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A respiratory drug-delivery vehicle comprising drug-containing particles that are chemically crosslinked together to form agglomerates.

Although rapid entry of drugs into the bloodstream in respiratory delivery is advantageous, usually little drug is left in the lungs 2-3 hours after inhalation. This can be problematic, especially in cases in which it would be advantageous to slowly release the drug into the bloodstream over a period of time, or in cases where it is desired to have the drug remain in the lungs to act locally. To presently achieve slow release, repeated low-level dosing of the drug is required. There has been a lack of success in obtaining inhaled drug formulations that would increase drug residence time in the lung and control the release rate of the drug into the bloodstream.

 In lieu of the aforementioned problem, the present invention provides a novel therapeutic drug made up of agglomerates of chemically cross linked particles.

• Respiratory drug delivery.

• Respiratory drug delivery by inhalation is not invasive and is very convenient for the patient. 
• Respiratory delivery is suitable for drugs that cannot be delivered orally because many drugs are relatively stable in the lungs.
• The tremendous surface area available in the alveoli of the lung, close to 70 square meters per lung, through which the inhaled drug can enter the bloodstream. The result of this large surface area is rapid entry of the drugs into the bloodstream.
• Drug delivery via the pulmonary route also avoids first pass hepatic and renal effects, common to other modes of drug delivery, which remove the drugs from the body.