In vitro studies have been carried on semi-interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) beads of chitosanalanine as carrier for the controlled release of chlorpheniramine maleate (CPM) drug. A viscous solution of chitosanalanine was prepared in 2% acetic acid solution, extruded as droplets by a syringe to NaOH-methanol solution and crosslinked using glutaralclehyde as a crosslinker. The swelling behavior of crosslinked beads in different pH solutions was measured at different time intervals. The swelling behavior was observed to be dependent on pH and degree of crosslinking. The structural and morphological studies of beads were carried out by using a scanning electron microscope. The drug release experiments of different drug loading capacity beads were performed in solutions of pH 2 and pH 7.4 using CPM as a model drug. The concentration of the released drug was evaluated using UV spectrophotometer. The results suggest that chitosan-alanine crosslinked beads are suitable for controlled release of drug. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.