Development of two-drug eluting stent

Kumar Vedantham, Purdue University

Abstract

The success of drug eluting stents (DESs) has been challenged by recent reports published on recurrence of thrombosis after the implantation of DESs. The response to injury post stenting leading to recruitment and stabilization of platelets has posed a severe threat to using DESs. Many reports published earlier indicate a lack of a complete endothelial layer formation post-stenting as a precursor to thrombosis. Various approaches have been attempted to prevent thrombosis, including delivering biological agents (e.g., estradiol) that promote endothelialization and use of natural polymers as drug carriers. The drawback of these methods has been inability to release the biological agent in synchronization with the foreign body response in vivo. The natural healing process of the endothelium after an injury starts to occur after a week and may take up to a period of month in humans to complete. The challenge in developing an anti thrombogenic stent has been to sustain the release of drug over this period of time. Previous approaches have focused on modifying the polymeric carrier to achieve this sustained drug release. A significant knowledge gap exists in understanding the physico-chemical properties of the drug and its interaction with the polymer in developing formulation for DES. The present work involves in developing a DES with combination of drugs that can release both antiproliferative agent (Paclitaxel (PTX)) and endothelializing agent (Probucol (PB)) from the same polyurethane (PU) matrix in a sustained manner. Paclitaxel is an anti proliferative agent that inhibits restenosis, used in commercially available drug eluting stent. Probucol (PB), a highly lipophilic drug, has been shown to promote endothelialization.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Park, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Biomedical engineering

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