Bioinformatics Patents Surge: 2023 Analysis & Market Impact

Bioinformatics is a rapidly growing field that combines biology, computer science, and statistics to analyse biological data. The field has become increasingly important in recent years due to the explosion of data generated by advancements in high-throughput sequencing technologies.

The field has played a crucial role in advancing our understanding of genetics, genomics, and personalized medicine. However, there is a common misconception that many of the key aspects of these inventions are unpatentable, such as features of genomic pipelines, e.g., clustering or aligning. There are, of course, challenges to patenting bioinformatics methods, but it can and is being done at an increasing rate.

Rise of bioinformatic-related patents

Patenting in the field of bioinformatics is not new. In fact, the first bioinformatics-related patent was filed in 1988. However, it was not until the early 2000s that the number of bioinformatics-related patents began to increase significantly. The rapid advancements in DNA sequencing technologies, which allowed researchers to produce enormous amounts of genetic data, were the primary cause of this initial increase. These advances led to the development of new bioinformatics tools and methods for analysing and interpreting this data.

In recent years, the number of bioinformatics-related patents has continued to increase. According to a report by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the number of bioinformatics-related patent applications increased by an average of 13.2% per year between 2013 and 2018 (Intellectual property protection indicators 2019). From the data available since 2001, there has been a year-on-year increase in bioinformatics-related patents, with a record-breaking number of patents filed in 2022 at just over 18,000, which is set to be broken again in 2023.

The increase in bioinformatics-related patents can be attributed to several factors.

First, the growth of the biotechnology industry has led to increased investment in research and development. This has resulted in the development of new bioinformatics tools and methods for analysing biological data, which are often patented to protect intellectual property rights.
Second, the availability of large datasets, such as those generated by the Human Genome Project, has made it possible to identify new targets for drug development and personalised medicine. These targets can be patented to protect the commercial rights of the companies that develop them.
Finally, the increase in bioinformatics-related patents can also be attributed to advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning. These technologies are being used to analyse biological data and develop new algorithms for predicting disease risk, drug efficacy, and other important factors.

Growth in the bioinformatics market

The bioinformatics market is also a rapidly growing industry commercially, with a wide range of players offering products and services in the field. The global bioinformatics market in terms of revenue was estimated to be worth $10.1 billion in 2022 and is poised to reach $18.7 billion by 2027. Some of the major players in the bioinformatics market include:

Illumina: Illumina is a leading provider of DNA sequencing and genotyping technologies. The company’s products are used in a variety of applications, including cancer research, infectious disease monitoring, and personalised medicine.
Thermo Fisher Scientific: Thermo Fisher Scientific is a global provider of scientific and laboratory equipment, reagents, and services. The company offers a range of bioinformatics products, including software for genomic analysis, data management, and interpretation.
Qiagen: Qiagen is a provider of sample and assay technologies for molecular diagnostics, applied testing, and academic research. The company offers a range of bioinformatics products, including software for genomic data analysis, interpretation, and visualisation.

To give an example, according to data acquired form IP Quants, Illumina Inc has over 470 patents relating to the bioinformatics field, ranging from neural network-based pipelines to deep learning-based approaches, highlighting the diversity of technology available to patent within this field. These are just a few examples of the major players in the bioinformatics market. However, it is not only in industry that we have observed a rise in bioinformatics-related patents. There is a similar trend in academia. For example, the University of California has filed over 2000 patent applications between 2002 and 2023, highlighting the academic interest in this field.

As the field continues to grow and evolve, new players are likely to emerge, offering innovative products and services to meet the growing demand for bioinformatics solutions.

Conclusions

The increase in bioinformatics-related patents reflects the growing importance of this field in advancing our understanding of genetics, genomics, and personalized medicine. As the field continues to evolve and expand, we can expect to see even more exciting developments and innovations in the future. It is important for researchers, industry professionals, and patent professionals to stay informed and engaged in this rapidly changing field.