06.11.2025

A research team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP has developed a coated, biodegradable stent designed to reduce the risk of thrombosis and improve vessel healing. The flexible implant supports natural vascular movement and may one day allow patients to lower their use of anticoagulant drugs.

Image: A gloved hand holds a small, flexible stent; Copyright: Fraunhofer IAP

Under laboratory conditions, a researcher holds a small, flexible stent with precision tweezers under magnification. The Fraunhofer IAP developed a special bioactive coating to help prevent thrombosis and promote faster vessel healing.

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Every year, around half a million stents are implanted in Germany to treat atherosclerosis, a condition that narrows blood vessels and restricts blood flow. While conventional metal or polymer stents stabilize arteries, they often injure the endothelium, the delicate inner cell layer that lines blood vessels. This damage increases the risk of thrombosis and requires long-term use of anticoagulant medications.

To address these challenges, a team from the Life Science and Bioprocesses division at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP, including Dr. Anne Krüger-Genge, Dr. Jörg Bohrisch and Prof. Joachim Storsberg, developed a biocompatible, degradable stent.

Coating supports endothelial cell growth

“So far, there has been no material in clinical practice that keeps blood cells from accumulating as a clot at the stent site. That’s where we come in,” explains Prof. Joachim Storsberg, specialist in medical implant research.

The Fraunhofer IAP’s patented coating uses the natural anti-thrombogenic properties of a healthy endothelium. Growth-promoting proteins in the coating accelerate endothelialization, the process by which new vascular cells grow over the implant. This can help prevent blood clot formation and reduce complications after surgery.

“The stent’s special interior coating promotes a fast endothelialisation which helps to reduce the risk of thrombosis,” says Storsberg.

For patients, this could mean fewer blood-thinning drugs and improved healing outcomes after vascular surgery.

Flexible, degradable polymer design

The new stent is made from a flexible polymer that gradually degrades inside the body, reducing the long-term presence of foreign material.

“Our stent consists of a flexible polymer material, so it barely impairs vasomotor activity after degradation at all,” says Dr. Anne Krüger-Genge.

Because the implant maintains the natural ability of blood vessels to contract and expand, it supports normal circulation and reduces risks linked to rigid, permanent implants.

Precision engineering through 3D structuring

Developing a biodegradable stent that is both flexible and pressure-stable requires advanced manufacturing techniques.

“We were able to realize a promising 3D structure through a combination of material development, an adjusted injection molding method and structuring using short-pulse UV lasers,” explains Dr. Jörg Bohrisch, materials scientist at Fraunhofer IAP.

The new stent represents a step forward in vascular implant technology, with potential to improve long-term outcomes for patients with cardiovascular disease.

COMPAMED-tradefair.com; Source: Fraunhofer

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