Improved Delivery System for Drug-Coated Balloon Therapy

Project Summary/Abstract We propose to develop a novel angioplasty balloon inflation system to improve the efficacy of drug-coated balloon angioplasty. Atherosclerosis, characterized by the deposition of plaques of fatty material on the inner walls of arteries, can lead to the development of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) due to obstructive narrowing of arteries that supply blood to the extremities. PAD frequently causes a wide variety of ischemic symptoms including pain, non-healing arterial insufficiency ulcers, lower limb tissue loss and gangrene. Percutaneous drug-coated balloon angioplasty of PAD blockages has been observed to reduce symptoms, salvage affected limbs and prolong survival.Project Narrative Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of vascular disease, which accounts for 38% of all deaths in North America. Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death from atherosclerosis, with over 500,000 deaths per year in the US alone. Peripheral artery disease affects more than 200 million persons worldwide, including at least 8.5 million persons in the United States, and is associated with high rates of cardiovascular events and death as well. Percutaneous intervention via balloon angioplasty is a common treatment for atherosclerosis. We propose to develop a novel system to improve the efficacy of drug-coated balloon angioplasty for peripheral interventions.