GINC Patents
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Critical Technology

Biomanufacturing

The capacity to make with biology: fermentation, cell and gene production platforms, vaccine and biologics manufacture, and the bioprocess technology that turns biological designs into supply. One of the capabilities of Biotechnology & Health Technologies.

International families
71k2015 to 2024
Leading country
United States2.5× the next
All families
218khome filings included
Over five years
Rising2020 to 2024 against the five before

Year by year

Patent families by country of origin and the year of the earliest filing, 2000 to 2025; 2025 is a part year, still filling in. International families are those for which protection was sought beyond one country.

Volume

International patent families in the capability, by the year of the earliest filing.

Source: Global Institute for National Capability (GINC), 2026. Underlying patents from 107 patent offices, IFI CLAIMS and Google

Share by country

Each country's share of the year's international families, in per cent: the capability's five largest countries of origin, 2015 to 2024, and the rest of the world.

Source: Global Institute for National Capability (GINC), 2026. Underlying patents from 107 patent offices, IFI CLAIMS and Google

Country leaderboard

International patent families, 2015 to 2024, by country of origin. Growth compares the latest five full years with the five before.

Ten largest

United States

China

Japan

South Korea

Germany

France

United Kingdom

Switzerland

Canada

Netherlands

25,142

10,048

9,595

4,747

3,497

2,165

2,049

1,722

1,269

1,099

2000 to 2025
1United States25,14235.4%1.0×
29,646
2China10,04814.1%2.2×
131,867
3Japan9,59513.5%0.9×
16,265
4South Korea4,7476.7%1.3×
12,865
5Germany3,4974.9%1.0×
3,928
6France2,1653.0%0.9×
2,414
7United Kingdom2,0492.9%1.0×
2,207
8Switzerland1,7222.4%0.8×
1,819
9Canada1,2691.8%1.0×
1,414
10Netherlands1,0991.5%1.1×
1,191
11Taiwan9321.3%1.1×
1,650
12Denmark8341.2%1.0×
857
13Israel7311.0%1.2×
829
14Belgium7071.0%1.1×
746
15Sweden6100.9%0.9×
651
16Italy6040.9%0.9×
762
17Australia6040.9%1.1×
646
18India5840.8%1.1×
661
19Singapore5700.8%1.3×
594
20Spain5130.7%1.2×
607
21Austria3130.4%1.3×
329
22Finland2570.4%1.1×
284
23Ireland2260.3%0.8×
235
24Türkiye2230.3%1.8×
306
25Brazil1920.3%0.8×
762
26Russia1830.3%1.2×
1,094
27Poland1470.2%1.3×
904
28Norway1440.2%0.8×
151
29Portugal1430.2%1.9×
171
30Mexico900.1%1.0×
388
31New Zealand800.1%1.0×
85
32Hungary780.1%0.8×
110
33Hong Kong750.1%1.9×
111
34Saudi Arabia560.1%0.7×
97
35Czechia550.1%1.8×
120
36Luxembourg510.1%1.1×
59
37Cayman Islands500.1%0.7×
61
38South Africa410.1%0.9×
44
39Malaysia380.1%1.0×
100
40Liechtenstein30.0%2.0×
3

Applicants

The largest applicants by international patent families, 2015 to 2024: across the world, then within each of the five countries with the most families in Biomanufacturing. Names are as held in the source and are not consolidated across subsidiaries.

