Medical devices, and in particular implantable medical devices, may be coated to minimize or substantially eliminate a
biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the
medical device to the
organism. The medical devices may be coated with any number of biocompatible materials. Therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may be mixed with the biocompatible materials and affixed to at least a portion of the
medical device. These therapeutic agents or compounds may also further reduce a
biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the
medical device to the
organism. In addition, these therapeutic drugs, agents and / or compounds may be utilized to promote healing, including the prevention of
thrombosis. The drugs, agents, and / or compounds may also be utilized to treat specific disorders, including
vulnerable plaque. Therapeutic agents may also be delivered to the region of a
disease site. In regional delivery, liquid formulations may be desirable to increase the
efficacy and deliverability of the particular
drug. Also, the devices may be modified to promote endothelialization. Various materials and
coating methodologies may be utilized to maintain the agents or compounds on the medical device until delivered and positioned. In addition, the devices utilized to deliver the implantable medical devices may be modified to reduce the potential for damaging the implantable medical device during deployment. Medical devices include stents, grafts, anastomotic devices, perivascular wraps, sutures and staples. In addition, various
polymer combinations may be utilized to control the
elution rates of the therapeutic drugs, agents and / or compounds from the implantable medical devices.