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An assessment of emerging molecular farming activities based on patent analysis (2002∼2006)

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Abstract

The products of Plant Molecular Farming are recombinant proteins or their metabolic products. In this study, patent data was employed to assess industrial trend in the research and innovation process of Plant Molecular Farming within national and international context. The US Patent and Trade Organization (USPTO), the European Patent Office (EPO) issued a total of 585 patents covering Plant Molecular Farming from 2002 through 2006. By nationality, US inventors predominated as recipients of PMF patents, followed by Germany, Denmark, and Japan. The PMF patents were catagorized in five major areas of research namely pharmaceutical and nutraceuticals with 170 patents (31%) and plant expression tools and methods for alternative production systems with 169 patents (29%) were the dominating patent applications, followed by 102 patent claims associated with antibodies (17%), 71 patents of industrial molecules (12%), 48 patents of vaccines (8%), and finally 18 patents related to post-translational protein glycosylation (3%). The greatest proportion of patentees was of US origin (52%), and PMF associated patenting activities at the USPTO and EPO were dominated with 67% by private organizations.

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  1. Pervin Basaran

    Present address: Faculty of Engineering, Suleyman Demirel University, Cunur Isparta, Turkey

Authors and Affiliations

  1. European Commission, Joint Research Center (JRC), Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS), Edificio Expo, Calle Inca Garcilaso s/n, E 41092, Seville, Spain

    Pervin Basaran & Emilio Rodriguez-Cerezo

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  1. Pervin Basaran
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  2. Emilio Rodriguez-Cerezo
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Correspondence to Pervin Basaran.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed in this study do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission.

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Basaran, P., Rodriguez-Cerezo, E. An assessment of emerging molecular farming activities based on patent analysis (2002∼2006). Biotechnol Bioproc E 13, 304–312 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12257-007-0092-y

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