Global

71,030 international families

UNIV CALIFORNIA · United States

CJ CHEILJEDANG CORP · South Korea

PIONEER HI BRED INT · United States

HOFFMANN LA ROCHE · Switzerland

CENTRE NAT RECH SCIENT · France

INST NAT SANTE RECH MED · France

975

564

526

453

447

389

United States

25,142 international families

UNIV CALIFORNIA

PIONEER HI BRED INT

HARVARD COLLEGE

UNIV LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR

REGENERON PHARMA

UNIV TEXAS

957

526

365

345

304

300

China

10,048 international families

UNIV JIANGNAN

SHENZHEN INST OF ADV TECH CAS

UNIV TSINGHUA

UNIV ZHEJIANG

SHENZHEN INST ADV TECH

MGI TECH CO LTD

306

128

111

111

99

88

Japan

9,595 international families

FUJIFILM CORP

UNIV KYOTO

UNIV OSAKA

KANEKA CORP

UNIV TOKYO

AJINOMOTO KK

380

324

272

231

230

178

South Korea

4,747 international families

CJ CHEILJEDANG CORP

UNIV KOREA RES & BUS FOUND

SEOUL NAT UNIV R&DB FOUNDATION

UNIV YONSEI IACF

DAESANG CORP

KOREA ADVANCED INST SCI & TECH

564

191

176

123

115

112

Germany

3,497 international families

BASF SE

SARTORIUS STEDIM BIOTECH GMBH

EVONIK OPERATIONS GMBH

FRAUNHOFER GES FORSCHUNG

MERCK PATENT GMBH

IMMATICS BIOTECHNOLOGIES GMBH

186

158

143

107

107

101

Similar capabilities

The nine capabilities that share the most international patent families with Biomanufacturing, 2015 to 2024: the families counted in both as a share of those counted in either. Each card shows its five largest countries.

Critical Technology

Synthetic Biology & Genetic Engineering

28.2% shared · 31,960 families in both

United States

China

Japan

South Korea

Germany

31,378

14,103

6,820

3,970

2,703

Critical Technology

Advanced Therapeutics, Vaccines & Medical Countermeasures

20.1% shared · 24,652 families in both

United States

China

Japan

South Korea

Germany

35,382

11,223

4,471

4,072

2,767

Human Capital

Physical Health & Longevity

12.6% shared · 30,835 families in both

United States

China

South Korea

Japan

Germany

77,497

32,383

14,190

14,101

7,671

Critical Technology

Genomics & Biological Data

8.1% shared · 8,295 families in both

United States

China

Japan

South Korea

Germany

17,818

5,444

3,003

2,851

1,616

Human Capital

Nutrition & Preventive Health

5.5% shared · 5,291 families in both

United States

South Korea

China

Japan

Switzerland

7,952

5,251

3,446

3,403

1,203

Human Capital

Knowledge Production

5.3% shared · 5,260 families in both

United States

Japan

Germany

China

South Korea

9,688

6,387

4,131

2,870

1,604

Human Capital

Public Health Functions

5.0% shared · 4,045 families in both

United States

China

Japan

South Korea

Germany

5,511

1,782

1,627

909

600

Production & Innovation

Agrifood & Primary Production

5.0% shared · 9,424 families in both

United States

Japan

China

Germany

South Korea

28,708

17,669

15,613

10,229

9,737

Strategic Infrastructure

Public Health & Laboratories

4.6% shared · 4,077 families in both

United States

Japan

China

Germany

South Korea

7,163

3,632

2,667

1,475

1,202

Crosswalk

How Biomanufacturing is matched to the patent classifications. The entries below were chosen for it; each stands for itself and everything beneath it in the scheme, 582 Cooperative entries in all. A patent family counts when any of its codes, in either scheme and at any office, falls under one of them. Codes since retired are placed under the entries that replaced them.

EntryTitle in the schemeWhy it is chosenCPC codesIPC codesDocuments
C12PFermentation or enzyme-using processes to synthesise a desired chemical compound or composition or to separate optical isomers from a racemic mixtureFermentation and enzyme processes for making compounds1931521,203,535
C12MApparatus for enzymology or microbiology; apparatus for culturing microorganisms for producing biomass, for growing cells or for obtaining fermentation or metabolic products, i.e. bioreactors or fermentersBioreactors, fermenters and cell-culture apparatus26742793,824
C12N5/00Undifferentiated human, animal or plant cells, e.g. cell lines; Tissues; Cultivation or maintenance thereof; Culture media thereforCell lines and cell culture13033585,156
C12N7/00Viruses; Bacteriophages; Compositions thereof; Preparation or purification thereofViruses and viral vectors: preparation and purification76144,545
C07K1/14Extraction; Separation; PurificationProtein extraction and purification1712181,172
C12N5/10Cells modified by introduction of foreign genetic materialLeft out

CPC and IPC codes are the codes in use on patent documents, at any office, that fall under the entry. Documents is the larger of the two schemes' counts of documents carrying one of them. An entry with no IPC codes can be told apart only in the Cooperative scheme.

