Taste-masked microcapsule compositions and methods of manufacture

A method for masking the taste of a drug, comprising:

• (a) forming a mixture including (i) the drug;
• (ii) a first polymeric material effective to microencapsulate the drug, (iii) a second polymeric material for promoting phase separation of the first polymeric material from the solvent, and (iv) a nonpolar organic solvent at a first temperature so that the first and second polymeric materials are dissolved in the solvent;
• (b) cooling the mixture for a time period, at a cooling rate and to a second temperature lower than said first temperature so as to form microcapsules of the drug in the first polymeric material, thereby forming a dispersion of microencapsulated drug;
• (c) removing the solvent and second polymeric material from the 20 dispersion, to provide isolated taste-masked microcapsules;
• and
• (d) drying the microcapsules;
• wherein the relative amounts of drug and first polymeric material in step (a) are such that the microcapsules contain approximately 30 wt. % to 65 wt. % first polymeric material and said microcapsules are effective to provide targeted release of the drug.

A method for masking the taste of a drug, comprising:

• (a) forming a mixture including (i) the drug and (ii) a first polymeric material effective to microencapsulate the drug, and (iii) a nonpolar organic first solvent at a first temperature so that the first and second polymeric materials are dissolved in the solvent;
• (b) cooling the mixture for a time period, at a cooling rate to a second temperature lower than said first temperature so as to form microcapsules of the drug in the first polymeric material, thereby forming a dispersion of microencapsulated drug;
• (c) removing the solvent from the dispersion, to provide isolated taste-masked microcapsules;
• and
• (d) drying the microcapsules;
• wherein the relative amounts of drug and first polymeric material in step (a) are such that the microcapsules contain approximately 30 wt. % to 65 wt. % first polymeric material and said microcapsules are effective to provide targeted release of the drug.