Innovation against cancer
Cancer touches millions of lives, families and communities. One in twenty Europeans will experience cancer firsthand. Innovation can give us hope for the future - advanced technologies, medicines and treatments from both the public and private sector save millions of lives every year. And new inventions are essential.
To better understand the technological trends in this area, map new technologies and help researchers, industry leaders and policymakers support innovation, the Observatory actively tracks this topic using the EPO's world-class patent data and information.
Dive in
New frontiers in oncology: an evolving innovation ecosystem
Check out the latest economic study on cancer technology for insight into the breakthrough technology fields marking the future of innovation in this area, as well as the role of startups in health tech.
Technology platform on technologies combatting cancer
Find thousands of patent applications on technologies against cancer classified by field. This curated platform makes it easy for researchers and inventors to find the latest inventions by area.
Find hundreds of European startups in cancer tech
Use Deep Tech Finder to discover startups and universities with European patent applications, classified by field of technology, including over 20 fields active in the fight against cancer.
Progress in the fight against cancer
Over five million
lives saved in the EU since 1998 thanks to new cancer diagnostic and treatment technologies
70%
surge in innovation against cancer since 2015
Almost 1 500
European startups have filed European patent applications in technologies against cancer
Q&A – Insights from the EPO
- What are the key growing fields?
Patent data helps to identify the 28 technology fields involved in the fight against cancer by growth, maturity and size.
We find that young technologies such as healthcare informatics, image analysis, liquid biopsies, immunotherapy with antibodies, cellular immunotherapy, immunotherapy with small molecule immunomodulators, non-coding nucleic acids and gene therapy are some of the fasting growing technologies. Some more mature ones such as well-established immunotherapy approaches and certain physical treatments, including photodynamic therapy as well as technologies used as alternative prevention (e.g. extracts from plants and animal tissue) are among the highest growing fields.
- How much have innovations to combat cancer grown over the last years?
Since 2015, patent applications in oncology have grown over 70%, higher than the overall growth of patent applications.
Indeed, data shows that there has been a significant acceleration in cancer-related innovation in recent years. Cancer-related international patent families constitute 3% of all worldwide patenting.
- What countries are driving growth?
Since 2015, growth in cancer-related patenting activity was primarily driven by US applicants, who have consolidated their dominance in cancer-related innovation and account for 44.6% of all cancer-related international patent families (IPFs) between 2010 and 2021. Europe and China are also seeing growth in their IPF numbers.
However, in the fields with more growth (e.g. gene therapy or liquid biopsies), it is China that is driving innovation. Europe and Japan have lost significant worldwide shares in these top technologies, while the US has maintained its shares.
- How many startups are there with patent applications in oncology?
Europe has the most startups with patent applications in innovation against cancer: almost 1 500 startups are based in Europe, compared with 1 325 in the US. Within Europe, the UK has 290 startups, France 246 and Germany 208.
However, while Europe has more startups in the seed and early growth phases, many more US startups scale up to the late growth stage. Nearly 40% of US cancer-related startups have reached this advanced stage, compared with just 24% in the EU and fewer than 27% in other EPO member states. This is also reflected in their respective patent portfolios; US oncology startups hold nearly twice as many patents as their European counterparts.
- How can I use patent information as a cancer researcher?
Patents provide rich insights into the technologies on the market and those with potential to be launched, but also about the state of research in a particular field. As academic publications, they contain useful information that can be used as academic papers as past literature and solutions.
The EPO technology platforms are free online collections of patent documents that make it easier to navigate by technology field, as they are prepared by EPO patent examiners and experts from national patent offices of EPO member states.
The Technologies combatting cancer platform contains thousands of patents from all over the world classified in 4 categories.
Publications
Dive into a collection of economic studies and insightful reports focused on technologies against cancer.
This study focuses on the most promising fields of oncology innovation. Europe faces fresh competition in the fastest-growing fields of cancer innovation, but is the global leader in oncology startups.
Patents and innovation against cancer This study provides the most comprehensive investigation of cancer-related patenting up to this point in time, spanning a broad range of technologies that underpin developments in the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and, ultimately, curing of the collections of diseases that are covered by the umbrella term of cancer.
This technology insight report demonstrates the application of patent information to gain insights into the field of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell Immunotherapy (CAR T-cell Immunotherapy).
Innovation case studies
Explore a series of innovation case studies showcasing how companies have successfully leveraged intellectual property in the field of oncology. These real-world examples highlight the role of IP in driving growth, securing funding and fostering innovation.
Two scientists-turned-entrepreneurs have advanced a technology platform for immunology vaccines, enabling treatments for allergies and cancer.
Collaboration between two Irish professors resulted in a new multi-parameter prognostic test for early-stage breast cancer that helps clinicians to confidently determine best treatment options.
The company has taken a patented technology with applications in biological and medical imaging and used it to create a new medical device for real-time diagnosis of lesions from all types of skin conditions, including skin cancer.
Tools
Find startups and investors in your field
The Deep Tech Finder is your gateway to exploring Europe's innovation landscape. Designed for investors, researchers, startups and universities, this free tool connects you with key players in cutting-edge technology fields.
Technology platform on technologies combatting cancer
Find thousands of patent applications on technologies against cancer classified by field. This curated platform makes it easy for researchers and inventors to find the latest inventions by area.
Podcasts
Combatting cancer: How the surge in innovation is saving lives
The EPO's latest study reveals massive global advances in diagnostics and treatments, with universities and public research institutes playing a major role.
Insights into the medical technology boom
The talk highlights the significant increase in patent applications in medical technologies over the past decade emphasizing the role of interdisciplinary collaboration, advancements in material science as well as the role of robotics and AI in driving innovation.
Events
Past events organised by the Observatory
Explore the events we hosted and watch video recaps.
