Patent ID: 7195640

Claim:
An intraluminal medical device for the treatment of atherosclerotic vulnerable plaque comprising: a stent configured to provide structural support for a fibrous cap of a vulnerable plaque lesion; a biocompatible vehicle affixed to at least a portion of the stent, the biocompatible vehicle including at least one layer in direct contact with the internal surface of a vessel in which the stent is positioned; at least one first agent in a therapeutic dosage incorporated into the biocompatible vehicle for treating the inflammation associated with the acute phase of the vulnerable plaque lesion; at least one second agent in a therapeutic dosage incorporated into the biocompatible vehicle for treating the lipid core associated with the chronic phase of the vulnerable plaque lesion, the biocompatible vehicle being configured to release the at least one first agent faster than the at least one second agent and configured to release the at least one first agent for a shorter duration than the at least one second agent; at least one third agent in a therapeutic dosage incorporated into the biocompatible vehicle for preventing neointimal hyperplasia caused by the placement of the stent.