Stents with drug-containing amphiphilic polymer coating

A method for producing a drug coated intravascular stent comprising the steps:

• a) a metallic stent body is coated with a cross-linkable amphiphilic polymer;
• b) the cross-linkable polymer is subjected to conditions under which cross-linking takes place to produce a stent coated with polymer which, when swollen with water containing pyrene, has hydrophobic domains observable by pyrene fluorescence having an intensity ratio I3:I1 of at least 0.8;
• c) at least the outer coated wall of the polymer coated stent is contacted with liquid drug composition comprising a sparingly water-soluble restenosis inhibiting agent as the drug and an organic solvent in which the drug is at least partially dissolved and which is capable of swelling the cross-linked polymer of the coating, for a time sufficient to swell the polymer coating on the outer wall, to produce a wet drug-coated stent in which drug is present in an amount of at least 20 μg per stent;
• d) organic solvent is evaporated from the wet stent to produce a dry drug-coated stent.