Patent ID: 7951392

Claim:
A method for preparing a bio-compatible stent having an extended release profile, the method comprising: providing a stent adapted for insertion into a body, the stent having an open lattice structure comprising a plurality of segments with open areas between the segments; depositing a therapeutic agent on the stent; and coating, at least partially, the therapeutic agent at a first site on the stent with a first barrier layer and coating, at least partially, the same therapeutic agent at a second site on the stent with a second barrier layer, wherein the second barrier layer has at least one of a different thickness or a different composition than the first barrier layer, such that the therapeutic agent at the second site has a different release rate than the therapeutic agent at the first site, wherein the first site and the second site are at different portions of the stent; wherein the first and second barrier layers are applied by a coating process such that the first and second barrier layers are adhered over the segments and do not cover open areas between the segments to preserve the open lattice structure of the stent.