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The Center for Controlled Chemical Delivery (CCCD) was established at the University of Utah in 1986 as a State of Utah Centers of Excellence Program. CCCD is currently located in a 9,000 sq. ft. laboratory in the new Biomedical Polymers Research Building.

CCCD consists of faculty from the Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry as core members and selected outside researchers. As an extension of the Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, CCCD maintains a strong graduate training program and has attained a leading position in worldwide pharmaceutical, polymer and biomedical research. CCCD receives funding from the State of Utah, industry sponsored contracts, and grants from the National Institutes of Health. Through decades of research success, CCCD has gained a leading position in the field of biomedical polymer controlled drug delivery and blood contacting devices.

CCCD is well equipped with modern scientific instruments and facilities. A central research theme is the development and application of new and useful polymeric materials in medicine.

New biodegradable polymers, bioadhesive polymers, novel hydrogels, and drug targeting systems  are currently evaluated for oral drug delivery and as implantable, long term drug release systems.

Stimuli sensitive polymers are designed to respond to external conditions, such as temperature, pH, electric fields, and ultraviolet radiation. These polymers will present a new dimension to drug delivery systems as they can react to external or physiologically imposed signals to provide controlled and on-demand drug release.

Polymeric prodrugs and chemically modified drugs are being developed for specific organ targeting and/or long term delivery of therapeutic agents. Targetable drug delivery utilizes a specific targetable moiety e.g., peptide, sugar, and drug molecule, both chemically coupled to a soluble polymer backbone. The targeting moiety allows the delivery system to be aimed directly at a specific cell, tissue or organ. The advantage of such systems is delivery of drug directly to site of action, thereby decreasing dose required and associated side-effects.

The oral delivery of peptide drugs is an active research program at CCCD. By incorporating stabilizing compounds and carrier polymers, peptide drugs, especially insulin, can be orally administered, the benefit of the patient. In addition, investigations are underway on colonic delivery of peptides, based on the degradation of polymers by specific microbial enzymes, releasing proteins and macromolecules into the colon.

Design of polymeric gene carriers and delivery systems for cellular targeting of therapeutic genes. Other research activities have been established and maintained by long term NIH research support. These programs include insulin modification, islet encapsulation, osteoporosis targeting, and novel cardiovasculor therapies.