The Cooperative codes in use that count towards Biomanufacturing: 614 codes on 2,446,791 documents. The 150 most used are listed; the full list is in the cpc-to-capability.csv download.

CodeTitleUnder entryHow placedDocuments
C12N7/00Viruses; Bacteriophages; Compositions thereof; Preparation or purification thereofC12N7/00In the scheme116,981
C12N5/0636T lymphocytesC12N5/00In the scheme62,602
C12P21/02Preparation of peptides or proteins having a known sequence of two or more amino acids, e.g. glutathioneC12PIn the scheme44,605
C12P19/14Preparation of compounds containing saccharide radicals produced by the action of a carbohydrase (EC 3.2.x), e.g. by alpha-amylase, e.g. by cellulase, hemicellulaseC12PIn the scheme30,171
C12P21/00Preparation of peptides or proteinsC12PIn the scheme27,008
C12P19/04Polysaccharides, i.e. compounds containing more than five saccharide radicals attached to each other by glycosidic bondsC12PIn the scheme26,041
C12P19/02MonosaccharidesC12PIn the scheme24,977
C12M21/04Bioreactors or fermenters specially adapted for specific uses for producing gas, e.g. biogasC12MIn the scheme21,741
C12P19/34Polynucleotides, e.g. nucleic acids, oligoribonucleotidesC12PIn the scheme20,531
C12M41/48Automatic or computerized controlC12MIn the scheme20,183
C12P21/06Preparation of peptides or proteins produced by the hydrolysis of a peptide bond, e.g. hydrolysate productsC12PIn the scheme20,079
C12P7/10Ethanol, i.e. non-beverage produced as by-product or from waste or cellulosic material substrate substrate containing cellulosic materialC12PIn the scheme18,668
C12N5/00Undifferentiated human, animal or plant cells, e.g. cell lines; Tissues; Cultivation or maintenance thereof; Culture media thereforC12N5/00In the scheme18,076
C07K1/22Affinity chromatography or related techniques based upon selective absorption processesC07K1/14In the scheme17,807
C12N5/0646Natural killers cells [NK], NKT cellsC12N5/00In the scheme17,473
C12P7/06Ethanol, i.e. non-beverageC12PIn the scheme17,437
C12M27/02Stirrer or mobile mixing elementsC12MIn the scheme17,387
C12N5/0068General culture methods using substratesC12N5/00In the scheme17,275
C12N5/0606Pluripotent embryonic cells, e.g. embryonic stem cells [ES]C12N5/00In the scheme16,641
C12N5/0696Artificially induced pluripotent stem cells, e.g. iPSC12N5/00In the scheme16,486
C12M41/36Means for regulation, monitoring, measurement or control, e.g. flow regulation of concentration of biomass, e.g. colony counters or by turbidity measurementsC12MIn the scheme15,926
C12N5/0693Tumour cells; Cancer cellsC12N5/00In the scheme15,562
C12M23/16Microfluidic devices; Capillary tubesC12MIn the scheme15,416
C12P13/04Alpha- or beta- amino acidsC12PIn the scheme15,050
C12N5/06Animal cells or tissues; Human cells or tissuesC12N5/00In the scheme14,657
C12N5/0647Haematopoietic stem cells; Uncommitted or multipotent progenitorsC12N5/00In the scheme14,617
C12N5/0638Cytotoxic T lymphocytes [CTL] or lymphokine activated killer cells [LAK]C12N5/00In the scheme14,259
C12M23/38Caps; Covers; Plugs; Pouring meansC12MIn the scheme13,947
C12M29/04Filters; Permeable or porous membranes or plates, e.g. dialysisC12MIn the scheme13,888
C12M23/34Internal compartments or partitionsC12MIn the scheme13,785
C12M41/12Means for regulation, monitoring, measurement or control, e.g. flow regulation of temperatureC12MIn the scheme13,635
C12P7/42Hydroxy-carboxylic acidsC12PIn the scheme13,599
C07K1/18Ion-exchange chromatographyC07K1/14In the scheme13,547
C12N5/0018Culture media for cell or tissue cultureC12N5/00In the scheme13,481
C12P7/62Carboxylic acid estersC12PIn the scheme13,393
C07K1/34Extraction; Separation; Purification by filtration, ultrafiltration or reverse osmosisC07K1/14In the scheme13,239
