C12 BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
Classification Context
- Section:
- CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- Class:
- BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
Description
C12 covers biochemical processes and biotechnological applications, including fermentation-based production of beverages (beer, spirits, wine, vinegar), microbial cultivation and microbiology, enzyme technology, and genetic modification techniques. The class encompasses both traditional fermentation industries and modern biotechnology involving microorganisms, enzyme catalysis, and DNA manipulation for industrial and research purposes. This classification excludes purely chemical synthesis processes (covered under C07) and focuses on biological systems and living organism-based transformations.
Filing statistics
IPC C12 recorded 1,434,985 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 12 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 95,294 in 2013 to 151,603 in 2023 (+59%), peaking at 160,019 applications in 2022. The most active applicants in class C12 are CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (10,330 applications), HARVARD UNIVERSITY (7,308 applications) and UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (6,383 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
In class comparison
C12 comprises 12 subclasses with filings; the largest is C12N with 45.3% of the class's 1,434,985 applications between 2013 and 2023.
| Rank | Subclass | Title | Applications | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C12N, Microorganisms or Enzymes; Compositions Thereof; Propagating, Preserving, or Maintaining Microorganisms; Mutation or Genetic Engineering; Culture Media | Microorganisms or Enzymes; Compositions Thereof; Propagating, Preserving, or Maintaining Microorganisms; Mutation or Genetic Engineering; Culture Media | 650,624 | 45.3% |
| 2 | C12Q, Measuring or Testing Processes Involving Enzymes, Nucleic Acids or Microorganisms; Compositions or Test Papers Therefor; Processes of Preparing Such Compositions; Condition-Responsive Control in Microbiological or Enzymological Processes | Measuring or Testing Processes Involving Enzymes, Nucleic Acids or Microorganisms; Compositions or Test Papers Therefor; Processes of Preparing Such Compositions; Condition-Responsive Control in Microbiological or Enzymological Processes | 266,123 | 18.5% |
| 3 | C12M, Apparatus for Enzymology or Microbiology | Apparatus for Enzymology or Microbiology | 171,419 | 11.9% |
| 4 | C12P, Fermentation or Enzyme-Using Processes to Synthesise a Desired Chemical Compound or Composition or to Separate Optical Isomers From a Racemic Mixture | Fermentation or Enzyme-Using Processes to Synthesise a Desired Chemical Compound or Composition or to Separate Optical Isomers From a Racemic Mixture | 146,875 | 10.2% |
| 5 | C12R, Indexing Scheme Associated With Subclasses , Relating to Microorganisms | Indexing Scheme Associated With Subclasses , Relating to Microorganisms | 119,798 | 8.3% |
| 6 | C12G, Wine; Preparation Thereof; Alcoholic Beverages; Preparation of Alcoholic Beverages Not Provided for in Subclasses or | Wine; Preparation Thereof; Alcoholic Beverages; Preparation of Alcoholic Beverages Not Provided for in Subclasses or | 46,945 | 3.3% |
| 7 | C12H, Pasteurisation, Sterilisation, Preservation, Purification, Clarification or Ageing of Alcoholic Beverages; Methods for Altering the Alcohol Content of Fermented Solutions or Alcoholic Beverages | Pasteurisation, Sterilisation, Preservation, Purification, Clarification or Ageing of Alcoholic Beverages; Methods for Altering the Alcohol Content of Fermented Solutions or Alcoholic Beverages | 14,580 | 1.0% |
| 8 | C12C, Beer; Preparation of Beer by Fermentation; Preparation of Malt for Making Beer; Preparation of Hops for Making Beer | Beer; Preparation of Beer by Fermentation; Preparation of Malt for Making Beer; Preparation of Hops for Making Beer | 10,159 | 0.7% |
| 9 | C12J, Vinegar; Preparation or Purification Thereof | Vinegar; Preparation or Purification Thereof | 7,047 | 0.5% |
| 10 | C12F, Recovery of By-Products of Fermented Solutions; Denatured Alcohol; Preparation Thereof | Recovery of By-Products of Fermented Solutions; Denatured Alcohol; Preparation Thereof | 873 | 0.1% |
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
Related Keywords
11 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
Navigate with arrow keys, Enter to open
- C12C BEER; PREPARATION OF BEER BY FERMENTATION; PREPARATION OF MALT FOR MAKING BEER; PREPARATION OF HOPS FOR MAKING BEER
- C12F RECOVERY OF BY-PRODUCTS OF FERMENTED SOLUTIONS; DENATURED ALCOHOL; PREPARATION THEREOF
- C12G WINE; PREPARATION THEREOF; ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; PREPARATION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES OR
- C12H PASTEURISATION, STERILISATION, PRESERVATION, PURIFICATION, CLARIFICATION OR AGEING OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; METHODS FOR ALTERING THE ALCOHOL CONTENT OF FERMENTED SOLUTIONS OR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
- C12J VINEGAR; PREPARATION OR PURIFICATION THEREOF
- C12L PITCHING OR DEPITCHING MACHINES; CELLAR TOOLS
- C12M APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY
- C12N MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
- C12P FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE
- C12Q MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS; COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES
- C12R INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES , RELATING TO MICROORGANISMS
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filings, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 10,330
- HARVARD UNIVERSITY US 7,308
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA US 6,383
- JIANGNAN UNIVERSITY 5,144
- MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY US 4,121
- PIONEER HI-BRED INTERNATIONAL US 3,630
- REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS US 3,515
- CNRS (CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE) FR 3,499
- INSERM (INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTE ET DE LA RECHERCHE MEDICALE) FR 3,371
- CJ CHEILJEDANG CORPORATION KR 3,361