15th October 2018 - New research has pointed to a decline in the number of new point-of-care technologies being created to diagnose infectious disease and identify pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), amid a concerning lack of innovation and investment.

Coinciding with the World Health Summit in Berlin, a comprehensive study of patent filings(1) was undertaken by IP firm Marks & Clerk and CPA Global for Nesta’s Longitude Prize. The study reveals a year-on-year decline in patent filings for point-of-care diagnostics to tackle infectious disease and detect pathogens and AMR through 2014 and 2015(2).

Following a dip in innovation as a possible result of the financial crisis of 2008, patent filings reached their highest levels for the past decade in 2014, with 118 patents for point-of-care diagnostics for infectious disease filed globally. By 2015 this figure had dropped significantly to 94 patents.

The global market for point-of-care diagnostics for infectious disease, and particularly those looking to tackle AMR, remains in its infancy. Most diagnostics are routinely done in a laboratory setting so that the introduction of a new point-of-care diagnostic requires the creation of new markets.

Much of the recent new funding in AMR has been allocated for early research into new antibiotics and so far funds to support diagnostics have been limited.

Paul Chapman, Partner, Marks & Clerk and member of Longitude Prize advisory panel, said: “The role of medtech in delivering quicker and more reliable diagnoses, and the impact this can have in tackling AMR, is often underestimated. It’s encouraging therefore to see that there is a great deal of innovation in this space.

“Nevertheless, that we have seen a dip in filings over the past two years in which data is available, after seeing steady growth in the years prior, is surprising. Patent filing figures are often seen as a gauge of the health of any market, and it’s crucial that AMR remains a focus for businesses and regulators.”

In 2017 the World Health Organisation (WHO) published a list of 12 ‘priority pathogens’, which will be central to the fight against AMR. Patents filed subsequent to the publication of this list will not yet appear in the data, but the report shows there is already a good deal of activity directed at these pathogens.

The Longitude Prize has been designed to incentivise innovation in rapid tests to reduce antibiotic resistance using Nesta’s challenge prize methodology. Currently 75 diagnostic developers from 14 countries are competing to win an £8 million prize.

Launched in 2014, the prize aims to foster innovation in globally accessible, affordable, rapid and accurate point-of-care diagnostic devices to help reduce the inappropriate prescribing of antimicrobial drugs.

Daniel Berman, Lead, Global Health Team at the Challenge Prize Centre, said:

“The fact that patents on AMR diagnostics are slowing is concerning but another equally important challenge for test makers is the dearth of available grants and venture capital funding for tests that will reduce and improve the use of antibiotics.

“The report also speaks about the need to create a market for these products. It recommends that governments and aid funders ring-fence funds for purchase rapid diagnostic tests. Without reducing the unnecessary use of antibiotics through better testing, experts say it will be impossible to slow resistance and ensure the availability of antibiotics that work.”

The study showed that industry leads the way with almost two-thirds of patent filings. A number of academic institutions are particularly active, nine of the top ten of which are in the US - led by the University of California, Harvard University and John Hopkins University. The other institution in the top ten is the University of Edinburgh in the UK.

The US continues to lead the way with 60 per cent of patent families with inventions in this area. The UK is the second largest source for developments in this field with eight per cent, followed by Europe (six per cent), Japan (four per cent), Korea (three per cent) and China (two per cent).

The research uncovered a general downward trend in filings in the UK, Korea, Japan and via the European Patent Convention, whereas there was an upward trend in South Africa, China and Australia.

Unsurprisingly, there has been a recent increase in filings for mobile phone-led technology and hand-held devices, 44 per cent of which have been filed within the past five years. Mobile technology is crucial for the advent of in-field and at-home testing, as it promises diagnostics that can reach remote areas, without the need for laboratory testing or complex and expensive equipment.

The report, ‘Innovation in AMR: patent trends for novel diagnostics’, can be viewed and downloaded here: https://longitudeprize.org/sites/longitude/files/content/attachments/2018-10-12/Patent%20report%20FINAL.pdf

Ends

For media enquiries and interview requests please contact Anna Zabow in Nesta’s press office on 020 7438 2697 or [email protected]

Notes to Editors

1. Research for the report, ‘Innovation in AMR: patent trends for novel diagnostics’, was undertaken by CPA Global, a leading Intellectual Property (IP) management and intellectual property technology company. A team from Marks & Clerk, comprising Paul Chapman, Rebecca Brooks and Laura Carney then carried out further analysis of the data. This analysis aimed to identify the key trends within the data, and is the basis of this report.
2. Full patent filing figures for 2016 and 2017 are not yet available due to the 18-month delay in publication.
3. Daniel Berman, Lead, Global Health Team at the Challenge Prize Centre, and Paul Chapman, Partner, Marks & Clerk and member of Longitude Prize advisory panel are available for interview.

About the Longitude Prize

The Longitude Prize is managed by the Global Health Team at the Challenge Prize Centre (CPC) at Nesta. The CPC was established to increase practical evidence and understanding about challenge prizes so they can be used effectively by governments, charities and businesses to have a tangible positive impact on society. The CPC designs and manages prizes on behalf of clients. challengeprizecentre.org

Nesta is a global innovation foundation. We back new ideas to tackle the big challenges of our time, making use of our knowledge, networks, funding and skills. We work in partnership with others, including governments, businesses and charities. We are a UK charity that works all over the world, supported by a financial endowment. To find out more visit www.nesta.org.uk

Nesta is a registered charity in England and Wales 1144091 and Scotland SC042833.

About Marks & Clerk

Marks & Clerk is the leading and largest firm of Patent and Trade Mark attorneys in the UK with over 60 partners and 350 employees across 8 UK offices. Across our network we have offices in 8 international locations in the EU, Asia and Canada. We offer excellent IP protection and business advice locally, nationally and internationally. Our clients enjoy a uniquely comprehensive service tailored to their individual needs.

About CPA Global

CPA Global is the world’s leading IP management and technology company. We offer customers The IP Platform: delivering integrated Innovation and IP Portfolio software, services and insights across the entire Idea Lifecycle, supporting customers every step of the way to realise the value of their ideas. IP One Data is at the heart of The IP Platform – empowering our customers with comprehensive, verified and reliable data. We are trusted by many of the world’s leading corporations and law firms, and backed by a global team of more than 2,000 passionate and visionary people.http://www.cpaglobal.com