Modified-release dosage is a mechanism that delivers a drug with a delay after its administration or for a prolonged period of time, such as an extended-release, as opposed to an immediate-release dosage. Modified-release dosage are most commonly used in tablets and capsules to dissolve a drug over time in order to be released slower and steadier into the bloodstream while having the advantage of being taken at less frequent intervals than immediate-release (IR) formulations of the same drug. Delivery is usually effected by dissolution, degradation or disintegration of an excipient in which the active compound is formulated. Enteric coating and other encapsulation technologies can further modify release profiles.