STENTS

Our specialists have developed proprietary coating methods and technology to uniformly and reproducibly coat coronary and peripheral stents.  Coating services are provided for both device manufacturers and academic institutions for a variety of applications.  Response to customer needs and requirements is paramount and we provide services ranging from the supply of coating technology, process expertise, and coating formulation (drug, no drug, polymer, solvent carrier) to stent crimping and sterilization.  We have coating experience in processing both permanent (biostable) and biodegradable polymeric formulations on metallic and biodegradable stent substrates.

We have coated a variety of stent sizes including small configurations for mouse implantation and drug testing, a “mouse stent” with a 0.635 mm diameter and an overall length of 2.5 mm; and large diameter peripheral devices with a 7.00 mm diameter and an overall length of 100 mm.

 

We offer hands on experience in coating a variety of drug compositions and drug combinations including Sirolimus (Rapamycin), Everolimus, Biolimus A9, Zotarolimus, Paclitaxel, Pimecrolimus, Trapidil, and proprietary protein drugs.

We can support customers in all phases of their development.  We have supported drug device development companies seeking to coat a variety of devices with their specific drugs.  We provide coated components and coating technology to customers, thereby saving the customer both process development time and eliminating the need to purchase custom specific and expensive tooling and process equipment.

 

KEY SERVICES

  • Coat stents with Parylene
  • Coat stents with polymer or polymer and drug
  • Provide coating weights of polymer, drug
  • Provide formulation guidance, including the selection of polymer, solvent, and drug to polymer ratio
  • Inspection and sorting both bare metal stents (BMS) and biodegradable stents
  • Cleaning stents
  • The application of primer(s)
  • Providing stents
  • Providing balloon catheters
  • Crimping of stents onto catheter
  • Packaging
  • Sterilization
  • Other unique customer services

 

Small Coated Stents – “The Mouse Stent”

Recently researchers have focused on developing and validating a model of angioplasty and stenting in mice that would allow investigation of the response to stent injury using genetically modified mouse strains. In support of this research, we can provide the researchers with the following: (1) small laser cut and polished stents, 1.25 mm x 2.5 mm, (2) precision coated stents, and (3) crimped stents on small balloon catheters. The two photographs shown above, illustrated uncoated and coated “mouse stents,” respectively.

 

 

Coronary Stents

Currently, many drug eluting stent (DES) design configurations are used in procedures called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI. For example, the stainless steel drug eluting stent (DES) pictured above, is crimped onto a balloon catheter and contains a rapalog drug dispersed in a formulated biocompatible and biodegradable polymeric top coat, to address late stent thrombosis. The pictured stent was 3.0 mm in diameter and 18 mm long, before crimping. In addition, investigators may incorporate permanent (biostable) or biodegradable polymeric coatings onto the stent platform, which may be stainless steel, cobalt chromium, nitinol, or polymers. With respect to any design and configuration, we will provide customers with unlimited platform options.

 

Peripheral Devices

The pictures are examples of our capability to process a peripheral device. The peripheral stent is made from a biodegradable polymer matrix, 7 mm in diameter and 40 mm in overall length. The stent was totally coated with a proprietary polymer and drug combination. We are available and willing to support your project needs at all levels of development.