Composite systems have been prepared, combining the drug up-take and release properties of MCM-41 silica sub-micron spheres with those of a bioactive glass-ceramic macroporous scaffold belonging to the SiO2-CaO-K2O (SCK) system (potentially able to promote successful osteointegration in tissue engineering). The systems are prepared by dipping the glass-ceramic scaffold into the MCM-41 synthesis solution. To this purpose, the pH of the MCM-41 synthesis solution has been lowered with respect to the usual literature procedure to minimize the detrimental effects of the impregnation treatment on glass-ceramic scaffolds that were observed in a previous work by the author. MCM41-SCK composite scaffolds have been characterized by means of XRD, N-2 adsorption, thermogravimetry and Scanning Electron Microscopy (coupled with EDS analysis). The adsorption capacity toward ibuprofen, tested as model drug, is three times higher than that of the MCM-41-free scaffold, because of the presence of the ordered mesoporous silica. Also the release behaviour in SBF at 37 degrees C is strongly affected by the presence of MCM-41 inside the scaffold macropores. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.