Using US Patent Analysis to Monitor the Technological Trend in the Field of Gastrointestinal Microbiome:

- Implications on Korean Medicine Research and Development -

Article information

J Korean Med. 2023;44(1):38-55
Publication date (electronic) : 2023 March 1
doi : https://doi.org/10.13048/jkm.23004
1Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine
2Hanyang University Department of Information Systems
Correspondence to: Byung Joo Kim, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, 49 Busandaehakro, Beomeori, Yangsan, Republic of Korea, Tel +82-51-510-8469, Fax +82-51-510-8420, Email vision@pusan.ac.kr
Received 2022 July 29; Revised 2022 August 21; Accepted 2022 August 29.

Abstract

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to provide direction for future research in the field of Korean medicine by analyzing microbiome based technologies emerging as a new diagnostic and treatment paradigm.

Methods

To achieve the purpose of the study intellectual property data was used. After establishing citation network from registered microbiome-related US patents, citation network was analyzed by knowledge persistence-based main path approach to understanding technological trajectories. Furthermore, community detection algorithms were used to quantitatively identifying specific technological domain in a particular time period.

Results

Results shows that early technologies in livestock industry contribute most to the recent patents. Knowledge in the patents flow through the path of food and beverage technological domain, and finally are inherited to the recent development of diagnosis, treatment and prevention technic.

Conclusions

This study indicate that developing diagnostic tools which can link the composition of microbiome to specific diseases should be given high priority. Researches should lead to novel therapeutic strategies. Specifically, improving reliability of pattern identification and finding effective therapeutic compositions based on principles of Korean medicine is necessary.

Fig. 1

Citation Network Consists of 11,614 Nodes and 45,596 Edges for Microbiome Technological Domain.

Fig. 2

High Persistence Patents in the Citation Network of Microbiome Technological Domain.

Fig. 3

Developmental Technology for Microbiome Technological domain by Knowledge Persistence-based Main Path Analysis.

Fig. 4

Knowledge Flow of Node 1427 (US10226505)

Fig. 5

Knowledge Flow of Node 1687 (US5599795)

Fig. 6

Knowledge Flow of Node 13163 (US8562952)

Fig. 7

Periodic Change in Composition of Technological Domain

Fig. 8

Market Analysis

Fig. 9

Correlation Research Model

Search Query and Patent Count

International Patent Classification Code Based Analysis.

A. Top 10 Patents in the Index of Persistence.

B. 10 Highly Cited Patents.

Nodes with Multiple Connections with Other Class.

