Controlled release delivery system for bio-active agents

1. A controlled release delivery system comprising a bio-active compound and a matrix carrier, wherein said matrix carrier is an amorphous microporous non-fibrous silicon or titanium oxide that is non-erodible, being loaded with said bio-active compound, said controlled release delivery system having been prepared by first synthesizing said amorphous micro-porous non-fibrous oxide matrix carrier, in the absence of a bio-active compound, said synthesis optionally comprising a calcination step, and then loading said bioactive agent into said matrix carrier, wherein the matrix carrier has a BET surface area of at least 150 m2/g and at most 1,000 m2/g, wherein the matrix carrier has a monomodal micropore size distribution, a micropore volume of at least 0.10 cm3/g and at most 0.52 cm3/g, wherein the micropores of said matrix carrier have a mean size in the range of 0.4 to 2.0 nm, wherein an 80% release of said bio-active compound into an aqueous fluid at a pH between 1.0 and 8.0 is not obtained before a period of time ranging from 2 hours to about 150 hours, and wherein the release of the first 80% of the bioactive compound occurs linearly with the square root of time.

2. The controlled release delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein at least 50% of said bio-active compound is molecularly dispersed in the pores of said matrix carrier.

3. The controlled release delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein said bio-active compound amounts to 1 to 30% by weight of the delivery system.

4. The controlled release delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein at least 50% of said bio-active compound is molecularly dispersed in the pores of said matrix carrier, and wherein said bio-active compound amounts to 1 to 30% by weight of the delivery system.

5. The controlled release delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein said delivery system is for oral administration and wherein an 80% release of said bio-active compound in an aqueous fluid at a pH between 1.0 and 8.0 is not obtained before a period of time ranging from 2 hours to 12 hours.

6. The controlled release delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein it comprises the matrix carrier in a nano-particulate form or in a micro-particulate form.

7. The controlled release delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein the molecular size of the active compound is not higher than the mean size of the micropores of said matrix carrier.

8. The controlled release delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein the matrix carrier has a BET surface area from 150 to 750 m 2 /g.

9. The controlled release delivery system according to claim 1 , being in the form of a tablet or capsule for oral administration.

10. A controlled release delivery system comprising a bio-active compound and a matrix carrier, wherein said matrix carrier is a non-erodible amorphous microporous non-fibrous silicon or titanium oxide, wherein said matrix carrier comprises said bio-active compound, and wherein the micropores of said matrix carrier have a mean size in the range of 0.4 to 2.0 nm, wherein the matrix carrier has a BET surface area of at least 150 m 2 /g or at most 1,000 m 2 /g, a micropore volume of at least 0.10 cm 3 /g and at most 0.52 cm 3 /g, wherein the matrix carrier has a monomodal pore size distribution and, wherein an 80% release of said bio-active compound into an aqueous fluid at a pH between 1.0 and 8.0 is not obtained before a period of time ranging from 2 hours to about 150 hours.

11. The controlled release delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein the micropores of said matrix carrier have a mean size in the range of 0.5 to 1.2 nm.

12. The controlled release delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein the matrix carrier has a micropore volume of at least 0.10 cm 3 /g and at most 0.22 cm 3 /g and a BET surface area from 250 to 450 m 2 /g.

13. The controlled release delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein said bio-active compound amounts to 3 to 20% by weight of the delivery system.

14. The controlled release delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein an 80% release of said bio-active compound into an aqueous fluid at a pH between 1.0 and 8.0 is not obtained before a period of time ranging from 2 hours to 12 hours.

15. The controlled release delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein an 80% release of said bio-active compound into an aqueous fluid at a pH between 1.0 and 8.0 is not obtained before a period of time ranging from 2 hours to 8 hours.

16. The controlled release delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein the non-erodible amorphous microporous non-fibrous silicon or titanium oxide is prepared by acidic low temperature polymerization of the respective alkoxides in the presence of a water-soluble alcohol followed by drying and calcination below 300° C.

17. The controlled release delivery system according to claim 16 , wherein the water/alkoxide molar ratio is in the range from 1 to 7, the acid/alkoxide ratio is in the range from 0.05 to 2.5 and the solvent/alkoxide ratio is in the range of 0 to 10.