The medical devices industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by increased need for homecare, preventative treatments, early diagnosis, reducing patient recovery times and improving outcome, as well as a growing importance in technologies such as machine learning, augmented reality, 5G and digitalization. In the last three years alone, there have been over 710,000 patents filed and granted in the medical devices industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in medical: intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) devices. Buy the report here.
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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.
30+ innovations will shape the medical devices industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the medical devices industry using innovation intensity models built on over 155,000 patents, there are 30+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, neuromodulation implants, shapeable guide catheters, and biopotential signal monitoring are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Fall detection monitoring, ingestible sensors, and biofeedback wearables are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are CPR assistance devices and bioabsorbable coated implants, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the medical devices industry
Intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) devices is a key innovation area in the medical devices industry
Also known as sequential compression devices, intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) devices consist of inflatable sleeves wrapped that are around the leg cuffs to apply pressure against the limb by expansion and contraction. These devices are usually prescribed after related illness or surgery as they support circulation and help prevent blood clots and deep vein thrombosis, potentially replacing the blood-thinning oral drugs.
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 70+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established medical devices companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of IPC devices.
Key players in intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) devices – a disruptive innovation in the medical devices 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 intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) devices
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Medtronic Plc | 217 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Cardinal Health Inc | 145 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Arjo AB | 55 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Tactile Systems Technology Inc | 32 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ConvaTec Group Plc | 31 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Avex LLC | 30 | Unlock Company Profile |
| 3M Co | 27 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Baxter International Inc | 24 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ThermoTek, Inc. | 18 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Lite Run Inc | 17 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Recovery Force LLC | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Koya Medical Inc | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mego Afek AC Ltd | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Radial Medical Inc | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Koya Inc | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Academia Sinica | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| medi GmbH & Co KG | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ResMed Inc | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Caremed Supply, Inc. | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Reactive Robotics GmbH | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Otivio AS | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Diabetic Boot Company Limited | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Vyaire Medical Inc | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Trere' Innovation Srl | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| HyperIce Inc | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| IMPACT Therapeutics Inc | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Becton Dickinson and Co | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Essity AB | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Maldonado Medical LLC | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| TTP PLC | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| MJS Healthcare Ltd | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Griffiths and Nielsen Ltd. | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ventrk, Inc. | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| NIKE Inc | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Forval Corp | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Zenith Technical Innovations Inc | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Toyota Motor Corp | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Bio Compression Systems Inc | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Investor AB | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Innovamed Health LLC | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Avex Inc | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Savencia SA | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| FlowAid Ltd | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Co | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| CareFusion Corp | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Compression Kinetics | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Dimedi Co Ltd | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| TheraNova LLC | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nitto Kohki Co Ltd | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Medtronic is the leading patent filer in the field of IPC devices. Some other key patent filers in the field include Cardinal Health, Arjo, and Tactile Systems Technology.
In terms of application diversity, Trere' Innovation leads the pack, followed by Diabetic Boot Company and 3M. By geographic reach, Arjo holds the top position, followed by Academia Sinica and medi in second and third spots, respectively.
Besides increasing blood flow and preventing blood clots, IPC devices also find application in the after-stroke treatment and treating lymphedema. These devices are medically necessary upon discharge in cases vulnerable to deep vein thrombosis, especially for immobile patients. Undoubtedly, it is an inexpensive and convenient technology, that is likely to gain a lot of popularity in the coming years.
The use of pneumatic compression therapy amongst athletes has also been increasing due to the benefits they offer for sports injuries. The market is driven by a variety of factors including the rapidly ageing global population, coupled with the rising prevalence of venous diseases which stem from obesity as well as lifestyles that are progressively more sedentary.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the medical devices industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Medical Devices.
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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.
