A particle embedded polymer stent and method of manufacture, which includes a stent delivery system having a catheter a balloon operably attached to the catheter and a polymer stent disposed on the balloon, the stent comprising struts interconnected to form a tubular body. Each of the struts includes in cross section a drug-free core region and a drug region surrounding and immediately adjacent to the core region, the drug region including drug particles. The drug-free core region and the drug region are made of a single polymer, the single polymer having a drug-safe softening temperature.
