Biologic Coating on Stents May Reduce Restenosis

Using tissue engineering, scientists have developed stents and vascular graft surfaces that are biologically activated with a coating that captures progenitor endothelial cells (PECs) from the bloodstream, which form a layer over the implant to help protect it from restenosis. The new technology was presented at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics conference in Washington, DC (USA).

Endothelial cells, the lining cells in all arteries, are the modulators of vascular healing. Without treating the stent surface with the coating, a similar layer of endothelial coverage might take weeks to form. This delay, following the vessel wall injury due to angioplasty and stenting, leaves the wall exposed and susceptible to the processes that initiate restenosis, says Orbus Medical Technologies (Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA). Orbus developed the new technology and is now investigating how the captured PECs and the endothelium they form might reduce in-stent restenosis and perhaps eliminate the need for drug-eluting stents.

"We are collaborating with leading experts and we now have a clear understanding of the technologies involved to be able to start clinical trials as early as next year, not five to 10 years from now,” said Stephen M. Rowland, Ph.D., vice president of research and development for Orbus.




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