| abstract |
The invention relates to a medical device for delivering a therapeutic agent to a tissue. The medical device has a layer overlying the exterior surface of the medical device. The layer contains a therapeutic agent and an additive. In certain embodiments, the additive has a hydrophilic part and a drug affinity part, wherein the drug affinity part is at least one of a hydrophobic part, a part that has an affinity to the therapeutic agent by hydrogen bonding, and a part that has an affinity to the therapeutic agent by van der Waals interactions. In embodiments, the additive is water-soluble. In further embodiments, the additive is at least one of a surfactant and a chemical compound, and the chemical compound has a molecular weight of from 80 to 750 or has more than four hydroxyl groups. In a preferred embodiment, the additive comprises ascorbyl palmitate, polyglycerol-10 oleate, octoxynol-9, p-isononylphenoxypolyglycidol, tyloxapol, niacinamide, thiamine hydrochloride, nicotinic acid, 2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylic acid or albumin. |