Hydrogel templates for the fabrication of homogeneous polymer microparticles

Nano/microparticulate drug delivery systems with homogeneous size distribution and predefined shape are important in understanding the influence of the geometry and dimensions of these systems on blood circulation times and cellular uptake. We present a general method using water dissolvable hydrogel templates for the fabrication of homogeneous, shape-specific polymer/drug constructs in the size range of 200 nm to 50 μm. This hydrogel template strategy is mild, inexpensive, and readily scalable for the fabrication of multifunctional drug delivery vehicles.