The pharmaceutical industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by the evolution of 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 787,000 patents filed and granted in the pharmaceutical industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in pharma: rDNA expression systems. Buy the report here.
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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 stabilizing 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.
80+ 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 668,000 patents, there are 80+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, engineered multi-specific antibodies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and mutant DNA polymerases are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Phenotypic drug screening, antibody-drug conjugates, and polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccines are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are drug delivery nanoparticles and antibody encoding polynucleotide libraries, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the pharmaceutical industry
rDNA expression systems is a key innovation area in the pharmaceutical industry
Recombinant DNA (rDNA) expression systems are essential tools in biotechnology and molecular biology for producing proteins, enzymes, and other biomolecules of interest. These systems involve the manipulation of genes and the expression of these genes in host organisms to produce specific proteins. There are various rDNA expression systems available, each with its advantages and applications. E. coli is a commonly used host for protein expression due to its fast growth rate and ease of genetic manipulation. Yeast is used to produce eukaryotic proteins and can perform some post-translational modifications. CHO cells are commonly used to produce therapeutic proteins, including monoclonal antibodies, due to their ability to perform complex post-translational modifications that are critical for the biological activity of many proteins. HEK cells are often used for transient expression of proteins. The choice of an rDNA expression system depends on factors such as the type of protein being produced, the required post-translational modifications, scalability, and the intended application.
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 300+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established pharmaceutical companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of rDNA expression systems.
Key players in rDNA expression systems – a disruptive innovation in the pharmaceutical industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to rDNA expression systems
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| GSK | 342 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Johnson & Johnson | 280 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Merck | 245 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Precigen | 150 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Xiamen Innovax Biotech | 114 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Advaxis | 89 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Pfizer | 75 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Inovio Pharmaceuticals | 70 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Replimune Group | 66 | Unlock Company Profile |
| AstraZeneca | 62 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Calliditas Therapeutics | 56 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mayo Clinic | 53 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Meiji | 52 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hookipa Pharma | 51 | Unlock Company Profile |
| German Cancer Research Center | 51 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Fresh Tracks Therapeutics | 49 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Minapharm Pharmaceuticals | 48 | Unlock Company Profile |
| FDS Pharma | 48 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Compagnie Merieux Alliance | 47 | Unlock Company Profile |
| City of Hope | 47 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Novartis | 46 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Etubics | 46 | Unlock Company Profile |
| BioNTech | 41 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Cue Biopharma | 41 | Unlock Company Profile |
| NEW HOPE, CITY OF | 41 | Unlock Company Profile |
| C. H. Boehringer Sohn | 40 | Unlock Company Profile |
| TheVax Genetics Vaccine | 40 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Yangshengtang | 39 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nouscom | 37 | Unlock Company Profile |
| GenVivo | 36 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Cedars-Sinai Health System | 33 | Unlock Company Profile |
| F. Hoffmann-La Roche | 32 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres | 31 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Walvax Biotechnology | 31 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Massachusetts General Hospital | 31 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Intima Bioscience | 31 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Angiocrine Bioscience | 29 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique | 29 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nykode Therapeutics | 25 | Unlock Company Profile |
| VerImmune | 22 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Yamaha Motor | 22 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Grifols | 22 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Agenus | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
| SpyBiotech | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Verneuil Participations | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hologic | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
| European Molecular Biology Laboratory | 20 | Unlock Company Profile |
| TRON | 20 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Moderna | 19 | Unlock Company Profile |
| UAB Research Foundation | 19 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) is one of the leading patent filers in rDNA expression systems. GSKis a global pharmaceutical company that has been actively involved in the development and use of recombinant DNA (rDNA) expression systems for various applications, especially in the production of therapeutic proteins and vaccines. These systems play a crucial role in GSK's efforts to research, develop, and manufacture biopharmaceutical products. GSK's involvement in rDNA expression systems is not limited to a single technology or platform, but extends to various approaches and host systems, depending on the specific product and therapeutic area. The use of rDNA expression systems allows GSK to produce safe and effective biopharmaceuticals, including vaccines and biologics, for the treatment and prevention of a wide range of diseases. Johnson & Johnson and Gilead Sciences are some of the other key patent filers in rDNA expression systems.
In terms of application diversity, Agenus leads the pack, while Fresh Tracks Therapeutics and Moderna stood in the second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, Replimune Group held the top position, followed by BioNTech and GenVivo.
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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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
