Delivery of therapeutic small interfering RNA: The current patent-based landscape

Implementing small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a promising therapy because it silences disease-related genes theoretically. However, the efficient delivery of siRNA is challenging, which limits its therapeutic applications. Various pharmaceutical delivery systems containing key technologies have been developed and patented, which are of great concern to developers in the field. Despite numerous studies devoted to siRNA-delivery technologies, few researchers have systematically examined relevant patents. Patents, as bridges connecting academic progress with applicable innovation, encapsulate cumulative technological innovations and provide valuable information for academic research and commercial development. This study aims to analyze advances in therapeutic siRNA delivery technology from a patent perspective. A total of 11,509 patent documents from 3,309 patent families were collected, classified into 10 technological categories, and comprehensively analyzed. An overall patent landscape of siRNA delivery was presented from the temporal, spatial, organizational, and technological dimensions. This work is expected to help researchers and developers in the field of siRNA delivery form a basis for decision-making by combining our findings with supplementary data.