Adjustable bioactive agent dispersion within a polymeric coating

A method for coating a medical device, comprising:

• a. casting upon the medical device a coating formulation comprising:
• i. a biodegradable polymeric material;
• ii. a bioactive agent;
• and
• iii. a carrier solvent, wherein the bioactive agent and the carrier solvent do not substantially interact;
• b. applying the coating formulation to the medical device;
• and
• c. evaporating the carrier solvent from the coating formulation to form a coating on the medical device, wherein dispersion of the bioactive agent in the coating is homogeneous.

A method for preparing a homogeneous coating, the method comprising:

• preparing a mixture by adding a polymeric material and a bioactive agent to a solvent, wherein the carrier solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetonitrile, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methylene chloride, ethylene dichloride, tetrachloromethane and combinations thereof;
• agitating the mixture between 0° C. and about 75° C. until at least a portion of the biodegradable polymeric material and the bioactive agent have dissolved;
• and
• cooling the agitated mixture to form the homogeneous coating.

A coated medical device, comprising:

• a) a medical device;
• and
• b) a coating on the medical device, wherein the coating comprises:
• a. a biodegradable polymeric material;
• and
• b. a bioactive agent, wherein dispersion of the bioactive agent in the coating is homogeneous.

A coating formulation for preparing a coating having a heterogeneous dispersion of a bioactive agent, comprising:

• d) a biodegradable polymeric material;
• e) the bioactive agent;
• and
• f) a carrier solvent, wherein the bioactive agent and the carrier solvent substantially interact.

A method for coating a medical device, comprising:

• a. casting upon the medical device a coating formulation comprising:
• i. a biodegradable polymeric material;
• ii. a bioactive agent;
• and
• iii. a carrier solvent, wherein the bioactive agent and the carrier solvent substantially interact;
• b. applying the coating formulation to the medical device;
• and
• c. evaporating the carrier solvent from the coating formulation to form a coating on the medical device, wherein dispersion of the bioactive agent in the coating is heterogeneous.

A method for preparing a heterogeneous coating, the method comprising:

• preparing a mixture by adding a polymeric material and a bioactive agent to a carrier solvent, wherein the carrier solvent comprises a solvent selected from the group consisting of ethanol, methanol, water and combinations thereof;
• agitating the mixture between 0° C. and about 75° C. until any of the biodegradable polymeric material and the bioactive agent have dissolved;
• and
• cooling the agitated mixture to form the heterogeneous coating.

A coated medical device, comprising:

• c) a medical device,
• d) a coating on the medical device, wherein the coating comprises:
• a. a biodegradable polymeric material;
• and
• b. a bioactive agent, wherein dispersion of the bioactive agent in the coating is heterogeneous.