Sustained release systems of ascorbic acid phosphate

1. A method of making a controlled release composition of ascorbic acid phosphate, comprising the steps of:

drying ascorbic acid phosphate at a temperature of no greater than about 160° C. for about 30 min; and,

melt blending the dried ascorbic acid phosphate with an absorbable aliphatic polyester polymer at a temperature of no greater than about 160° C. to form an ascorbic acid phosphate and polymer composition.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising the additional step of processing the ascorbic acid and polymer composition into a desired form at a temperature of no greater than about 160° C.

3. The method of claim 1 where the composition comprises ascorbic acid in the amount of about 0.5 wt % to about 20 wt % of the composition.

4. The method of claim 1 where the composition comprises ascorbic acid in the amount of about 2 wt % to about 10 wt % of the composition.

5. The method of claim 1 where the absorbable aliphatic polyester polymer is a homopolymer or copolymer prepared from monomers selected from the group consisting of lactide, glycolide, epsilon-caprolactone, dioxanone, and trimethylene carbonate.

6. The method of claim 1 where the absorbable aliphatic polyester polymer is a copolymer prepared from epsilon-caprolactone and glycolide.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the composition is formed into a medical device selected from the group consisting of fibers, rods, screws, staples, suture anchors, films and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the absorbable polymer and the ascorbic acid phosphate are melt blended for about 5 minutes to about 30 minutes.

9. The method of claim 1 , additionally comprising the step of combining the composition with at least one bioactive agent.

10. The method of claim 1 , additionally comprising the step of combining the composition with viable tissue.

11. The method of claim 1 , additionally comprising the step of combining the composition with cells.