Drug Delivery from Electrochemically Deposited Thin Metal Films

摘要

Despite tremendous advances in polymer coating technologies which slowly release pharmaceuticals, there remain many practical limitations. These limitations include the type of pharmaceutical that can be delivered and its rate of delivery, as well as the lingering question regarding the stability of the pharmaceuticals in particular protein-based pharmaceuticals. With respect to medical devices under constant stress and exposed to a corrosive environment, adhesion of polymers is also an issue. What is reported here, to the best knowledge of the authors, is the first example of the use of electrochemical deposition to create thin metallic films that contain and release a wide range of pharmaceuticals over long periods in vitro. Initial experimentation has revealed electroless deposition techniques to be the most suitable path toward the stated goals.