Vascular grafts with amphiphilic block copolymer coatings
First Claim
1. A flexible vascular graft for connecting to a blood vessel, said vascular graft comprising a flexible wall that forms a passageway for blood flow through the vascular graft, a first drug layer at least partially coated on an inner surface of said flexible wall and an inner layer, said inner layer formed of a porous material designed to promote endothelialization, said first drug layer including at least one drug and a flexible and substantially biologically inert amphiphilic block copolymer, said amphiphilic block copolymer having a structure that controllably releases up to about 90 percent of at least one of said drugs into said inner layer within about thirty days of being connected to the blood vessel, said amphiphilic block copolymer including a network including both hydrophobic and hydrophilic polymer chains that can swell in both hydrophobic and hydrophilic solvents, said at least one drug formulated to inhibit stenosis, vascular narrowing, thrombosis or combinations thereof, and a barrier layer to inhibit release of at least one of said drugs from said first drug layer into said inner layer.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
One aspect of the invention relates to a graft, a surface of which is coated with an amphiphilic block copolymer that includes both hydrophobic and hydrophilic polymer chains. An amphiphilic block copolymer coating according to the invention can serve as a carrier for a very broad range of drugs, possibly including every drug presently used, being considered for use, or likely to be used in the future to inhibit stenosis. The release rates of the drugs can be controlled, for example, through the length of the polymer chains, through their ratio, or through the degree of cross-linking.
170 Citations
55 Claims
- 1. A flexible vascular graft for connecting to a blood vessel, said vascular graft comprising a flexible wall that forms a passageway for blood flow through the vascular graft, a first drug layer at least partially coated on an inner surface of said flexible wall and an inner layer, said inner layer formed of a porous material designed to promote endothelialization, said first drug layer including at least one drug and a flexible and substantially biologically inert amphiphilic block copolymer, said amphiphilic block copolymer having a structure that controllably releases up to about 90 percent of at least one of said drugs into said inner layer within about thirty days of being connected to the blood vessel, said amphiphilic block copolymer including a network including both hydrophobic and hydrophilic polymer chains that can swell in both hydrophobic and hydrophilic solvents, said at least one drug formulated to inhibit stenosis, vascular narrowing, thrombosis or combinations thereof, and a barrier layer to inhibit release of at least one of said drugs from said first drug layer into said inner layer.
- 19. A stent for insertion into a blood vessel, said stent comprising an expandable wall structure that forms a passageway for blood flow through the stent, a first drug layer at least partially coated on said expandable wall structure and an inner layer, said inner layer formed of a porous material designed to promote endothelialization, said first drug layer including at least one drug and a substantially biologically inert amphiphilic block copolymer, said amphiphilic block copolymer having a structure that controllably releases up to about 90 percent of at least one of said drugs into said inner layer within about thirty days of being inserted in the blood vessel, said amphiphilic block copolymer including a network including both hydrophobic and hydrophilic polymer chains that can swell in both hydrophobic and hydrophilic solvents, said amphiphilic block copolymer includes macromolecular mers of polyethylene glycol, poly(isobutylene), and poly(dimethylsiloxane), said at least one drug formulated to inhibit stenosis, vascular narrowing, thrombosis or combinations thereof.
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34. A method for repairing a blood vessel comprising:
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a. providing a graft for connection to or insertion into a blood vessel, said graft comprising a wall that forms a passageway for blood flow through the graft, a first drug layer at least partially coated on said wall and an inner layer, said inner layer formed of a porous material designed to promote endothelialization, said first drug layer including at least one drug and a flexible and substantially biologically inert amphiphilic block copolymer, said amphiphilic block copolymer including a network including both hydrophobic and hydrophilic polymer chains that can swell in both hydrophobic and hydrophilic solvents, said amphiphilic block copolymer includes macromolecular mers of polyethylene glycol, poly(isobutylene), and poly(dimethylsiloxane), said at least one drug formulated to inhibit stenosis, vascular narrowing, thrombosis or combinations thereof; b. connecting said graft to or inserting said graft in the blood vessel; and
,c. controllably releasing up to about 90 Percent of at least one of said drugs into said blood vessel within about thirty days of being connected to or inserted in the blood vessel. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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Specification