Method of incorporating proteins or peptides into a matrix and administration thereof through mucosa

A method of protecting and delivering a protein or peptide selected from the group consisting of insulin, glucagons, calcitonin, atrial naturetic peptide, muramyl dipeptides, secretin, cholecystokinin, thyrotrophin releasing hormone, thymopentin, adrenocorticotripic hormone, growth hormone releasing factor, enkephalin, oxytocin, vasopressin and luteinizing hormone releasing hormone said composition being to a mammal, said method comprising;

• (a) providing in a pressure vessel an intimate mixture of said protein or peptide with particles of a matrix material selected from the group consisting of chitosan, algin, saturated polyglycolysed glyceride, glycerol palmitostearate, saturated C12 to C22 fatty acid esters of polyalcohol, glyceryl and polyethylene glycol behenate, polyethylene oxide, and ammonium glycyrrhizinate;
• (b) contacting a compressed solvent, which is normally gaseous at ambient temperature and pressure, with said matrix material and said protein or peptide in the pressure vessel under conditions effective to permit sorption of at least a portion of said protein or peptide and said compressed solvent into said matrix material;
• (c) separating said solvent from said matrix material, thereby entrapping the protein or peptide in the matrix;
• and
• (d) delivering said protein or peptide to a mammal by placing said matrix infused with a protein or peptide adjacent to or in the vicinity of a mucosal membrane of a mammal.