Cardiovascular Stents

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is usually due to narrowing of the coronary arteries, caused by the accumulation of cells and fat within the artery wall that narrows the lumen. Treatment currently aims to mechanically widen the lumen, using balloon angioplasty, and maintain patency using a stent. Initially Bare-metal stents (BMS) were used. Despite being cost effective and minimally-invasive, restenosis (the re-closure of an artery following treatment) is a common complication occurring in 10-30% of the patients who then require a repeated procedure. BMS have been superseded by coated, or drug-eluting stents (DES). DES deliver anti-proliferative or immunosuppressive agents, to the treated site to inhibit smooth muscle cell growth. It was hoped that these stents would prevent restenosis, but clinical trials have shown a high level of residual restenosis, creating a significant opportunity for innovative approaches to the fabrication of novel stents, and that requires a convergence of biomaterial, pharmaceutical, and vascular biological expertise.

Project timeframe

This project commenced in 2017 and will end in 2020.

Project aims

 The work will be undertaken at both Brighton and Sussex Universities:

  • Characterisation of a novel biomaterial platform for endothelial cell repair as an approach for the local delivery of therapeutic agents for the treatment of cardiovascular disease (University of Brighton)
  • Testing the synthesised biomaterials on stents fabricated using 3D printers (Sussex University)
  • Testing the biological efficacy of these loaded stents in both in vitro and in vivo models of injury (BSMS)

Project findings and impact

The novel approach of the project has so far shown a potential to reducing restenosis. This is based on triggering the endogenous repair mechanisms of the blood vessel wall, using a combination of a prototypic tissue protective cytokine (TPC), erythropoietin (EPO), and molecules that mimic a hypoxia-like response (triggering the normal reparative/adaptive response of the body to low oxygen) that are delivered directly to the blood vessel wall. We have evaluated this combination in vitro and in vivo (using the rat angioplasty model) and have shown some promising results.

Research team

Prof Gordon Ferns, BSMS

Prof Pietro Ghezzi, BSMS

Dr Lamia Heikal, BSMS

Prof Matteo Santin, University of Brighton

Dr Iain Allen, University of Brighton

Dr Mohammed Maniruzzaman, Sussex University

Output

 

Partners

Brighton and Sussex Medical School

University of Brighton

Sussex University

Sussex Innovation Centre

Psephos Biomedica