Dry glassy composition comprising a bioactive material

A method for preparing a dry glassy composition without boiling or foaming, said method comprising:

• (a) combining a bioactive material, a matrix forming agent and two glass forming agents in an aqueous solvent to form a viscous slurry;
• (b) snap-freezing the slurry in liquid nitrogen to form solid frozen particles in a form of beads, droplets or strings;
• (c) primary drying the frozen particles by evaporation, under vacuum, and at a temperature above the freezing point of the frozen particles, wherein the pressure is greater than 2,000 mTORR, wherein the temperature of the particles is greater than −10° C., whereby a primarily dried formulation is formed;
• and
• (d) secondary drying the primarily dried formulation at full vacuum and a temperature of 20° C. or higher for a time sufficient to reduce the water activity of the primarily dried formulation to Aw −0.3 or lower, whereby the dry glassy composition is prepared.