Therapeutic treatment and prevention of infections with a bioactive materials encapsulated within a biodegradable-biocompatible polymeric matrix

DETAILED DESCRIPTION This invention relates to active core materials such as biologically active agent(s), drug(s), or substance(s) encapsulated within a biodegradable-biocompatable polymeric matrix.
In view of the enormous scope of this invention it will be presented herein as Phases I, II, and III.
Phase I illustrates the encapsulation of antibiotics within a biodegradable-biocompatable polymeric matrix for the prevention and treatment of wound infections.
Phase II illustrates the encapsulation of antigens (more specifically, oral-intestinal vaccine antigens) within a biodegradable-biocompatable polymeric matrix against diseases such as those caused by enteropathogenic organism.
Phase III illustrates the use of a biodegradable-biocompatible polymeric matrix for burst-free programmable sustained release of biologically active agents, inclusive of peptides, over a period of up to 100 days in an aqueous physiological environment.
Controlled drug delivery from a biodegradable-biocompatable matrix offers profound advantages over conventional drug/antigen dosing.
Drugs/antigens can be used more effectively and efficiently, less drug/antigen is required for optimal therapeutic effect and, in the case of drugs, toxic side effects can be significantly, reduced or essentially eliminated through drug targeting.
The stability of some drugs/antigens can be improved allowing for a longer shelf-life, and drugs/antigens with a short half-life can be protected within the matrix from destruction, thereby ensuring sustained release of active agent over time.
The benefit of a continuous sustained release of drug/antigen is beneficial because drug levels can be maintained within a constant therapeutic range and antigen can be presented either continuously or in a pulsatile mode as required to stimulate the optimal immune response.
All of this can be accomplished with a single dose of encapsulated drug/antigen.
This invention contemplates, but is not limited to, medically acceptable methods for the effective local delivery of biologically active agents that, of themselves, are directly (e