Method for delivering an active ingredient by controlled time release utilizing a novel delivery vehicle which can be prepared by a process utilizing the active ingredient as a porogen

A process for preparing a time-release delivery vehicle useful for delivering an active ingredient by controlled release, comprising the steps of:

• dissolving at least one monomer in an inert porogen to form a solution;
• suspending the solution in a phase incompatible with the solution;
• agitating the solution and the phase to form a plurality of droplets of the solution suspended in the phase;
• activating at least one monomer in the plurality of droplets to polymerize at least one monomer and form a porous bead having a network of pores with the porogen held within the network of pores, said network of pores being substantially non-collapsible upon removal of the porogen;
• separating the porous polymeric bead from the phase;
• removing any impurity from the porous polymeric bead;
• and
• retaining the porogen within the network of pores as the active ingredient to form the delivery vehicle.

A method for delivering an active ingredient by controlled time release, comprising the steps of:

• mixing a delivery vehicle with a medium to form a mixture, said delivery vehicle comprising a porous polymeric bead having a network of pores with the active ingredient held within the network of pores said network of pores being substantially non-collapsible upon removal of the active ingredient;
• applying the mixture to a surface;
• and
• releasing the active ingredient from the network of pores.

A process for preparing a time-release delivery vehicle useful for delivering an active ingredient by controlled time-release, comprising the steps of:

• dissolving styrene and divinylbenzene in an inert porogen to form a solution;
• suspending the solution in a phase incompatible with the solution;
• agitating a plurality of the solution and the phase to form droplets of the solution suspended in the phase;
• activating styrene and divinylbenzene in the plurality of droplets to copolymerize the styrene and divinylbenzene and form at least one porous polymeric bead of styrene divinylbenzene having a network of pores with the porogen held within the network of pores, said network of pores being substantially non-collapsible upon removal of the porogen;
• separating the porous polymeric bead from the phase;
• removing any impurity from the porous polymeric bead;
• and
• retaining the porogen within the network of pores as the active ingredient to form the time-release delivery vehicle.

A method for delivering an active ingredient by controlled time release;

• comprising the steps of:
• mixing a delivery vehicle with a medium to form a mixture, said delivery vehicle comprising a porous polymeric bead of styrene divinylbenzene having a network of pores with the active ingredient held within the network of pores, said network of pores being substantially non-collapsible upon removal of the active ingredient;
• applying the mixture to a surface;
• and
• releasing the active ingredient from the network of pores.

A process for preparing a time-release delivery vehicle useful for delivering an active ingredient by controlled time-release, comprising the steps of:

• dissolving at least one monomer in an inert porogen to form a solution;
• suspending the solution in a phase incompatible with the solution;
• agitating the solution and the phase to form a plurality of droplets of the solution suspended in the phase;
• activating at least one monomer in the plurality of droplets to polymerize at least one monomer and form a porous bead having a network of pores with the porogen held within the network of pores;
• separating the porous polymeric bead from the phase;
• removing any impurity from the porous polymeric bead;
• and
• retaining the porogen within the network of pores as the active ingredient to form the delivery vehicle, said delivery vehicle having a calculated cross-linking density and an active ingredient concentration such that substantially all of the active ingredient will be released from the network of pores when the bead is placed in a solvent in which the active ingredient is soluble for a sufficient length of time to wet the bead.