The Polymer Society of Korea

Abstract

Atherosclerosis, caused by the buildup of plaques, is one of the leading causes of death globally. Balloon catheters restore blood flow by compressing plaques through inflation. In addition, drug-coated balloons (DCBs) deliver drugs coated on the outer surface upon inflation. However, weakly bound drug matrices are prone to loss in blood flow and cause side-effects. Therefore, active drug release functionality is required for controlled delivery. Herein, we developed a silk-based active drug-releasing balloon (SB). We developed a silk packing inducer (SPI) that binds silk fibroin chains and induces hydrophobic interactions, resulting in a compact, condensed structure. Given its compact structure, SB exhibited balloon-feasible mechanical performance. Moreover, the compact hydrophobic silk fibroin structure binds hydrophobic drugs and enables their release upon inflation. Therefore, SB could actively release drugs upon inflation and transfer to the arterial wall.