The carbon nanotube patent landscape in nanomedicine: an Expert opinion

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have extraordinary properties that make them promising candidates for a wide variety of potential biomedical applications, including new therapeutics, drug delivery systems and diagnostics. Because of their enormous commercial potential across industries, a classic patent landgrab is underway as competitors are busy locking up broad patents on CNTs. This is creating a chaotic, tangled patent thicket, where the validity and enforceability of numerous patents is unclear. In this article, the authors summarize the CNT patent landscape for nanomedicine, identifying key building block patents while raising legal questions regarding their validity.

Keywords::

• carbon nanotubes
• drug delivery
• multi-walled carbon nanotubes
• nanomedicine
• nanotechnology
• patent thickets
• patents
• single-walled carbon nanotubes
• US Patent
• Trademark Office

Acknowledgements

There is no conflict of interest reported by the authors of this manuscript. This perspective reflects the present views of the authors, which are likely to evolve. Furthermore, they should not be considered as expressing an opinion with regard to the merits of any particular company or product discussed herein. Nothing contained herein is to be considered the rendering of legal advice. This perspective primarily focuses on US patents and US patent laws.

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