A Proof of Concept Study to Determine the Local Delivery and Efficacy of Nanocort

A promising strategy to reduce CVD is to directly target inflammation at the level of the vessel wall. A potential drawback of anti-inflammatory strategies pertains to the thin line between inhibiting 'inappropriate' inflammation versus inducing immuno-suppression. One of the strategies to limit systemic immunosuppression is to strive for local delivery and prolonged efficacy and low systemic burden of the drug by encapsulating the compound in liposomes. Liposome-encapsulated drugs efficiently target lesions and accumulate at a much higher extent at desired areas of interest. Thus, local delivery and prolonged efficacy can be very important tools to overcome the potential drawback anti-inflammatory drugs; namely an inappropriate immune suppression. In the present project, the investigators therefore aim to evaluate the delivery and superior efficacy of Nanocort above Prednison or placebo in patients with peripheral artery disease due to atherosclerosis. Because these patients will undergo an endarteriectomy the investigators will be able to collect atherosclerotic material after drug administration and thus evaluate the local delivery and compare the effects of Nanocort to Prednison or Placebo.