Part of Microbiome Therapeutic Candidates from Dongui Bogam Tangaekpyeon

References

1. Gordon S. 2016;Elie Metchnikoff, the Man and the Myth. Journal of Innate Immunity 8(3):223–227. https://doi.org/10.1159/000443331 .
2. Kim BY. 2017. Trends in Human Microbiome Research. BioINpro 33Biotech Policy Research Center. p. 1–17.
3. Choi SH. Identify core technologies for diagnosis and treatment of Korean traditional medicine through gastric imbalance. akomnews Article on June 23, 2022 https://www.akomnews.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=news&wr_id=49617 .
4. Korea Istitute of Oriental Medicine. 2012. Patent trends in diagnosis, herbal medicine treatment, acupuncture treatment, and information technology of oriental medicine Daejeon/Korea: Korea Istitute of Oriental Medicine.
5. Jung JS, Lee YJ, Kim JU, Kim KH. 2013;Analysis of patent trends of computerized tongue diagnosis systems. The Journal of the Society of Korean Medicine Diagnostics 17(2):77–89.
6. Park C-S, Hwang Y-S, Koo S-T. 2011;Review on the Stimulating Technologies of Acupuncture Points in the Patents. Korean Journal of Acupuncture 28(3):113–126.
7. Woo S-C, Kang J-C, Kim S-Y, Park J-Y. 2017;Review on the Pharmacopuncture Patent in Korea. Korean Journal of Acupuncture. Society for Meridian and Acupoint 34(4):191–208. https://doi.org/10.14406/acu.2017.028 .
8. Kim D-I, Kim S-H, An I-S, Choi M-S. 2014;Analysis of Patent Information for the Development of Korea Traditional Herbal Formulation for Acne and that of Functional Cosmetics. The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology 27(3):104–115. https://doi.org/10.15204/JKOBGY.2014.27.3.104 .
9. Lee JH, Moon BC, Nam HH, Kim JS. 2020;Analysis of trends in patents on insect-derived medicinal materials for skin diseases. The Korea Journal of Herbology 35(2):39–46. https://doi.org/10.6116/KJH.2020.35.2.39 .
10. Lee JH, Moon BC, Kim JS. 2020;Analysis of trends in patents on insect medicinal materials for brain diseases. Korean Herbal Medicine Informatics 8(1):1–12. https://doi.org/10.22674/KHMI-8-1-1 .
11. Lee B. 2019;A Study on the Medical Practice and Patent Protection System. Inha Law Review : The Institute of Legal Studies Inha University 22(3):1–40. https://doi.org/10.22789/IHLR.2019.09.22.3.1 .
12. Korea Intellectual Property Office. 2021. Measures to utilize and disseminate patent data to promote strategic use of patent information. Report No. 2 of the 5th Special Committee on Data Available from: https://www.4th-ir.go.kr/article/detail/1414?boardName=internalData&category=agenda .
13. Jin HJ, Lee Y, Yu H, Lee S. 2015;Analyzing Patent Trend of Mibyeong. Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine 19(3):21–28.
14. Jin HJ, Lee S. 2012;Patent Trend Report about Oriental Medicine: The Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine-oriented. The Journal of the Korea Contents Association 12(6):223–229. https://doi.org/10.5392/JKCA.2012.12.06.223 .
15. Yang JH. 2019. Global Microbiome Market Status and Prospects Healthcare Field. BioINdustry 136(2019-4)Biotech Policy Research Center. p. 1–11.
16. Hummon NP, Dereian P. 1989;Connectivity in a Citation Network: The Development of DNA Theory. Social Networks 11(1):39–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-8733(89)90017-8 .
17. Yoon M. 2019;Mapping Technological Trajectories using community detection of Patent Citation Networks. The Journal of Intellectual Property 14(3):261–292. https://doi.org/10.34122/jip.2019.09.14.3.261 .
18. Yoon M. 2020;Analysing Technological Trajectories and the Industrial Evolution of a Fuel Cell Using Patent Citation Data. The Journal of Intellectual Property 15(3):255–292. https://doi.org/10.34122/jip.2020.09.15.3.255 .
19. Martinelli A, Nomaler Ö. 2014;Measuring knowledge persistence: a genetic approach to patent citation networks. Journal of Evolutionary Economics 24(3):623–652. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00191-014-0349-5 .
20. Park H, Magee CL. 2017;Tracing technological development trajectories: A genetic knowledge persistence-based main path approach. PLoS ONE 12(1):e0170895. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0170895 .
21. Yoon S, Mun C, Raghavan N, Hwang D, Kim S, Park H. 2021;Hierarchical main path analysis to identify decompositional multi-knowledge trajectories. Journal of Knowledge Management 25(2):454–476. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-01-2020-0030 .
22. Blondel VD, Guillaume JL, Lambiotte R, Lefebvre E. 2008;Fast unfolding of communities in large networks. Journal of statistical mechanics: theory and experiment 2008:P10008. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-5468/2008/10/P10008 .
23. Hu YF. 2005;Efficient and high quality force-directed graph drawing. The Mathematica Journal 10(1):37–71.
24. Choo K. 2018;The Determining Effects of the Backward Citations on the Attributes of Patent Quality : Using the Korean Patent Citations. Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society 21(3):1127–1154.
25. Consoli D, Mina A. 2009;An evolutionary perspective on health innovation systems. Journal of Evolutionary Economics 19(2):297–319. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00191-008-0127-3 .
26. Kim K. 2018;Current Issues of Healthcare Research and Development in Korea. Health Policy and Management 28(3):280–287. https://doi.org/10.4332/KJHPA.2018.28.3.280 .
27.

Article 27, Paragraph 1 of the Medical Service Act

28.

The Seoul Administrative Court sentenced on October 10, 2008, and the judgment of 2008 Guhap11945

29. Lee SH. 2010;Trends in Chinese Medicine Technology and Policy for Improving Quality of Life and Succession and Development of Traditional Medicine. Korea Institute of S & T Evaluation and Planning Trend Brief 2010(10):1–34.
30. The Association of Korean Medicine. 2017. A Study on the Governance Reform for the Development of the Oriental Medicine Industry. Report submitted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare Available from: URL: https://policy.kiom.re.kr/sub0401/articles/view/tableid/sub0301-board/category/2/id/984 .
31. Jang S, Jo G. 2019;Issues Concerning Patent Protection of Herb Medication in the Dual Medical System. The Journal of Intellectual Property 14(1):129–164. https://doi.org/10.34122/JIP.2019.03.14.1.129 .
32. World Health Organization. Regional Office for the Western Pacific. 2007. WHO international standard terminologies on traditional medicine in the Western Pacific Region WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific; https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/206952 .

Article information Continued

Fig. 1

Citation Network Consists of 11,614 Nodes and 45,596 Edges for Microbiome Technological Domain.

Fig. 2

High Persistence Patents in the Citation Network of Microbiome Technological Domain.

Fig. 3

Developmental Technology for Microbiome Technological domain by Knowledge Persistence-based Main Path Analysis.

