Pre-dried drug delivery coating for use with a stent

An apparatus for drying a coating material prior to application to a medical device, the apparatus comprising:

• a first container providing a vacuum within the first container;
• a second container disposed within the first container for containing a coating material having a bio-absorbable carrier component, the coating material further including a therapeutic agent and solvent;
• and
• a rotator for rotating the second container to remove the solvent from the coating material.

A method of making a coated medical device, the method comprising:

• providing a coating material having a bio-absorbable carrier component, the coating material further including a therapeutic agent and solvent;
• removing the solvent from the coating material;
• and
• applying the dried coating material to the medical device to form a coating.

A method of making a coated medical device, the method comprising:

• providing a coating material having a bio-absorbable carrier component, the bio-absorbable carrier component being at least partially formed of a cellular uptake inhibitor and a cellular uptake enhancer, and the coating material further including a therapeutic agent and solvent;
• removing the solvent from the coating material to modify the coating material to a state of viscosity;
• and
• applying the coating material to the medical device to form a coating.

A method of making a coated medical device, the method comprising:

• providing a coating material having a bio-absorbable carrier component, the coating material further including a therapeutic agent and solvent;
• removing a portion of the solvent from the coating material;
• applying the coating material to the medical device;
• and
• removing a remaining portion of the solvent from the coating material applied to the medical device.