INDUSTRY NEWS
Newly developed polymers that release nitric oxide (NO) may have broad healthcare applications, according to a report published in the April 4 issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Joseph A. Hrabie and fellow researchers at Northwestern University (Evanston, IL, USA) found that some of the NO-releasing polyacrylonitrile polymers continuously release small amounts of the blood-dilating molecules for months. NO could reduce the incidence of blood vessel scarring and narrowing that may occur after coronary angioplasty and bypass surgery. Possible applications of the polymers, according to the report, include arterial stenting, bypass grafting, and surgical endarterectomy.
For more information, contact Joseph A. Hrabie, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; phone: +1 301 8467184; fax: +1 301 8465946; e-mail: hrabie@ncifcrf.gov.
