cation; exposing the composition to the non-solvent to form a mixture containing one or more liquid phases and the solid microparticles; and removing at least a portion of the one or more liquid phases while retaining at least the microparticles, thereby removing at least a portion of the non-volatile material from the composition, wherein the non-volatile material is more soluble in the non-solvent than are the microparticles, wherein the non-volatile material comprises a non-ionic aqueous-soluble polymer or a non-ionic aqueous-miscible polymer, wherein the solid microparticles comprise at least one bioactive macromolecule that is an antibody, wherein the activity of the bioactive macromolecule remains substantially the same before and after the exposing and removing steps, and wherein the solid microparticles have a diameter of less than 1 mm.