COMBINATORIAL TECHNOLOGY

Description

C40 covers methods and systems for rapidly synthesizing and screening large numbers of chemical compounds or molecular variants simultaneously. This class encompasses combinatorial chemistry techniques, high-throughput synthesis approaches, and parallel testing methodologies used to discover new materials, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and catalysts. Applications include library generation, automated synthesis platforms, and integrated screening systems that accelerate the identification of compounds with desired properties. The classification excludes general chemical synthesis methods covered elsewhere and focuses on the combinatorial strategy itself rather than the specific chemical reactions employed.

Filing statistics

IPC C40 recorded 14,478 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 1 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 1,085 in 2013 to 1,135 in 2023 (+5%), peaking at 1,502 applications in 2018. The most active applicants in class C40 are HARVARD UNIVERSITY (245 applications), UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (195 applications) and ILLUMINA (130 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings