In Vitro Characterization of a Cyclosporine Eluted Polymeric Stent Manufactured by Liquid Crystal Display 3D Technology

Coronary artery blockage, the most common cardiovascular problem, is often treated with drug-eluting stents (DES). This study aims to address the main limitation of traditional angioplasty therapy. Thus, designing, fabricating, and analyzing a novel drug-eluting polymeric stent using liquid crystal display (LCD) technology may potentially represent an innovative approach to DES in the near future. Therefore, a poly (lactic acid) (PLA) based 3D-printed stent was designed using SolidWorks software and fabricated using the liquid crystal display (LCD) method. The cyclosporine-loaded stent was prepared and analyzed using optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Loading efficiency percentage and release characteristics were estimated. The polymeric stent platform was successfully designed and manufactured using PLA resin. Based on the characterization of cyclosporine eluting stent, a loading efficiency of 48.66 ± 5.92% was estimated through the immersion method. The FTIR and DSC results confirmed molecular interactions between cyclosporine and the PLA-based 3D-printed stent compared with physical mixture formulations. A sustained release profile of cyclosporine was also observed where approximately 50% of the drug was released within the first three hours. The sustained-release profile, characterized by the absence of a burst release, holds significant clinical potential by ensuring consistent therapeutic levels, reducing side effects, and potentially improving patient outcomes. Overall, the study highlights the effectiveness of LCD technology in printing the stent platform using PLA resin. The results demonstrated a significant cyclosporine loading with a sustained release profile without any stent coating procedure.

Graphical Abstract