Abstract: An appropriately designed controlled release drug delivery system can be a major advance towards solving problems concerning the targeting of a drug to a specific organ or tissue and controlling the rate of drug delivery to the target sites. The development of oral controlled release systems has been a challenge to formulation scientists due to their inability to restrain and localize the system at targeted areas of the gastrointestinal tract. Matrix type drug delivery systems are an interesting and promising option when developing an oral controlled release system. This review focuses on the progress made in the design of controlled release dosage forms employing various types of matrices as carriers for the active ingredients.