However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilizing and reaching maturity.

Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.

80+ innovations will shape the pharmaceutical industry

According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the pharmaceutical industry using innovation intensity models built on over 730,000 patents, there are 80+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.

Within the emerging innovation stage, engineered multispecific antibodies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and mutant DNA polymerases are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Peptide pharmacophores, antibody-drug conjugates, and neuroprotective drugs are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are amyloid precursor targeted therapies and modified vector HIV-1 vaccines, which are now well established in the industry.

Innovation S-curve for the pharmaceutical industry

Cyclodextrin drug conjugates is a key innovation area in the pharmaceutical industry

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are polysaccharides formed by biodegrading starch using glucanotransferase enzyme. They are obtained in three different forms – alpha-CD, beta-CD, and gamma-CD. CDs are used where an encapsulation application is required for a pharmaceutical agent as they can host active molecules through their internal hydrophobic cavities. CDs also help in masking and prolonging the half-life of drugs used in the treatment of cancer.

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 175+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established pharmaceutical companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of cyclodextrin drug conjugates.

Key players in cyclodextrin drug conjugates – a disruptive innovation in the pharmaceutical 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 cyclodextrin drug conjugates

Axsome Therapeutics is the leading patent filer in cyclodextrin drug conjugates. Axsome Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes therapies for the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Axsome is headquartered in New York, US.

In terms of application diversity, Aurea Biolabs is the top company, followed by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Roquette Freres.

By means of geographic reach, Ligand Pharmaceuticals holds the top position, while Biodexa Pharmaceuticals and Zhejiang Jiuzhou Pharmaceutical stand in second and third positions, respectively.

To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the pharmaceutical industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Pharmaceutical.

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.