MEDICATED STENT HAVING MULTI-LAYER POLYMER COATING
This invention relates to stents having medicated multi-layer hybrid polymer coatings, useful for the treatment of stenosed vasculature or other body passages.
1 - 29 . (canceled)
30 . A method for making a medicated stent comprising:
applying a primer polymer liquid comprising one or more polymers in a volatile medium,
applying a drug reservoir polymer liquid comprising one or more polymers in a volatile medium, the one or more drug reservoir polymers being different from the one or more primer layer polymers, and
applying an active agent either together with or after applying the drug reservoir polymer liquid, and
removing the volatile media,
the layers being applied without forming coating bridges between struts of the stent, the layers remaining intact upon stent insertion and expansion at a therapeutic site of a subject, and releasing efficacious amounts of the active agent at the therapeutic site.
31 . The method of claim 30 , comprising applying more than one active agent.
32 . The method of claim 30 , comprising repeating one or more of the applying steps.
33 . The method of claim 30 , further comprising applying an intermediate flexibilizing polymer liquid comprising one or more polymers that differ from the one or more polymers of the primer layer and the drug reservoir layer.
34 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the volatile media have a boiling point greater than about 110 degrees C.
35 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the liquids have a viscosity between about 20 and about 70 cps.
36 . A method for making a medicated stent comprising applying a primer polymer layer and a drug reservoir layer comprising at least two polymers and one or more active agent(s), wherein the polymer compositions of the primer and drug reservoir are different, without forming coating bridges between struts of the stent, the coating remaining intact upon stent expansion, and releasing efficacious amounts of the active agent(s).
37 . A method for administering a bioactive agent to a target site in a subject, comprising:
implanting a stent at the target site of the subject, the stent comprising a coating having a primer layer and a drug release layer, the drug release layer comprising the bioactive agent, and the primer and drug release layers comprising different polymers,
expanding the stent, and
allowing the bioactive agent to elute from the coating during an extended period, the coating remaining intact during implanting, during stent expansion, and during the extended period.
38 . (canceled)