The medical devices industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by increased need for homecare, preventative treatments, early diagnosis, reducing patient recovery times and improving outcomes, and growing importance of technologies such as machine learning, augmented reality, 5G and digitalization. In the last three years alone, there have been over 230,000 patents filed and granted in the medical devices industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Advanced materials in medical: drug eluting stentsBuy the report here.

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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 165,000 patents to analyze innovation intensity for the medical devices industry, there are 35+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.

Drug eluting stents is a key innovation area in advanced materials

A drug-eluting stent is a medical device implanted in constricted or obstructed arteries to enhance blood flow. It consists of a metal mesh that administers drugs to prevent restenosis or the artery from re-narrowing. Advanced materials are being used in drug eluting stents as they offer better properties such as biodegradation compared to traditionally used metallic stents. Some examples of advanced materials include poly-L-lactic acid, polyorthoester, and polycaprolactone.

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 795+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established medical devices companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of drug eluting stents.

Key players in drug eluting stents – a disruptive innovation in the medical devices 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 drug eluting stents

Company Total patents (2021 - 2023) Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies
Abbott Laboratories 844 Unlock Company Profile
Medtronic 715 Unlock Company Profile
Boston Scientific 679 Unlock Company Profile
Johnson & Johnson 509 Unlock Company Profile
Terumo 346 Unlock Company Profile
W. L. Gore & Associates 309 Unlock Company Profile
Becton Dickinson 307 Unlock Company Profile
Cook Group 239 Unlock Company Profile
Hellman & Friedman 206 Unlock Company Profile
Biotronik 194 Unlock Company Profile
Micell Technologies 174 Unlock Company Profile
MicroPort Scientific 145 Unlock Company Profile
Getinge 110 Unlock Company Profile
Blue Sail Medical 100 Unlock Company Profile
The Cigna Group 94 Unlock Company Profile
Vactronix Scientific 93 Unlock Company Profile
Cardinal Health 89 Unlock Company Profile
Elixir Medical 77 Unlock Company Profile
Kona Gold Beverage 77 Unlock Company Profile
Merit Medical Systems 75 Unlock Company Profile
Baxter International 72 Unlock Company Profile
LifeTech Scientific 70 Unlock Company Profile
Medinol 69 Unlock Company Profile
3M 60 Unlock Company Profile
OrbusNeich 58 Unlock Company Profile
Sofradim Production 58 Unlock Company Profile
Mati Therapeutics 54 Unlock Company Profile
BVW 54 Unlock Company Profile
Koninklijke Philips 53 Unlock Company Profile
AbbVie 50 Unlock Company Profile
Teijin 49 Unlock Company Profile
MiMedx Group 48 Unlock Company Profile
Freudenberg 47 Unlock Company Profile
Zorion Medical 45 Unlock Company Profile
Biotyx Medical (Shenzhen) 43 Unlock Company Profile
InspireMD 41 Unlock Company Profile
Hothouse Medical 40 Unlock Company Profile
Cgbio 39 Unlock Company Profile
Taewoong Medical 39 Unlock Company Profile
Intressa Vascular 39 Unlock Company Profile
MITech 39 Unlock Company Profile
Stryker 38 Unlock Company Profile
B. Braun Melsungen 38 Unlock Company Profile
OrbusNeich Medical 37 Unlock Company Profile
Concept Medical 35 Unlock Company Profile
Otsuka 34 Unlock Company Profile
Exogenesis 34 Unlock Company Profile
Smith & Nephew 33 Unlock Company Profile
Q3 Medical Devices 32 Unlock Company Profile
SINTX Technologies 32 Unlock Company Profile

Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics

Abbott Laboratories is one of the leading patent filers in the field of drug eluting stents. Some other key patent filers in the field include Medtronic, Boston Scientific, and Johnson and Johnson.

In terms of application diversity, Mati Therapeutics leads the pack, while Koninklijke Philips and Advanced Bifurcation Systems stood in the second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, MiMedx Group held the top position, followed by Mati Therapeutics and Baxter International.

Advanced materials usage in drug eluting stents is likely to improve device quality by offering superior strength, extended durability, and improved functionality. Extensive research in the field of drug eluting stents will bring better prospects in future, including biodegradable capabilities and optimised drug delivery supporting personalised patient care. The synergy between advanced materials and drug-eluting stents is likely to play a vital role in advancing treatment effectiveness.

To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the medical devices industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Medical Devices.

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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.