The present invention is directed to a process of preparing beads coated with a water soluble drug for incorporation into a pharmaceutical composition comprising: (a) preparing a supersaturated drug solution containing a desired amount of drug, which is completely saturated at a first temperature but which is supersaturated at a second temperature which is below the first temperature and (b) coating inert beads with the drug solution, said drug solution being maintained at or below the first temperature but above the second temperature, and said beads maintained at a second temperature, wherein the second temperature is less than the first temperature and wherein the solution containing the drug is supersaturated at the second temperature, as well as to the pharmaceutical compositions containing same.