Preparation of gelatin microparticles by co-lyophilization with poly(ethylene glycol): characterization and application to entrapment into biodegradable microspheres.

Gelatin microparticles were prepared by co-lyophilization with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as a protein micronization adjuvant. Aqueous solutions containing gelatin and PEG at various mixing ratios were freeze-dried. The lyophilizates were dispersed in methylene chloride and subjected to particle size analysis. The particle size decreased as the PEG/gelatin ratio increased. The microparticles isolated from the suspension had spherical microdomains with sizes ranging from 1 to 10 microm, which indicated that phase separation between PEG and gelatin during freezing was involved in the formation mechanism of gelatin microparticles. By using this technology, gelatin microparticles with an average size of less than 10 microm, with high purity of more than 90% and with good dispersibility could be obtained with high yield. The gelatin microparticles with average sizes from 5 to 20 microm were applied to encapsulation into biodegradable PLGA/PLA microspheres via a solid-in-oil-in-water emulsion process. The entrapment efficiency was highly dependent on the particle size and the size distribution, signifying that solid microparticles with an average diameter of less than 5 m and an maximal diameter of less than 10 microm would be required for effective encapsulation. These gelatin microparticles would be useful for studying and developing various drug delivery systems.