Thorn BioScience LLC is focused on controlled release animal pharmaceuticals through two delivery systems developed with Southern Research Institute (SRI) and Southern BioSystems (SBS).

 The delivery system utilizes sucrose acetate isobutyrate (SAIB), a fully esterified sucrose molecule which is a highly viscous, resin-like material in pure form. The addition of small amounts of organic solvents to SAIB greatly reduces its viscosity to an injectable consistency for drug delivery.

Once injected, the organic solvent dissipates into the tissues leaving behind a SAIB/ drug delivery matrix which releases drug by diffusion. SAIB has been used to deliver actives for periods of up to one month.

It is degraded by enzymatic hydrolysis into sucrose and its aliphatic acids. In addition, SAIB has bio-adhesive qualities which have been utilized to deliver therapeutics topically and to deliver antigens on mucosal surfaces.

Current areas of research in product development by TBS using SAIB include ovulation induction products, vaccines, and antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and peptide delivery.