Abstract: Medical devices, and in particular implantable medical devices, may be coated to minimize or substantially eliminate a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. The medical devices may be coated with any number of biocompatible materials. Therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may be mixed with the biocompatible materials and affixed to at least a portion of the medical device. These therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may also further reduce a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. In addition, these therapeutic drugs, agents and/or compounds may be utilized to promote healing, including the formation of blood clots. The drugs, agents, and/or compounds may also be utilized to treat specific diseases, including vulnerable plaque. Therapeutic agents may also be delivered to the region of a disease site.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of preparing large liposomes with high entrapment capacity for pharmaceutical substances. The method generally entails infusing a lipid/alcohol solution directly into an aqueous polymer solution. The resulting liposome, which may be incorporated with a pharmaceutical substance, typically consists of multilamellar vesicles that have an average size of about 1 to about 8 microns. The ratio of lipid to polymer, average molecular weight of the polymer, polymer concentration, ionic strength, and temperature of incubation are variables disclosed herein to control liposome size and incorporation of components and pharmaceutical substances.