Fig. 4

Knowledge Flow of Node 1427 (US10226505)

Fig. 5

Knowledge Flow of Node 1687 (US5599795)

Fig. 6

Knowledge Flow of Node 13163 (US8562952)

Fig. 7

Periodic Change in Composition of Technological Domain

Fig. 8

Market Analysis

Fig. 9

Correlation Research Model

Table 1

Search Query and Patent Count

Search Query Patent Count
((gastrointestinal $ws (microb* or microflora or flora)) or (gut $ws (microbi* or microflora or flora)) or (intestinal $ws (microbi* or microflora or flora)) or (Gastric $ws Microbiome) or (enteric $ws bacteria) or (Microbi* $ws Community)) 18,360
(((gastrointestinal $ws (microb* or microflora or flora)) or (gut $ws (microbi* or microflora or flora)) or (intestinal $ws (microbi* or microflora or flora)) or (Gastric $ws Microbiome) or (enteric $ws bacteria) or (Microbi* $ws Community)) and ((medic* $w3 (oriental* or herb* or kampo*)) or (drug $w3 (oriental* or herbal* or kampo* or botanical*)) or “chinese traditional medicine” or “traditional medicine” or “traditional oriental medicine” or “traditional oriental medicine drug” or “natural drug” or “Korean medicine”)) 325

Table 2

International Patent Classification Code Based Analysis.

Class Color IPC Subclass
0 A61K Preparations-Medical
A01N Preservation

1 C12Q Measuring (Enzymes)
G01N Analysing Materials
G16B Bioinformatics

2 A23C Dairy Products
A23K Feeding-Stuffs
A61K Preparations-Medical

3 A23C Dairy Products
A23F Coffee Tea
A61F Filters Implantable

4 A01N Preservation
A61K Preparations-Medical
C12Q Measuring (Enzymes)

5 A01N Preservation
A23C Dairy Products
A23K Feeding-Stuffs
A23L Foods
A61K Preparations-Medical
C12N Micro Organisms

6 A23K Feeding-Stuffs
A61K Preparations-Medical
C07K Peptides
C12N Micro Organisms
C12P Enzyme-Using Processes

Table 3

A. Top 10 Patents in the Index of Persistence.

Class Label Patent Persistence Index
2 274 US3953609 335.973
2 645 US4657762 248.0523
2 110 US3326693 230.996
2 61 US2936237 182.841
5 562 US4689226 176.457
4 1687 US5599795 142.635
5 644 US4839281 126.487
4 1427 US5443826 115.635
2 381 US4335107 104.726
5 1691 US5413785 98.364

Table 3

B. 10 Highly Cited Patents.

Class Label Patent Forward Citation
4 3504 US9028841 162
4 1687 US9433651 155
5 13163 US8562952 151
4 1427 US10226505 143
5 3499 US10610548 70
2 381 US10555978 63
4 13169 US8110177 63
5 644 US9289418 63
0 16478 US10058574 59
3 5150 US4657762 59

Table 4

Nodes with Multiple Connections with Other Class.

class Label Patent Persistence Index Forward Citation
4 1427 US10226505 115.635 143
4 1687 US5599795 142.635 155
5 13163 US8562952 42.158 151

Table 5

Part of Microbiome Therapeutic Candidates from Dongui Bogam Tangaekpyeon

Origin Medicine Indication Administration
人部 人屎 天行熱病, 大熱狂走水漬, 取汁 水漬, 取汁
人中黃 天行熱疾, 解中諸毒, 幷惡瘡, 菌蕈毒.

禽部 丹雄鷄糞 治白虎歷節風. 幷付風痛.
雄雀屎 療目痛, 決癰癤. 主痃癖, 疝瘕, 氣塊, 伏梁 凡使細硏, 甘草湯浸一宿, 焙乾用之.
鸕鷓屎 黶痣, 酒齄皰, 及面瘢疵, 與湯火瘡痕, 又主丁瘡. 刮取, 猪脂調付.

獸部 馬屎 主崩漏, 吐下血, 衄血, 金瘡, 止血. 又主陰陽易. 煎湯服, 治暑病最佳.
羊屎 理聤耳. 罨竹木刺. 又主箭鏃不出. 燒灰, 淋取汁沐頭, 令髮長黑, 又生髮.
療身面上熱瘡, 肌瘡.
除肺痿, 心熱, 幷吐血. 補五藏, 利腸胃. 乳腐

盅部 蠶砂 治風痺不仁, 腸鳴. 淨收取, 曬乾, 炒黃色用.

穀部 平胃, 消穀, 止痢. 六月作者良. 陳久者入藥用之, 當炒令香.
飴糖 主補虛乏, 益氣力, 潤五藏, 消痰止嗽. 建中湯用之, 入脾.