The pharmaceutical industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by the evolution of new treatment paradigms, and the gravity of unmet needs, as well as the growing importance of technologies such as pharmacogenomics, digital therapeutics, and artificial intelligence. In the last three years alone, there have been over 633,000 patents filed and granted in the pharmaceutical industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in Pharmaceuticals: LPS antibody-based anti-bacterials. Buy the report here.
However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilising and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
110 innovations will shape the pharmaceutical industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the pharmaceutical industry using innovation intensity models built on over 756,000 patents, there are 110 innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, cell therapy for ocular disorders, coronavirus vaccine components, and DNA polymerase compositions are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Adeno-associated virus vectors, alcohol dehydrogenase compositions, and antibody serum stabilisers are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are anti-influenza antibody compositions and anti-interleukin-1, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the pharmaceutical industry

LPS antibody-based anti-bacterials is a key innovation area in the pharmaceutical industry
A major component of gram-negative bacteria's outer membrane is lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS elicits an overwhelming immune response during infection, which can result in life-threatening sepsis or septic shock. LPS antibodies (monoclonal or polyclonal) can be used directly as immunotherapeutic agents for gram-negative sepsis or endotoxaemia, or as probes for diagnosing and investigating gram-negative bacterial infections. Anti-LPS antibodies have provided the basis for traditional and more recent serological studies of major bacterial infections.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 90+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established pharmaceutical companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of LPS antibody-based anti-bacterials.
Key players in LPS antibody-based anti-bacterials – a disruptive innovation in the pharmaceutical industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to LPS antibody-based anti-bacterials
Company | Total patents (2021 - 2023) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
GSK | 1839 | Unlock Company Profile |
Pfizer | 1089 | Unlock Company Profile |
Merck & Co | 415 | Unlock Company Profile |
Zoetis | 269 | Unlock Company Profile |
Sanofi | 260 | Unlock Company Profile |
C. H. Boehringer Sohn | 185 | Unlock Company Profile |
SK Chemicals | 150 | Unlock Company Profile |
Selecta Biosciences | 105 | Unlock Company Profile |
Nestle | 97 | Unlock Company Profile |
Biological E | 76 | Unlock Company Profile |
Molecular Templates | 67 | Unlock Company Profile |
National Research Council of Canada | 59 | Unlock Company Profile |
Max-Planck-Gesellschaft | 55 | Unlock Company Profile |
Hilleman Laboratories Pvt | 50 | Unlock Company Profile |
Children's Medical Center | 48 | Unlock Company Profile |
Novartis | 43 | Unlock Company Profile |
Bharat Biotech | 40 | Unlock Company Profile |
Intervet | 40 | Unlock Company Profile |
IRCCS Policlinico San Donato | 34 | Unlock Company Profile |
Johnson & Johnson | 33 | Unlock Company Profile |
U.S. Department of Defense | 33 | Unlock Company Profile |
Inventprise | 32 | Unlock Company Profile |
Fina Biosolutions | 32 | Unlock Company Profile |
Vaxcyte | 31 | Unlock Company Profile |
TheVax Genetics Vaccine | 31 | Unlock Company Profile |
Mariposa Health | 28 | Unlock Company Profile |
Calliditas Therapeutics | 26 | Unlock Company Profile |
Scandinavian Biopharma Holding | 25 | Unlock Company Profile |
Kerry Group | 23 | Unlock Company Profile |
Genocea Biosciences | 22 | Unlock Company Profile |
Matrivax | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
Aeterna Zentaris | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
Qu Biologics | 20 | Unlock Company Profile |
Max Planck Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Wissenschaften | 20 | Unlock Company Profile |
Immunology Laboratories | 20 | Unlock Company Profile |
VaxNewMO | 17 | Unlock Company Profile |
Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics | 17 | Unlock Company Profile |
Meiji Holdings | 16 | Unlock Company Profile |
Panacea Biotec | 16 | Unlock Company Profile |
US Department of Health and Human Services | 16 | Unlock Company Profile |
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
Hillhouse Capital Group | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
Vaxdyn | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
Inmunova | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
Vaxil Bio | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
Aileens Pharma | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
Minervax | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
Mico Bio | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
PAH USA 15 | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
Vakcina Kft | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
GSK is the leading patent filer in LPS antibody-based anti-bacterials. GSK develops, manufactures and commercialises pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and consumer healthcare products. It offers drugs for the treatment of diseases such as HIV, and for diseases within therapy areas such as respiratory, cancer, immuno-inflammation, infectious diseases, central nervous system (CNS), metabolic, cardiovascular, , and dermatology. The company also offers over-the-counter (OTC) products for pain relief, oral health, nutrition, skin health and gastro-intestinal diseases. GSK’s vaccine portfolio covers various diseases including hepatitis, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, rotavirus and HPV infections, measles, and bacterial meningitis, among others. The company sells its products through wholesalers, pharmacies, hospitals, physicians, and other groups worldwide.
Other key patent filers in LPS antibody-based anti-bacterials space are Pfizer and Merck.
In terms of application diversity, Andalusian Health Service is the top company, followed by Vaxdyn SL and TheVax Genetics Vaccine. By means of geographic reach, Selecta Biosciences holds the top position. Whilst IRCCS Policlinico San Donato and Fina Biosolutions are in second and third positions, respectively.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the pharmaceutical industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Pharmaceutical.
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