A Tailorable In Situ Light‐Activated Biodegradable Vascular Scaffold

Biodegradable vascular scaffolds (BVS) are novel treatments for obstructive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease developed to overcome the limitations of traditional metallic drug‐eluting stents. The mechanical properties of bioabsorbable polymers used for the production of novel BVS are a key consideration for the clinical translation of this emerging technology. Herein, the authors describe the engineering of an in situ light‐activated vascular scaffold (ILVS) comprised of a biodegradable citric acid‐based elastomeric polymer, referred to as methacrylated polydiol citrate (mPDC) and a diazeniumdiolate chitosan nitric oxide donor (chitoNO). In vitro studies demonstrate that the mechanical properties of the ILVS can be tailored to meet or exceed those of commercially available self‐expanding bare metal stents (BMS). The radial compression strength of the ILVS is higher than that of a BMS despite undergoing degradation at physiologic conditions for 7 months. ILVS containing chitoNO provides sustained supraphysiologic levels of NO release. Finally, ILVS is successfully cast in porcine arteries ex vivo using a custom designed triple balloon catheter, demonstrating translational potential. In conclusion, these data demonstrate the ability of an ILVS to provide tunable mechanical properties and drug‐delivery capabilities for the vasculature and thereby support mPDC as a promising material for the development of novel BVS platforms.