Biodegradable Drug-Eluting Polymer Coating for Medical Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drug-eluting polymers for medical devices are pre-manufactured with specific drugs, limiting flexibility for medical professionals to choose the most appropriate drug for patients and adjust drug elution rates for effective treatment durations.
Innovation Solution
A liquid, polymerizable mixture of biodegradable macromonomers that can be applied to medical device surfaces and polymerized in situ, allowing for customization with different bioactive agents and enabling flexible drug elution rates and treatment durations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If pre-manufactured drug-eluting polymers are used, then the device structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the flexibility to choose and adjust drugs is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention separates the polymer matrix from the drug component, allowing the polymer to be a simple biodegradable material while the drug can be customized independently. The polymer serves as a delivery vehicle that can be loaded with different drugs and adjusted for different elution rates without redesigning the entire device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The biodegradable polymer matrix serves multiple functions: it provides structural support for the medical device, acts as a reservoir for various bioactive agents, controls drug elution through its degradation rate, and eliminates the need for removal surgery. This universal platform can accommodate different drugs and applications while maintaining a consistent base structure.
2Reliability
If non-biodegradable polymers are used, then the polymer provides long-term structural support, but it creates a permanent surface for bacterial colonization after drug elution
Solution Approach 1:
The biodegradable polymer is designed to fulfill its structural and drug delivery functions, then gradually degrade and disappear from the body. Once the drug delivery is complete and structural support is no longer needed, the polymer automatically discards itself through biodegradation, eliminating the permanent foreign surface that would attract bacterial colonization.
Solution Approach 2:
The biodegradable polymer provides a temporary protective barrier during the critical early healing period, then gradually degrades to prevent long-term complications. The degradation timeline is designed to match the healing process, providing structural support when needed and disappearing before chronic infection risk becomes significant.
3Reliability
If high drug loading is used, then treatment efficacy is improved, but the polymer may degrade too quickly or release drug too rapidly
Solution Approach 1:
The polymer's degradation rate and drug elution profile are controlled by adjusting key parameters: molecular weight, crystallinity, crosslinking density, and copolymer composition. By changing these parameters, the system can accommodate high drug loading while maintaining appropriate degradation rates and sustained release profiles matched to the therapeutic requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of copolymers and composite polymer systems allows independent optimization of different properties. For example, one polymer component can provide structural integrity and controlled degradation, while another component facilitates drug loading and release. This composite approach enables high drug loading with sustained release over the required treatment duration.
4Adaptability or versatility
If custom drug-eluting polymers are manufactured for each patient, then treatment is optimized, but manufacturing time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The biodegradable polymer matrix is pre-manufactured as a universal platform with controlled degradation characteristics before patient use. Different drugs and formulations can then be loaded into this pre-prepared matrix without requiring complete re-manufacturing, allowing customization while maintaining efficient production processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The biodegradable drug-eluting polymer provides effective local delivery of bioactive agents, reducing device-associated infections and minimizing the risk of bacterial colonization after drug elution, thus enhancing treatment efficacy and safety.
Implementation Method 1
A liquid, polymerizable mixture of biodegradable macromonomers that can be applied to medical device surfaces and polymerized in situ
Implementation Method 2
Drug eluting polymer composed of biodegradable polymers applied to surface of medical device
Data Source
AI summary
This present invention relates to drug eluting polymers, including novel biodegradable drug eluting polymers, which are added to the surface of a medical device to treat device associated complications and to deliver drug locally around the device. Methods of making polymers, for example, drug-eluting polymers, polymer compositions, and materials used therewith also are provided. The drug eluting polymers are obtained from the polymerization of macromonomers made of a connecting moiety, a biodegradable moiety and a cross-linkable moiety that are liquids at a temperature of 10° C. to 40° C.