The invention provides a solution to the above mentioned problem in that it provides a
catheter balloon comprising a flexible
coating on its outer surface wherein a plurality of microparticles are contained wherein said
coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of poly(N-vinyl-pirrolidone, poly(N-vinyl-pirrolidone-co-butylacrylate), poly(-
vinyl pyridine), polyacrylamides, e.g. poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), poly(amido-amines), poly(
ethylene imine), poly(
ethylene oxide-block-
propylene oxide), poly(
ethylene oxide-block-
propylene oxide-block-
ethylene oxide), poly(
styrene-block-
isobutylene-block-
styrene), poly(hydroxystyrene-block-
isobutylene-block-hydroxystyrene), polydialkylsiloxanes, polysaccharides, polyacrylates and polyalkylmethacrylates, e.g. polymethylmethacrylate and poly(2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate) and wherein said microparticles comprise a material selected from the group consisting of polyesters, e.g. poly(
lactic acid), poly(lactic-co-glycol acid), poly(
glycolic acid), poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), poly(3-hydroxyvalerate), poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) and
polycaprolactone, polyamides, polysaccharides, polyurethanes, polyalkylmethacrylates and polyacrylates, e.g. polymethylmethacrylate and poly(2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate) and wherein the microparticles comprise a pharmaceutically
active compound.