What's the best way to spot and use patents in your R&D domain?

I used to work in the regulatory affairs department of a generic pharmaceutical manufacturing company, this department is the connection between all departments of the company with each other and with the authorities. Our mission was to introduce cost-effective generic drugs. We used to face the challenge of enhancing a brand-name drug's formula. We needed to not only add different excipients but also improve the overall formula. This required vigorous research and development efforts to create a product that was both legally compliant and potentially more effective. This emphasizes the importance of R&D and regulatory expertise in the generic pharmaceutical industry.

In my opinion spotting and using patents in your R&D domain is like discovering hidden treasure chests in the vast sea of innovation. Dive deep into patent databases, chart your course through prior art, and navigate the waters of intellectual property to unlock the riches of knowledge and inspiration for your research voyage!

I think clear objectives save a lot of time during the patents search. Once the objective/s is/are defined, I find it useful by revisiting the same objective/s and amending it if required after the extensive patent database search. This could be one of the solutions I find practical to make claims broad and more enriched.

Knowing the state of the art is necessary before starting every research plan. It is essential to carry out a broad search for everything that involves your object of study, and it is clear that patents are a valuable source of information for those who wish to work in R&D with innovation. This way, you can get to know your object's state of the art and map out what needs to be improved, increased, or even invented on the topic. In addition to being a good source of inspiration, it also helps to build methodological trajectories. I always point out that patents are a valuable database for researchers.

Navigating specialized patent databases can greatly assist in pinpointing the exact patent relevant to the objective. For example, I find it useful to search patents related to the particular chemical entity (structure-based search), my go to source is Scifinder database, which gives list of patents related to chemical structure, ultimately present with overall picture of advancement in this field. In addition, finding all the top competitors in the field and their patents, finding out the citations received for their technology gives you an edge. Also, I think innovators need to use several databases before drawing any conclusions as you may yield distinct research results by using different databases.

In my experience, Patent databases and search engines are like the treasure maps of the digital age, leading intrepid innovators to the hidden gems of human ingenuity. Dive into these virtual seas of knowledge, and you'll uncover a wealth of insights and inspiration for your creative endeavors!

To conduct an optimized search on patent platforms, you must clearly define your research object and devise strategies to map the information. It is worth highlighting that coverage in specific regions or countries in the patent market also determines the type of patents that will be more available in a given area of knowledge. So, plan well and get to work!

The ideal would be to use tools and AI to facilitate this step, help with the classification and catalog, and create your bibliography. The abstract will always provide valuable information but will only give you a narrow view of what the patent covers or the methodology used, so if you find it interesting when reading the abstract, you will have to analyze the material in its entirety.

In my opinion, to visualize patent trends, there are several steps one can take. For example, after performing data cleaning and preparation (which involves using a relevant database, defining search criteria, conducting keyword searches, and applying filters and classifications), the data could be exported into a spreadsheet. From there, one can conduct time-series analysis, geographical analysis, assignee (or inventor) analysis, and technological analysis. This provides a reasonably good understanding of current technologies and hot areas of research.

By mapping the state of the art, you can base and justify your project, assemble the action plan, leave the objectives well-defined, and identify paths and metrics for each stage.

Unlocking the secrets of patents in your R&D domain is akin to discovering constellations in the night sky – each patent is a star, and the right insights will guide your research ship through the vast ocean of innovation. By meticulously scanning the patent universe, you'll navigate towards the brightest stars, finding the insights that illuminate your path to groundbreaking discoveries…