C12M23/48Holding appliances; Racks; SupportsC12MIn the scheme13,145
C12P7/40Preparation of oxygen-containing organic compounds containing a carboxyl group including Peroxycarboxylic acidsC12PIn the scheme12,917
C12M29/06Nozzles; Sprayers; Spargers; DiffusersC12MIn the scheme12,716
C12P13/08Lysine; Diaminopimelic acid; Threonine; ValineC12PIn the scheme12,615
C12N5/0663Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC)C12N5/00In the scheme12,479
C12M21/08Bioreactors or fermenters specially adapted for specific uses for producing artificial tissue or for ex-vivo cultivation of tissueC12MIn the scheme12,356
C07K1/36Extraction; Separation; Purification by a combination of two or more processes of different typesC07K1/14In the scheme12,297
C12P21/005Glycopeptides, glycoproteinsC12PIn the scheme12,277
C12M21/02PhotobioreactorsC12MIn the scheme12,135
C12M23/12Well or multiwell platesC12MIn the scheme11,923
C12M1/00Apparatus for enzymology or microbiologyC12MIn the scheme11,727
C12N5/0602Vertebrate cellsC12N5/00In the scheme11,650
C12M41/34Means for regulation, monitoring, measurement or control, e.g. flow regulation of concentration of gasC12MIn the scheme11,489
C12M29/00Means for introduction, extraction or recirculation of materials, e.g. pumpsC12MIn the scheme11,273
C12M25/14Scaffolds; MatricesC12MIn the scheme11,261
C12M41/46Means for regulation, monitoring, measurement or control, e.g. flow regulation of cellular or enzymatic activity or functionality, e.g. cell viabilityC12MIn the scheme11,260
C12M47/04Cell isolation or sortingC12MIn the scheme11,260
C12P2201/00Pretreatment of cellulosic or lignocellulosic material for subsequent enzymatic treatment or hydrolysisC12PIn the scheme11,206
C07K1/14Extraction; Separation; PurificationC07K1/14In the scheme11,154
C12N5/0619NeuronsC12N5/00In the scheme11,107
C12N5/0634Cells from the blood or the immune systemC12N5/00In the scheme10,762
C12P1/04Preparation of compounds or compositions, not provided for in groups C12P3/00 - C12P39/00, by using microorganisms or enzymes by using bacteriaC12PIn the scheme10,730
C12P7/18Preparation of oxygen-containing organic compounds containing a hydroxy group acyclic polyhydricC12PIn the scheme10,667
C12P19/18Preparation of compounds containing saccharide radicals produced by the action of a glycosyl transferase, e.g. alpha-, beta- or gamma-cyclodextrinsC12PIn the scheme10,444
C12N5/0662Stem cellsC12N5/00In the scheme10,249
C12N5/04Plant cells or tissuesC12N5/00In the scheme10,155
C12P5/023MethaneC12PIn the scheme10,061
C12M23/20Material CoatingsC12MIn the scheme10,060
C12P17/06Oxygen as only ring hetero atoms containing a six-membered hetero ring, e.g. fluoresceinC12PIn the scheme9,744
C12M23/58Reaction vessels connected in series or in parallelC12MIn the scheme9,679
C12P7/16ButanolsC12PIn the scheme9,672
C12M41/00Means for regulation, monitoring, measurement or control, e.g. flow regulationC12MIn the scheme9,635
C12M33/00Means for introduction, transport, positioning, extraction, harvesting, peeling or sampling of biological material in or from the apparatusC12MIn the scheme9,614
C12P7/56Lactic acidC12PIn the scheme9,538
C12P13/02Amides, e.g. chloramphenicol or polyamides; Imides or polyimides; Urethanes, i.e. compounds comprising N-C=O structural element or polyurethanesC12PIn the scheme9,464
C12P7/04Preparation of oxygen-containing organic compounds containing a hydroxy group acyclicC12PIn the scheme9,459
C12N5/0639Dendritic cells, e.g. Langherhans cells in the epidermisC12N5/00In the scheme9,403
C12M35/02Electrical or electromagnetic means, e.g. for electroporation or for cell fusionC12MIn the scheme9,236
C07K1/16Extraction; Separation; Purification by chromatographyC07K1/14In the scheme9,191
