NANOPARTICLE FABRICATION METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND MATERIALS

1 .- 223 . (canceled)

224 . A pharmaceutical composition, comprising:

a plurality of particles in a liquid solution wherein each particle of the plurality comprises:

a pharmaceutically or therapeutically active agent, wherein said agent is present throughout the particle;

wherein each particle of the plurality has a substantially uniform three-dimensional engineered shape having parallel lateral surfaces and parallel top and bottom surfaces in cross-section, wherein;

the size of each particle of the plurality is less than about 100 micrometers in a broadest dimension; and

further comprising a predetermined negative zeta potential in solution.

225 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 224 , further comprising a biocompatible material selected from the group consisting of a poly(ethylene glycol), a poly(lactic acid), a poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid), a lactose, a phosphatidylcholine, a polylactide, a polyglycolide, a hydroxypropylcellulose, a wax, a polyester, a polyanhydride, a polyamide, a phosphorous-based polymer, a poly(cyanoacrylate), a polyurethane, a polyorthoester, a polydihydropyran, a polyacetal, a biodegradable polymer, a polypeptide, a hydrogel, a carbohydrate, and combinations thereof.

226 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 224 , wherein each of said particles further comprises a diagnostic agent, or a linker.

227 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 224 , wherein the therapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of a biologic, a ligand, an oligopeptide, an enzyme, DNA, an oligonucleotide, RNA, siRNA, a cancer treatment, a viral treatment, a bacterial treatment, an auto-immune treatment, a fungal treatment, a psychotherapeutic agent, a cardiovascular drug, a blood modifier, a gastrointestinal drug, a respiratory drug, an antiarthritic drug, a diabetes drug, an anticonvulsant, a bone metabolism regulator, a multiple sclerosis drug, a hormone, a urinary tract agent, an immunosuppressant, an ophthalmic product, a vaccine, a sedative, a sexual dysfunction therapy, an anesthetic, a migraine drug, an infertility agent, a weight control product, and combinations thereof.

228 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 226 , wherein the diagnostic agent is selected from the group consisting of an imaging agent, an x-ray agent, an MRI agent, an ultrasound agent, a nuclear agent, a radiotracer, a radiopharmaceutical, an isotope, a contrast agent, a fluorescent tag, a radiolabeled tag, and combinations thereof.

229 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 224 , wherein the shape of each of said particles is selected from the group consisting of substantially rod shaped and a rod less than 200 nm in diameter.

230 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 226 , wherein the linker is selected from the group consisting of sulfides, amines, carboxylic acids, acid chlorides, alcohols, alkenes, alkyl halides, isocyanates, imidazoles, halides, azides, N-hydroxysuccimidyl (NHS) ester groups, acetylenes, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DPTA) and combinations thereof.

231 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 224 , each of said particles has a uniform mass.

232 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 224 , wherein the plurality of particles is monodisperse.

233 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 232 , wherein the plurality of particles is monodisperse in size, shape, or surface area.

234 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 224 , wherein the plurality of particles has a normalized size distribution of between 0.80 and 1.20.

235 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 224 , wherein the plurality of particles has a normalized size distribution of between 0.90 and 1.10.

236 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 224 , wherein the plurality of particles has a normalized size distribution of between 0.95 and 1.05.

237 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 224 , wherein the plurality of particles is monodisperse in surface area, volume, mass, three dimensional shape, or a broadest linear dimension.

238 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 224 , wherein each of said particles has a broadest dimension of less than 50 μm.

239 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 224 , wherein each of said particles has a broadest dimension of between 1 nm and 10 micron.

240 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 224 , wherein each of said particles has a broadest dimension of between 5 nm and 1 micron.

241 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 224 , wherein each of said particles is coated with a coating.

242 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 241 , wherein the coating includes a sugar.

243 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 224 , wherein each of said particles has a ratio of surface area to volume greater than that of a sphere.