Embodiments of the invention include particles with nucleic acid complexes, medical devices including the same and related methods. In an embodiment, the invention can include a method of making a medical device. The method can include contacting nucleic acids with cationic carrier agents to form nucleic acid complexes, adsorbing the nucleic acid complexes to porous particles to form nucleic acid complex containing particles, mixing the nucleic acid complex containing particles with a polymer solution to form a coating mixture, and applying the coating mixture to a substrate. In an embodiment, the method can include contacting nucleic acids with cationic carrier agents to form nucleic acid complexes, combining the nucleic acid complexes with a material to form nucleic acid complex containing particles in situ, mixing the nucleic acid complex particles with a polymer solution to form a coating mixture, and applying the coating mixture to a substrate. In an embodiment, the invention can include an implantable medical device including a substrate, an elution control matrix disposed on the substrate a plurality of particles disposed within the elution control matrix, and a plurality of nucleic acid complexes disposed within the particles, the nucleic acid complexes comprising a nucleic acid and a cationic carrier agent. Other embodiments are included herein.
