STS Biopolymers has signed a license agreement that gives Jomed GmbH the use of a Medi-Coat drug delivery coating for Jomed stents to inhibit restenosis. The innovative Medi-Coat drug delivery technology enables single or multiple drug combinations to be released over controllable time periods, ranging from days to weeks or months. Clinical trials for stents coated with the Medi-Coat technology are expected to begin later this year.

The drugs are delivered from the Medi-Coat polymer matrix directly to the vessel wall and are nearly undetectable in the bloodstream. Used in combination with STS Biopolymers' ultra-flexible Bond-Coat primer, the Medi-Coat drug delivery coating is permanently adhered to the stent, while providing the flexibility needed for placement and expansion. In a one-month pig coronary study, the polymer matrix was found to be biocompatible, with no increased inflammation reaction.

Jomed is a leading European developer and manufacturer of products for minimally invasive vascular intervention. They currently offer over 2,000 products in more than 70 countries. Jomed is one of the fastest growing medical technology companies in the world supplying innovative products for minimally invasive vascular intervention and other minimally invasive procedures.

"We are very pleased that Jomed has chosen to work with Biopolymers to utilize the Medi-Coat drug release coating for stents. Jomed has selected a proprietary drug technology for incorporation into the Medi-Coat coating. We have developed an advanced version of the Medi-Coat coating technology specifically for use on stents and are able to control the drug release profile to suit any single drug or multiple drug formulation. The permanently bonded polymer layer stabilizes the entrapped drug through sterilization and shelf storage," states STS Biopolymers' Chairman Richard Whitbourne. "STS Biopolymers is in discussions with other manufacturers. We expect the Jomed stent product to move very quickly to market, but to be followed by other important products using the Medi-Coat coating platform."

STS Biopolymers' patented Medi-Coat and Bond-Coat coating technologies are licensed to companies for use on a wide range of medical devices. The coating releases drugs at a high concentration from the device surface for therapeutic efficacy while systemic concentrations remain low. In addition to drug delivery coatings, the company has developed Slip-Coat and SlipSkin hydrophilic surface treatment technologies for friction reduction on the surface of medical devices, and Echo-Coat coatings for enhanced ultrasound visibility.