Share this article

The medical devices industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by increased need for homecare, preventative treatments, early diagnosis, reducing patient recovery times and improving outcomes, 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 450,000 patents filed and granted in the medical devices industry.  , according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in Medical Devices: Syringe pump controls. Buy the report here.

Smarter leaders trust GlobalData

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 stabilising 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. 

150+ 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 550,000 patents, there are 150+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry. 

Within the emerging innovation stage, neurostimulation therapy, smart physiotherapy devices, and real-time IR thermographic imaging are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Precision radiotherapy, electric atomisers, and bio-active prosthesis coating are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are bioresorbable stent coating and cryogenic tissue treatment, which are now well established in the industry. 

Innovation S-curve for the medical devices industry 

Syringe pump controls is a key innovation area in the medical devices industry 

Syringe pumps are battery-powered devices that precisely control the fluid movement from a syringe at a set rate into the patient’s body by mechanically inserting or retracting the plunger. They are preferred when oral routes cannot be used to deliver medications. 

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 syringe pump controls. 

Key players in syringe pump controls – a disruptive innovation in the medical devices industry  

‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators. 

‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’. 

Patent volumes related to syringe pump controls

Company Total patents (2010 - 2022) Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies
Becton Dickinson and Co 353 Unlock Company Profile
Johnson & Johnson 154 Unlock Company Profile
Teleflex 101 Unlock Company Profile
Terumo 78 Unlock Company Profile
Windgap Medical 68 Unlock Company Profile
UnitedHealth Group 62 Unlock Company Profile
Sanofi 50 Unlock Company Profile
Kimberly-Clark 46 Unlock Company Profile
Medtronic 45 Unlock Company Profile
Boston Scientific 43 Unlock Company Profile
Ferrosan Medical Devices 39 Unlock Company Profile
AccuVein 36 Unlock Company Profile
AbbVie 30 Unlock Company Profile
Baxter International 29 Unlock Company Profile
Grifols 29 Unlock Company Profile
Recipharm 25 Unlock Company Profile
Waypoint Capital Holdings (Jersey) 25 Unlock Company Profile
Medical Components 23 Unlock Company Profile
Intarcia Therapeutics 21 Unlock Company Profile
Massachusetts General Hospital 21 Unlock Company Profile
Sewon Cellontech 21 Unlock Company Profile
Fresenius 20 Unlock Company Profile
Arsenal Medical 18 Unlock Company Profile
Stryker 17 Unlock Company Profile
Intellectual Ventures Management 16 Unlock Company Profile
CSL 15 Unlock Company Profile
Sulzer 15 Unlock Company Profile
Beta Bionics 14 Unlock Company Profile
Nordson 14 Unlock Company Profile
Avanos Medical 14 Unlock Company Profile
Actuated Medical 14 Unlock Company Profile
Novartis 14 Unlock Company Profile
Smiths Group 14 Unlock Company Profile
ICU Medical 14 Unlock Company Profile
Texas Medical Center 13 Unlock Company Profile
ERBE Elektromedizin 13 Unlock Company Profile
B. Braun Melsungen 13 Unlock Company Profile
Heartseed 12 Unlock Company Profile
Pajunk 12 Unlock Company Profile
SHL Group 12 Unlock Company Profile
Heraeus Holding 11 Unlock Company Profile
Carl Zeiss Stiftung 11 Unlock Company Profile
Zimmer Biomet Holdings 11 Unlock Company Profile
Samyang Holdings 10 Unlock Company Profile
Merit Medical Systems 10 Unlock Company Profile
410 Medical 10 Unlock Company Profile
Presage Biosciences 10 Unlock Company Profile
Avantor 10 Unlock Company Profile
Puretech Health 9 Unlock Company Profile
Piper Access 9 Unlock Company Profile

Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics

Becton Dickinson is one of the leading patent filers in the field of syringe pump controls. Some other key patent filers in the field include Johnson & Johnson and Teleflex

In terms of application diversity, Sewon Cellontech leads the pack, followed by Kimberly-Clark and Ferrosan Medical Devices. By means of geographic reach, Kimberly-Clark holds the top position, followed by Waypoint Capital Holdings (Jersey) and Massachusetts General Hospital in second and third spots, respectively. 

Syringe pumps are distinguished by their responsiveness and stability. They are used to minimize errors during fluid delivery and provide flexibility based on the application. Advancements in technology would allow for cost-effective syringe pumps with variable flow rates. This would allow automated real-time control of fluid delivery into the patient’s body as per metabolic requirements. 

To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the medical devices industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Medical Devices

Premium Insights

From

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Blending expert knowledge with cutting-edge technology, GlobalData’s unrivalled proprietary data will enable you to decode what’s happening in your market. You can make better informed decisions and gain a future-proof advantage over your competitors.

GlobalData

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.