Composite material and process for increasing bioavailability and activity of a beneficial agent

A composite material suitable for external and/or internal association with a living body and for rapid release of a beneficial agent, comprising:

• particles consisting essentially of a core component and at least one beneficial agent;
• the core component having a surface area greater than approximately 10 M2/gm, wherein the core component is a stoichiometrically stable material, said core component is an inorganic material selected from the group consisting of noble metals, metal oxides, metal nitrides, metal carbides, metal phosphates, metal carbonates, metal sulfates, metal halides, carbonaceous materials, ceramic materials, zeolites, SiO2 and mixtures thereof;
• the beneficial agent is adsorbed on at least a portion of the surface of the core component;
• wherein the core component is fabricated from a material having a hardness greater than the hardness of the beneficial agent adsorbed thereon;
• and
• wherein the core component serves to increase the effective surface area of the beneficial agent relative to a beneficial agent unassociated with a core component, and, in turn, to increase bioavailability of the beneficial agent.

A process for fabricating a composite material for rapid release of a beneficial agent, comprising the steps of:

• providing particles consisting essentially of a core component and at least one beneficial agent wherein the core component has a hardness and a surface area greater than approximately 10 M2/gm, and wherein the core component is a stoichiometrically stable material, wherein said core component is an inorganic material selected from the group consisting of noble metals, metal oxides, metal nitrides, metal carbides, metal phosphates, metal carbonates, metal sulfates, metal halides, carbonaceous materials, ceramic materials, zeolites, SiO2 and mixtures thereof;
• the beneficial agent has a hardness less than the hardness of the core component to, in turn increase bioavailability of the beneficial agent;
• and
• adsorbing the beneficial agent on at least a portion of the surface of the core component.