C12N5/0686Kidney cellsC12N5/00In the scheme9,138
C12N5/0668Mesenchymal stem cells from other natural sourcesC12N5/00In the scheme8,824
C12N5/0667Adipose-derived stem cells [ADSC]; Adipose stromal stem cellsC12N5/00In the scheme8,752
C12M29/10PerfusionC12MIn the scheme8,692
C12P19/26Preparation of nitrogen-containing carbohydratesC12PIn the scheme8,650
C12M33/04Means for introduction, transport, positioning, extraction, harvesting, peeling or sampling of biological material in or from the apparatus by injection or suction, e.g. using pipettes, syringes, needlesC12MIn the scheme8,536
C12M25/02Membranes; FiltersC12MIn the scheme8,526
C12N5/0062General methods for three-dimensional cultureC12N5/00In the scheme8,478
C12M45/02Means for pre-treatment of biological substances by mechanical forces; Stirring; Trituration; ComminutingC12MIn the scheme8,406
C12P13/001Amines; IminesC12PIn the scheme8,386
C12P3/00Preparation of elements or inorganic compounds except carbon dioxideC12PIn the scheme8,368
C12M23/22Transparent or translucent partsC12MIn the scheme8,364
C12M1/34Measuring or testing with condition measuring or sensing means, e.g. colony countersC12MIn the scheme8,360
C12N5/0676Pancreatic cellsC12N5/00In the scheme8,353
C12P2203/00Fermentation products obtained from optionally pretreated or hydrolyzed cellulosic or lignocellulosic material as the carbon sourceC12PIn the scheme8,322
C12M33/14Means for introduction, transport, positioning, extraction, harvesting, peeling or sampling of biological material in or from the apparatus with filters, sieves or membranesC12MIn the scheme8,308
C12M41/26Means for regulation, monitoring, measurement or control, e.g. flow regulation of pHC12MIn the scheme8,117
C12N5/0657Cardiomyocytes; Heart cellsC12N5/00In the scheme8,089
C12M29/18External loop; Means for reintroduction of fermented biomass or liquid percolateC12MIn the scheme8,069
C12N5/0623Stem cellsC12N5/00In the scheme7,965
C12M41/40Means for regulation, monitoring, measurement or control, e.g. flow regulation of pressureC12MIn the scheme7,934
C12M47/02Separating microorganisms from the culture medium; Concentration of biomassC12MIn the scheme7,821
C12M23/14BagsC12MIn the scheme7,772
C12M3/00Tissue, human, animal or plant cell, or virus culture apparatusC12MIn the scheme7,765
C12P17/10Nitrogen as only ring hetero atomC12PIn the scheme7,540
C12P7/6472Glycerides containing polyunsaturated fatty acid [PUFA] residues, i.e. having two or more double bonds in their backboneC12PIn the scheme7,499
C12P1/00Preparation of compounds or compositions, not provided for in groups C12P3/00 - C12P39/00, by using microorganisms or enzymesC12PIn the scheme7,444
C12P7/64Fats; Fatty oils; Ester-type waxes; Higher fatty acids, i.e. having at least seven carbon atoms in an unbroken chain bound to a carboxyl group; Oxidised oils or fatsC12PIn the scheme7,428
C12N5/0697Artificial constructs associating cells of different lineages, e.g. tissue equivalentsC12N5/00In the scheme7,399
C12P13/06Alanine; Leucine; Isoleucine; Serine; HomoserineC12PIn the scheme7,357
C12M35/04Mechanical means, e.g. sonic waves, stretching forces, pressure or shear stimuliC12MIn the scheme7,344
C12N5/0656Adult fibroblastsC12N5/00In the scheme7,269
C12N5/067HepatocytesC12N5/00In the scheme7,243
C12P7/625Polyesters of hydroxy carboxylic acidsC12PIn the scheme7,228
C12N5/0682Cells of the female genital tract, e.g. endometrium; Non-germinal cells from ovaries, e.g. ovarian follicle cellsC12N5/00In the scheme7,182
C12M23/08Flask, bottle or test tubeC12MIn the scheme7,160
C12N5/0607Non-embryonic pluripotent stem cells, e.g. MASCC12N5/00In the scheme7,106
C12P19/12DisaccharidesC12PIn the scheme6,998
