The European Patent Office published patent application EP4295891A1 for a drug-loaded medical instrument and preparation method, filed by Shanghai MicroPort Medical (Group) Co., Ltd. The invention covers medical instruments capable of carrying and releasing pharmaceutical compounds, with classifications including A61M 25/10 (balloon catheters) and A61L 29/16 (drug-eluting coatings). The designated states cover most major European jurisdictions.

This is a patent publication notice with no compliance implications for regulated entities. Medical device and pharmaceutical companies should be aware of this patent when developing similar drug-delivery medical instruments to avoid infringement. IP legal teams may want to review for freedom-to-operate analysis. No action is required for compliance teams.