DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "RNA Vaccine Patent Landscape 2021" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
The idea of using mRNA as vaccines has been investigated for nearly three decades. By winning the race for a Covid-19 vaccine, mRNA vaccines have proven their worth, and it has highlighted their advantages over conventional vaccines. Now, all major pharmaceutical companies are, in some way, testing out the technology by entering into license agreements and/or collaboration with well-established RNA companies (Pfizer, Sanofi, AstraZeneca, GSK, Merck, Roche, Bayer, etc.). Now that the first products have arrived on the market, IP positions have to be defined as companies will enforce their patents to secure their positions on the market. Patent litigations have already been initiated before the EPO and the USPTO against key patents.
Over 30 opposition proceedings have been identified herein, most of which were filed in the past 2 years and still pending. In this context, Arbutus recently succeeded in maintaining one of its key US patents covering its LNP delivery system, that could potentially cover Moderna's RNA vaccine. However, as Moderna already announced, it is unlikely that patents will be enforced during the pandemic. The speed at which an mRNA vaccine can be designed has been the key to the recent success. Indeed, the first batches for human testing were made in less than 2 months, and authority approvals were granted in less than a year. Clinical trials have demonstrated their safety and efficacy on mRNA vaccine candidates (about 95% effective in preventing COVID-19).
Beyond a COVID-19 vaccine, RNA technology holds high promise for new vaccines against cancer and challenging viruses that conventional vaccines have failed to address (e.g. HIV, HSV, RSV). Moreover, this emerging technology successfully triggers antigen-specific T cell responses in cancer therapy. It also allows personalized immunotherapy by matching the genetic profile of each person's cancer and inducing an immune response against the mutated part of the tumors (cancer neoantigen vaccines). In this evolving context, it is crucial to understand the intellectual property position and strategy of these different players. Such knowledge can help detect business risks and opportunities, anticipate emerging technologies, and enable strategic decisions to strengthen market position.
The first patent family identified was published in 1990. However, the technology was in a maturation phase up to 2010, as evidenced by a relatively low number of patent publications. This maturation phase was mostly related to the problem of rapid naked RNA degradation and the delivery system. One of the key discoveries that allowed the mRNA vaccine field to expand was based on research by Kariko et al. (2005 and 2008) on the incorporation of modified nucleoside into mRNA to increase stability and to ablate the mammalian innate immune response through the activation of Toll-like receptors (patented technology filed by the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania). The other key discovery was the use of lipid particles to protect and deliver the RNA molecule into the cells (patented by Protiva Therapeutics, now Arbutus Biopharma). The combination of these two discoveries allowed the field to expand, with an approximate 9-fold increase in patent publications between 2009 and 2020.
Companies Mentioned
- Acuitas Therapeutics
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
- Arbutus Biopharma
- Arcturus Therapeutics
- Astellas
- Biontech
- Curevac
- Etherna
- GlaxoSmithKline
- Moderna
- Morphogenesis
- PCI Biotech
- Translate Bio
- Tron
- Vaccibody
Report's Key Features
- PDF with > 100 slides
- Excel file > 480 patent families + hyperlink to updated online database (legal status, documents etc.)
- IP trends, including time-evolution of published patents, and countries of patent filings
- Ranking of main patent assignees
- Key players' IP position and relative strength of their patent portfolios
- Summary of the IP related to applications: Infectious Diseases and Cancer therapy.
- Summary of the IP related to technologies: RNA Delivery and RNA modifications.
- Analysis of patent oppositions (Europe) and review of key patents
Key Topics Covered:
1. INTRODUCTION
- Definition
- Scope of the report
- Key features of the report
- Objectives of the report
2. METHODOLOGY
- Patent search, patent selection and patent analysis
- Search strategy
- Terminologies for patent analysis
- Strength and blocking potential of patent portfolio
3. MAIN PATENT ASSIGNEES
4. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
5. PATENT LANDSCAPE OVERVIEW
- Time evolution of patent publications
- Countries of patent filings
- Time evolution by country
- Main patent assignees
- Main IP players
- Patent legal status
- Geographical coverage by IP player
- Patenting activity of the main IP players
- Time evolution of main patent assignees
- IP newcomers
- Main IP collaborations
6. IP POSITION OF MAIN PATENT APPLICANTS
- Beyond Quantity: Quantity ≠ Quality
- IP leadership of patent assignees
- Prior art blocking potential
- Strength index
7. KEY PATENTS
- Patent forward citation analysis
- Key patent families
- Main oppositions on EP and US patents
8. PATENT SEGMENTATION
- Definition
- Main assignees by application
- Main assignees by technology
9. IP PROFILE OF KEY PLAYERS
- CureVac
- Moderna
- BioNTech
- GlaxoSmithKline
- Translate Bio
- Arbutus Biopharma
- Acuitas Therapeutics
10. CONCLUSION
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/uclvgw
