Background: Stents are tiny mesh tubes that are implanted in clogged arteries to restore flow through the diseased vessels. Stents are often used along with traditional balloon angioplasty to improve cardiac functioning in coronary and peripheral arterial disease. The newest versions of stents elute antiproliferative agents to limit restenosis.

Problem: The operation to implant a stent, while being gentler than cardiac arterial bypass graft surgery (CABG), is invasive and can result in complications. The largest complaint associated with stent and balloon angioplasty procedures is that of repeat operations in which the operated artery continues to undergo deterioration after the operation, resulting in continued future treatments. Whereas drug eluting stents (DES) have been shown to reduce the restenosis rate relative to regular stents, overall restenosis rates remain high with the procedure. It is believed that agents that could reduce the inflammation at the stent site for a period of up to a week following surgery would dramatically improve outcomes. Although many drugs are being tested in DES, a solution has not yet emerged.

Lumen Therapeutics' Solution: Lumen is developing LT-1942 for its anti-inflammatory activity at the delivery site. The molecules of LT-1942 will likely lend themselves to easy application in current DES technology and elicit effects for an extended period of time, sufficient to exert an efficacious pharmacological effect. Lumen is currently doing pre-clinical studies to identify the best molecule and formulations to take to the clinic. The company is seeking a device partner to co-develop LT-1942 coated DES.