Barbed surgical sutures are provided which include an elongated body and a plurality of barbs extending therefrom. A bioactive agent is disposed within barb angles formed between the barbs and the elongated body. The barbs may be made from a shape memory polymer having a permanent shape which may be deformed to a temporary shape, such that barbs of the suture extend at different barb angles in the different shape configurations. The barb angles of the permanent shape may be greater than the barb angles of the temporary shape, thereby exposing and/or releasing a bioactive agent after placement in tissue.
