Patent Landscape of Fiber-Based Fabrication Technologies for Functional Biomaterials: Electrospinning, Forcespinning® and Melt Electrowriting in Tissue Engineering and Drug Delivery (2020 to 2024)

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the patent landscape of fiber-based fabrication technologies from 2020 to 2024, highlighting trends in innovation and applications in tissue engineering and drug delivery.

Contribution

The study provides the first systematic patentometric analysis of electrospinning, Forcespinning®, and melt electrowriting technologies.

Findings

Patent activity increased until 2022 before a slight decline.

China dominates the landscape with 62% of applications, led by academic institutions like Shanghai University.

Electrospinning is the most active and influential technology in the field.

Abstract

Electrospinning, Forcespinning®, and melt electrowriting are becoming increasingly important fiber-based fabrication technologies for tissue engineering and drug delivery applications. Despite their scientific and industrial relevance, their patent landscape has not been systematically examined, which limits the understanding of technological dynamics and translational applications. This study addresses this gap through a patentometric analysis conducted within a Competitive Technology Intelligence framework. A total of 3557 active and granted Extended Patent Families from 2020 to 2024 were analyzed to identify temporal patterns, geographic distribution, key innovators, industrial sectors, and primary application areas. The results showed that the overall patent activity increased until 2022 before experiencing a slight decline. China dominates the landscape, accounting for approximately 62% of applications filed, largely driven by academic institutions such as Shanghai University. Leading industries include special-purpose machinery, medical and dental technology, and textiles. According to International Patent Classification codes, filament formation (D01D5/00) is prevalent, while electrospinning—specifically IPC D04H1/728—represents the most active and influential of the three technologies. These findings exhibit the technological dynamics shaping fiber-based fabrication platforms and underscore their growing relevance in pharmaceutical innovation. The identified trends position these technologies as foundational for next-generation biomaterial design, offering valuable insights for researchers, industry stakeholders, and policymakers.

Figures