Cutting balloon and process

A cutting balloon catheter, comprising:

• an elongate catheter shaft;
• an inflatable balloon secured to a distal end region of the catheter shaft, said inflatable balloon having a proximal tapered region, a distal tapered region and a body portion between the proximal and distal tapered regions, the body portion being cylindrical in an expanded state and adapted to be flattened in an unexpanded state;
• a plurality of cutting members disposed on an exterior surface of the balloon each cutting member of the plurality of cutting members having a first end and a second end,
• wherein the plurality of cutting members assume a linear configuration in the flattened unexpanded state with the first and second ends of each cutting member located on the body portion of the inflatable balloon,
• wherein each cutting member includes a cutting edge that defines a continuous helical path around the balloon in the expanded state;
• and
• a therapeutic agent disposed on the cutting members;
• wherein the cutting members include a plurality of surface characteristics formed in a surface of each of the cutting members for receiving the therapeutic agent for delivery to a treatment site.