C12P19/00Preparation of compounds containing saccharide radicalsC12PIn the scheme6,923
C12M37/00Means for sterilizing, maintaining sterile conditions or avoiding chemical or biological contaminationC12MIn the scheme6,889
C12P7/6409Fatty acidsC12PIn the scheme6,851
C12P19/44Preparation of O-glycosides, e.g. glucosidesC12PIn the scheme6,848
C12M41/14Incubators; Climatic chambersC12MIn the scheme6,811
C12P7/22Preparation of oxygen-containing organic compounds containing a hydroxy group aromaticC12PIn the scheme6,807
C12M23/10Petri dishC12MIn the scheme6,723
C12P7/02Preparation of oxygen-containing organic compounds containing a hydroxy groupC12PIn the scheme6,707
C12M47/10Separation or concentration of fermentation productsC12MIn the scheme6,698
C12P23/00Preparation of compounds containing a cyclohexene ring having an unsaturated side chain containing at least ten carbon atoms bound by conjugated double bonds, e.g. carotenesC12PIn the scheme6,691
C12N5/0645Macrophages, e.g. Kuepfer cells in the liver; MonocytesC12N5/00In the scheme6,678
C12P7/6463Glycerides obtained from glyceride producing microorganisms, e.g. single cell oilC12PIn the scheme6,627
C12P7/065Ethanol, i.e. non-beverage with microorganisms other than yeastsC12PIn the scheme6,540
C07K1/145Extraction; Separation; Purification by extraction or solubilisationC07K1/14In the scheme6,338
C12N5/0605Cells from extra-embryonic tissues, e.g. placenta, amnion, yolk sac, Wharton's jellyC12N5/00In the scheme6,337
C12P7/46Dicarboxylic acids having four or less carbon atoms, e.g. fumaric acid, maleic acidC12PIn the scheme6,324
C12N5/0637Immunosuppressive T lymphocytes, e.g. regulatory T cells or TregC12N5/00In the scheme6,280
C12M23/44Multiple separable units; ModulesC12MIn the scheme6,259
C12N5/0655Chondrocytes; CartilageC12N5/00In the scheme6,256
C12N5/069Vascular Endothelial cellsC12N5/00In the scheme6,198
C12M23/06TubularC12MIn the scheme6,177
C12P1/02Preparation of compounds or compositions, not provided for in groups C12P3/00 - C12P39/00, by using microorganisms or enzymes by using fungiC12PIn the scheme6,170
C12M23/26Constructional details, e.g. recesses, hinges flexibleC12MIn the scheme6,143
C12P7/26KetonesC12PIn the scheme6,073
C12P7/6427Polyunsaturated fatty acids [PUFA], i.e. having two or more double bonds in their backboneC12PIn the scheme6,036
C12P17/04Oxygen as only ring hetero atoms containing a five-membered hetero ring, e.g. griseofulvin, vitamin CC12PIn the scheme5,947
C12M37/04SealsC12MIn the scheme5,934
C12N5/0621Eye cells, e.g. cornea, iris pigmented cellsC12N5/00In the scheme5,912
C12M23/02Form or structure of the vesselC12MIn the scheme5,881
C12P19/24Preparation of compounds containing saccharide radicals produced by the action of an isomerase, e.g. fructoseC12PIn the scheme5,810
C12P33/00Preparation of steroidsC12PIn the scheme5,788
C12P17/12Nitrogen as only ring hetero atom containing a six-membered hetero ringC12PIn the scheme5,751
C07K1/20Partition-, reverse-phase or hydrophobic interaction chromatographyC07K1/14In the scheme5,699
C12P39/00Processes involving microorganisms of different genera in the same process, simultaneouslyC12PIn the scheme5,614
C12P7/54Acetic acidC12PIn the scheme5,609
C12M41/32Means for regulation, monitoring, measurement or control, e.g. flow regulation of concentration of substances in solutionC12MIn the scheme5,569
C12M29/20Degassing; Venting; Bubble trapsC12MIn the scheme5,548
Match: Direct
The capability is itself a technology or a kind of physical system, and the classification names it. Genetically modified cells (C12N5/10) are counted under Synthetic Biology & Genetic Engineering. The crosswalk is a first pass that nobody has reviewed.

Other capabilities in Biotechnology & Health Technologies