Development of a novel in-vitro test for drug-coated ballons (DCB)

DCBs are an effective way to treat vessel narrowing. They enable a precise and local delivery of drugs such as paclitaxel or sirolimus to the vessel wall. Because they are minimally invasive, DCBs are gaining increasing relevance as an alternative to stents, or as a treatment for in-stent restenosis.

As part of my research, I am developing an in vitro test system that realistically simulates the conditions of human blood vessels, representing both physiological and pathophysiological properties. These include calcification of the vessel wall or atherosclerotic plaques, for example. The second step is to research the impact of coating variations on particle transfer and drug release using the new model. The in vitro test could reduce the need for animal studies in the early stages of developing new balloon coatings or even replace them entirely.