ABSTRACT
Microencapsulation technology has been used from 1930s in packaging flavors and vitamins. Since the first commercial product was introduced for the carbonless copying paper, the technology has advanced to a new level. In developing a new microparticle system for a given drug, it is important to understand the physicochemical properties of the drug and find an encapsulation method and polymeric materials that best match the properties. This chapter introduces some of the recent advances in the microencapsulation technology as well as current applications of the technology. The ultimate goal of microparticle systems in the controlled drug delivery is to achieve readily tunable release profiles, which has been pursued in various perspectives. The microencapsulation technology, which started as a way of encapsulating dyes and flavors, has now become one of the most intriguing fields in the area of controlled drug delivery systems. The microencapsulation technology will remain as one of the most important areas in drug delivery and various other applications..
