Medical devices having polymer brushes

Abstract

According to an aspect of the present invention, internal medical devices are provided, which contain at least one surface region that comprises a polymer brush. The polymer brush, in turn, contains one or more types of hydrophobic polymer chains and one or more types of hydrophilic polymer chains.

1 . An internal medical device comprising a surface region that comprises a polymer brush, said polymer brush comprising hydrophobic polymer chains and hydrophilic polymer chains. 
     
     
         2 - 3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The internal medical device of  claim 1 , wherein said hydrophobic polymer chains and said hydrophilic polymer chains are independently attached to said surface region. 
     
     
         5 . The internal medical device of  claim 1 , wherein said polymer brush comprises a block copolymer that comprises said hydrophobic polymer chains and said hydrophilic polymer chains. 
     
     
         6 . The internal medical device of  claim 5 , wherein said block copolymer is selected from the following: a diblock copolymer, a triblock copolymer, a pentablock copolymer, a star-shaped block copolymer, and a hyperbranched block copolymer. 
     
     
         7 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The internal medical device of  claim 1 , wherein said medical device is a stent. 
     
     
         10 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The internal medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic polymer chains are preferentially oriented at the surface by contacting said polymer brush with a hydrophobic solvent. 
     
     
         13 . The internal medical device of  claim 1 , wherein said hydrophobic polymer chains are high glass transition temperature chains and wherein said hydrophilic polymer chains are low glass transition temperature chains. 
     
     
         14 . The internal medical device of  claim 1 , wherein said hydrophobic polymer chains and said hydrophilic polymer chains are high glass transition temperature chains. 
     
     
         15 . The internal medical device of  claim 1 , wherein said hydrophobic polymer chains are selected from poly(vinyl aromatic) chains, polyacrylate chains, polymethacrylate chains, polyamide chains, polyester chains, and polycarbonate chains. 
     
     
         16 . The internal medical device of  claim 1 , wherein said hydrophilic polymer chains are low glass transition temperature chains comprising monomers selected from alkylene oxide monomers and amino acids. 
     
     
         17 . The internal medical device of  claim 1 , further comprising a therapeutic agent disposed within or beneath said polymer brush. 
     
     
         18 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The internal medical device of  claim 1 , wherein said surface region is a metallic surface region. 
     
     
         21 . The internal medical device of  claim 1 , wherein said surface region is a polymeric surface region. 
     
     
         22 . The internal medical device of  claim 17 , wherein said therapeutic agent is selected from an anti-restenotic agent, an anti-thrombotic agent, an endothelial growth promoting agent and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The internal medical device of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of therapeutic agents disposed within or beneath said polymer brush. 
     
     
         24 . The internal medical device of  claim 1 , wherein said hydrophobic polymer chains are selected from bioactive polymer chains, biomimetic polymer chains, and biodegradable chains. 
     
     
         25 . The internal medical device of  claim 1 , wherein said hydrophilic polymer chains are selected from bioactive polymer chains, biomimetic polymer chains, and biodegradable chains. 
     
     
         26 . A treatment method comprising implanting or inserting the internal medical device of  claim 1  into a patient, wherein the hydrophobic polymer chains are preferentially oriented at the surface of said device at the time of implantation or insertions, and wherein after implantation or insertion of said device into a patient the polymer brush reorganizes such that the hydrophilic polymer chains become preferentially oriented at the surface. 
     
     
         27 . The internal medical device of  claim 17 , wherein said therapeutic agent is compatible with said hydrophobic polymer chains and said hydrophilic polymer chains. 
     
     
         28 . The internal medical device of  claim 17 , wherein said therapeutic agent is incompatible with said hydrophobic polymer chains and said hydrophilic polymer chains.