Sustained release particle formulations

1. A method comprising:

mixing a hydrophilic active ingredient, a hydrophobic matrix material, a stabilizer, and a release modifier at a temperature sufficient to melt the hydrophobic matrix thereby forming a particle mixture;

fabricating particles from the particle mixture, wherein the particles have a particle diameter from about 50 μm to about 300 μm, and wherein the stabilizer is disposed within the hydrophobic matrix material of the particles;

allowing the particles to cool to room temperature; and

subsequently heating the particles to a temperature that is slightly below the melting temperature of the component of the particle having the lowest melting temperature, wherein the subsequent heating step reduces the occurrence of pores on the surface of the particle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic matrix, active ingredient, and the release modifier are mixed followed by addition of the stabilizer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the release modifier and the stabilizer are mixed followed by addition of the active ingredient and hydrophobic matrix.

4. A method comprising:

melting together a hydrophilic active ingredient, a hydrophobic matrix comprising a hydrophobic wax material or a lipid material, and one or more of a release modifier and a stabilizer added to the hydrophobic matrix to form a particle mixture comprising 20 to about 60 weight % of the hydrophilic active agent, 40 to about 80 weight % of the hydrophobic wax material, about 0.5 to about 10 weight % of release modifier when present, and about 0.5 to about 10 weight % of stabilizer when present; wherein the hydrophilic active ingredient is dispersed in the hydrophobic matrix;

fabricating particles from the particle mixture to have a mean particle diameter from about 50 μm to about 300 μm;

allowing the particles to cool to room temperature; and

subsequently heating the particles to a temperature that is slightly below the melting temperature of a component of the particle having the lowest melting temperature, wherein the component includes the hydrophilic active ingredient, the hydrophobic matrix, the stabilizer when present and the release modifier when present, and wherein the subsequent heating step reduces the occurrence of pores on the surface of the particle.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the hydrophobic matrix, active ingredient, and the release modifier are melted together followed by addition of the stabilizer.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the release modifier and the stabilizer are melted together followed by addition of the active ingredient and hydrophobic matrix.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the active ingredient has a melting point at or below about 250° C.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the hydrophobic matrix comprises a hydrophobic wax material.

9. The method of claim 4 , further comprising allowing the particles to cool and applying an additional layer or coating to the particles.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein the release modifier and the stabilizer are melted together and the hydrophobic matrix and the active ingredient are then added.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the release modifier is selected from the group consisting of stearic acid, sodium stearate, magnesium stearate, glyceryl monostearate, cremophor (castor oil), oleic acid, sodium oleate, lauric acid, sodium laurate, myristic acid, sodium myristate, vegetable oils, coconut oil, mono-, di-, tri-glycerides, stearyl alcohol, span 20, span 80, and polyethylene glycol (PEG).

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the release modifier is stearic acid.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose phthalate, methyl cellulose, chitin, chitosan, pectin, polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polyvinyl acetate, EVA resins, acetate phthalate, polyanhydrides. polyvinylalcohols, and silicone elastomers.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the stabilizer is ethyl cellulose.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein the hydrophobic matrix comprises a wax selected from the group consisting of ceresine wax, beeswax, ozokerite, microcrystalline wax, candelilla wax, montan wax, carnauba wax, paraffin wax, cauassu wax, Japan wax, and Shellac wax.

16. The method of claim 8 wherein the hydrophobic wax material is carnauba wax.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the release modifier is added, and wherein the release modifier is stearic acid.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the stabilizer is added, and wherein the stabilizer is ethyl cellulose.

19. The method of claim 4 wherein the particles fabricated have a mean particle diameter of from about 50 μm to about 300 μm, and wherein the particle diameter size distribution has a standard deviation no more than 25% from the mean particle diameter.

20. The method of claim 4 wherein the particles fabricated have a mean particle diameter of from about 150 μm to about 250 μm, and wherein the particle diameter size distribution has a standard deviation no more than 25% from the mean particle diameter.

21. The method of claim 4 wherein the particles fabricated have a mean particle diameter of from about 50 μm to about 300 μm, and wherein the particle diameter size distribution has a standard deviation no more than 10% from the mean particle diameter.

22. The method of claim 4 wherein the particles fabricated have a mean particle diameter of from about 150 μm to about 250 μm, and wherein the particle diameter size distribution has a standard deviation no more than 10% from the mean particle diameter.

23. The method of claim 4 , wherein the hydrophobic matrix comprises a lipid material chosen from one or more of glycerol fatty acid esters, triacylglycerols, tripalmitin, tristearin, glyceryl trilaurate, coconut oil, hydrogenated fats, ceramides, and organic esters.

24. The method of claim 4 , wherein the temperature at which the particles are subsequently heated is 65° C.

25. The method of claim 4 , wherein the temperature at which the particles are subsequently heated is 60° C.

26. The method of claim 4 , wherein the temperature at which the particles are subsequently heated is slightly lower than the melting temperature of the hydrophobic matrix.

27. The method of claim 4 , wherein the subsequent heating step is performed 6 to 24 hours after the fabrication step.

28. The method of claim 4 , wherein the subsequent heating step is performed for a period of 1 hour.

29. The method of claim 4 , wherein the subsequent heating step is performed for a period of 3 hours.