New biodegradable stents for treating cardiovascular disease

Novel in situ custom biodegradable drug-eluting stents for endovascular surgery

NIH-funded research VA Veterans Administration Hospital · NIH-10881772

This study is testing a new type of stent that breaks down naturally in the body and is designed to help people with heart artery problems by improving blood flow and healing, while also lowering the chances of issues that can happen with regular metal stents.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionVA Veterans Administration Hospital NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Richmond, United States)
Project IDNIH-10881772 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on developing a novel biodegradable stent designed to improve treatment outcomes for patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The stent will be created using a liquid drug-eluting polymer that is photo-polymerized directly in the body, allowing it to conform to the unique shape of each artery. By delivering nitric oxide, the stent aims to enhance blood flow and promote healing while reducing the risk of complications associated with traditional metal stents. This innovative approach seeks to address the high failure rates of current stent technologies.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are patients suffering from severe atherosclerosis who require arterial stenting.

Not a fit: Patients with non-atherosclerotic cardiovascular conditions or those who are not candidates for stenting may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to safer and more effective treatments for patients with cardiovascular disease, reducing complications and improving recovery.

How similar studies have performed: While the concept of biodegradable stents is being explored, this specific approach using a custom-designed polymer and in situ formation is relatively novel and has not been widely tested.

Where this research is happening

Richmond, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.