received by the International Bureau on 08 October 201 3 (08.1 0.201 3)

I/We claim:

1. An apparatus (100) for drying drug-coated medical devices (202), the apparatus (100) comprising:

a vacuum pump (102) for generating a negative pressure;

a plurality of containers (1 14), each for holding the drug-coated medical device

(202) to be dried, wherein each of the plurality of containers (1 14) is connected to the vacuum pump ( 102) through a conduit (1 10);

a plurality of docking ports (112), each capable of receiving a container (1 14) from among the plurality of containers (1 14) to form an air-tight seal therebetween, wherein each of the plurality of docking ports (1 12) is coupled to the vacuum pump

(102) through the conduit (110);

a plurality of valves, one valve being provided in each conduit (110) to regulate a connection between the vacuum pump (102) and the container (1 14) in a first docking port of the plurality of docking ports (1 12) connected through the conduit (1 10);

a processing unit (106) configured to individually control each of the plurality of valves for regulating drying operation in the plurality of containers (114); and

a feedback mechanism coupled to the processing unit (106) for facilitating regulation of the drying operation in the plurality of containers (1 14), wherein the processing unit (106) provides predetermined vacuum level for a predetermined time to the first docking port of the plurality of docking ports (1 12) based at least on drying characteristics and drug-eluting properties of the drug-coated medical device (202). 2. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the conduit (1 10) is formed as a single manifold branching into a plurality of sub-ducts, each sub-duct connected to each of the plurality of containers (1 14).

3. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the feedback mechanism comprises at least one non-return valve disposed in the single manifold of the conduit (1 10), wherein the processing unit (106) is configured to control the at least one non- return valve for isolating the vacuum pump (102) from the plurality of containers ( 114).

4. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of valves are configured as at least one of electrically-controlled valves, mechanically-controlled valves, electronically-controlled valves, and magnetically-controlled valves.

5. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of valves is configured as at least one of 2-way 2-position valves and 3-way 2-position valves.

6. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a timing device (116) connected to each of the plurality of valves, the timing device (1 16) being further connected to the processing unit (106), the processing unit (106) being configured to control each of the plurality of valves based on the timing device (1 16).

7. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the timing device (1 16) comprises a switch (1 18) controllable by the processing unit (106) for regulating operation of connected valve.

8. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feedback mechanism further . comprises a pressure gauge (204) connected to the each conduit (1 10) to determine a vacuum level in the each conduit (110) for regulating operation of each of the plurality of valves.

9. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the pressure gauge (204) is further connected to the processing unit (106), the processing unit (106) being configured to control the plurality of valves based on the vacuum level.