Drug-eluting stents (DESs) have been widely used as a treatment approach for
coronary artery diseases. Generally, conventional DESs were fully covered with drugs and biodegradable
polymers on both abluminal and
luminal layers (i.e., conformal coating). However, uncontrolled drug release from the
luminal drug-coating layer of the
stent is known to inhibit re-endothelialization. Furthermore, the acidification of the surrounding tissue by the decomposed coating
polymer causes
inflammation, resulting in restenosis and late
thrombosis. To overcome these limitations, here we demonstrated a functional DES coated with
poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA),
sirolimus (SRL), and
magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2, MH) precisely only on the abluminal layer. The acidic neutralization effect of MH was elucidated by measuring the pH change of the fabricated film in PBS
solution. In an in vitro cell study, the
stent coated with MH exhibited higher compatibility with human coronary artery endothelial cells (ECs) and a lower
inflammation score as compared to the control
stent. Finally, in an in vivo large porcine model, the abluminal coated DES with SRL and MH showed excellent re-endothelialization and anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic effects. In conclusion, it is believed that this approach has great potential for the development of functional DES for the treatment of
cardiovascular diseases.