Therapeutic cellular stent

Patent Number: 7044965

This patent covers a type of stent that contains cells and is useful not only for maintaining open a blood vessel, but also for delivery of cells that secrete various agents useful for the body. The patent has two independent claims, the first covering a stent containing cells, the second covering a method of administering cells into an organism. Stents have been covered with many agents in the past to prevent restenosis, which occurs after stents are implanted and is associated with a hyperproliferation of intimal cells. One possible advantage of stents containing cells is that restenosis will hypothetically not be so prevelant as with bare metal stents.

View this patent on the USPTO website.