Abstract: The present invention generally relates to foams and particles made from such foams, for applications such as drug delivery. The foams or particles may comprise a pharmaceutically acceptable polymeric carrier. In some cases, the foams may include colloidal particulates. A first aspect of the present invention is generally related to polymer-based foams or particles containing pharmaceutically active agents. In some cases, the foam or particle may contain smaller colloidal particulates therein. Such colloidal particulates may be used, for example, to limit the amount of material within certain regions of the foam, or exclude pharmaceutically active agents from being located within certain portions of the foam, which may useful for enhancing release of pharmaceutically active agents from the foam. In some cases, the colloidal particulates may cause the foam or particle to have an unexpectedly high specific surface area.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to foams and, in particular, to foams for applications such as drug delivery, and particles that are made from such foams. One aspect relates to foams or particles containing pharmaceutically active agents. The foam may comprise a pharmaceutically acceptable polymeric carrier. In some cases, the foam or particle has an unexpectedly high specific surface area. A high specific surface area may, in some cases, facilitate delivery or release of the pharmaceutically active agent when the foam or particles made from the foam (e.g., by milling) are administered to a subject. The foam may also exhibit a relatively high loading of the pharmaceutically active agent. In some cases, the foam may be a microcellular foam. In one set of embodiments, the foam is created using a supercritical fluid, such as supercritical C02.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to particles for drug delivery and other applications. In one aspect, the present invention relates to a technique for reacting precursor compounds in the presence of a pharmaceutically-active agent to form product (e.g., in the form of particles) in which the agent is substantially contained within the product, and the product is soluble within typical gastric fluid of a mammal. In another aspect, the present invention is generally directed to particles comprising an inorganic pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, such as CaCO3, and an agent. In some cases, at least some of the agent contained within the particles is fluidically inaccessible from externally of the particle. For instance, the agent may be present in isolated domains within the particle. In another aspect, the present invention is generally directed to methods of creating particles.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for using particle templating, e.g., to produce composites, discrete particles, or the like. In some embodiments, the present invention generally relates to the production of particles using the interstitial spaces between templating elements in a template structure. For example, a plurality of templating elements, which can include colloidal particles, may be arranged to form a template structure. The interstices of the templating elements can provide regions in which a fluid may be introduced. The fluid may be hardened (e.g., solidified) in some cases, e.g., to form a composite comprising the templating elements and the interstitial segments. In certain embodiments, the template structure may then be broken down to release the hardened fluid, e.g., as a plurality of discrete particles.