Compositions and methods of administering paclitaxel with other drugs using medical devices

Abstract

Systems and compositions comprising paclitaxel and a second drug, such as rapamycin, analogs, derivatives, salts and esters thereof are disclosed, as well as methods of delivery wherein the drugs have effects that complement each other. Medical devices comprising supporting structures capable of including or supporting a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or excipient, which carrier or excipient can contain one or more therapeutic agents or substances, with the carrier preferably including a coating on the surface thereof, and the coating including the therapeutic substances, such as, for example, drugs. Supporting structures for the medical devices that are suitable for use in this invention include coronary stents, peripheral stents, catheters, arterio-venous grafts, by-pass grafts, and drug delivery balloons used in the vasculature. These compositions and systems can be used in combination with other drugs, including anti-proliferative agents, anti-platelet agents, anti-inflammatory agents, anti-thrombotic agents, cytotoxic drugs, agents that inhibit cytokine or chemokine binding, cell de-differentiation inhibitors, anti-lipaedemic agents, matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors, cytostatic drugs, or combinations of these and other drugs.