Prospection of recent chitosan biomedical trends: Evidence from patent analysis (2009-2020)

Abstract

Improved accuracy is one of the vital innovations in designing biopolymer-based products that are gaining momentum in diverse biomedicine arenas. The innovative devices were developed utilizing synthetic polymers but now are replaced with 'green polymer' such as chitosan. These bioactive polymer-based products can control release therapeutics, even greatly minimize the post-surgery inflammations, immune responses, and are biodegradable. Past decade to date, numerous proprietary technologies have been developed and protected by numerous patents. Therefore, strategical analysis of these chitosan-based process or product patent helps to identify key innovative technologies, clinically implementation, and key manufacturers behind these biomedical products. The present article analyzed the trends in patent portfolios of chitosan-based biomedical products and the number of original research papers published over a decade. A spotlight on different marketed grades, modifications for their special use, blend composites, safety profile, and regulatory concerns of chitosan use in bioengineering are covered. A scientific prospection was performed between 2009 and 2020 using the PubMed database. For technological prospection, Lens (free, open patent, and scholarly search) portal was utilized. Chitosan-originated patents were analyzed using cooperative and international patent classifications, covering their citations by patent count. Various chitosan-based patents that are approved and commercial chitosan based biomedical products are even listed. A preliminary perusal of chitosan alone or based patent portfolios can greatly benefit various stakeholders like scientists and corporate firms for new product development, government agencies for allocation of federal funds shaping up biomedicine advances by utilizing chitosan. The present analysis indicates the overall progression and unexplored corners of chitosan in a current global biomedical proposition.

Keywords: Biomedical; Biopolymer; Chitosan; Marketed products; Patent analysis; Patent classification; Prospection.