The invention provides a drug delivery vehicle for inhalation by a
patient. The drug delivery vehicle comprises biocompatible particles
between 0.1 and 1.0 microns in diameter, that are loaded with one or more
drugs and which are crosslinked together to form agglomerates. The
agglomerates can also provide for delivery of contrast-enhancing agents
for clinical imaging. The invention also provides methods of making the
inventive agglomerates, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the
agglomerates, and methods for delivering drugs or contrast-enhancing
agents to a patient by inhalation of pharmaceutical compositions
containing the agglomerates.