The invention provides a durable, lubricious coating for a medical article
that can be prepared from a first polymer that is synthetic, soluble in a
polar liquid, and having first reactive groups, and a second polymer that
is synthetic, hydrophilic, and that includes second reactive groups. The
first reactive groups and a portion of the second reactive groups react
to bond the first polymer to the second polymer. A portion of the second
reactive groups remains unbonded which, upon neutralization, provide
lubricious properties to the coating. In some aspects the coating is
formed using a crosslinking agent having latent reactive groups. The
coatings provide particularly long dry out times and are very useful for
catheterization processes. In addition, the coatings can be subject to
sterilization with ethylene oxide and retain very good durable and
lubricious properties.