System and device for preventing restenosis in body vessels

A method of preventing and/or treating hyperplasia at a site in a body lumen, comprising administering to said site an amount of a lipid-derived bioactive compound which inhibits cell proliferation without inducing significant apoptosis, wherein said compound is selected from the group consisting of ceramide or derivatives thereof, dimethyl sphingosine, ether-linked diglycerides, ether-linked phosphatidic acids and sphinganines.

An intraluminal system for preventing and/or treating neointimal hyperplasia at a site in a vessel, comprising:

• a pharmaceutical formulation comprising a lipid-derived bioactive compound capable of inhibiting phosphorylation of a kinase, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier;
• and
• a device adapted for intraluminal delivery of said pharmaceutical formulation to said site.

A method of preventing and/or treating hyperplasia at a site in a body lumen, comprising administering to said site a growth-arresting, lipid-derived bioactive compound which inhibits phosphorylation of a growth factor-induced extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) and/or a protein kinase B (PKB).