Abstract
Patent inventions will enjoy privilege to monopolize on the market in a specific period. Others can not practice the contents of process or product patent, or patentee can claim patent right. It’s an important theme for research fellows to use the information on issued patent specifications. Research fellows in biotech industries can find the information of developing tendency and competitors’ patent portfolio on patent specifications, and determine the optimum direction of research and development.Collagen, a kind of extracellular protein, can be obtained from animals to be biomaterials for medical applications. Nevertheless, it has limitations due to concern about the immune response and virus infection. Following the accumulation of molecular biology and biotechnology knowledge, research fellows tried to embed human collagen gene into host expression system to produce recombinant human collagen on large scale. Recombinant human collagen eliminates the worry of immune response and virus infection and attracts research fellows to be involved. If host expression system could produce recombinant human collagen on mass production scale and cheap, then recombinant human collagen would replace the animal collagen market gradually. At that time, recombinant human collagen will become the major biomaterials source for medical applications in vast market.This research focused on how to utilize patent specifications efficiently and how to plan the best research and development strategy relating to recombinant collagen. The conclusions are as follows: Collagen has vast market as biomaterials for medical applications. Recombinant human collagen will eliminate the worry of animal and artificial collagen. Patents of recombinant human collagen Type I, II, III, IV and IX were issued during 1997 to 1998, patents of technology for improving the production of recombinant human collagen ( prolyl 4-hydrolase and C-proteinase ) were issued during 1999 to 2000. The issue time indicates that the research of recombinant human collagen is in developing stage, there are still many chances to break through and gain patents.Any research fellow who intends to be involved in this technology field can monitor the patents and papers of Thomas Jefferson University (Philadelphia, PA)、Yale University (New Haven, CT)、University of Kansas Medical Center (Kansas City, KS) and UAB Research Foundation (Birmingham, AL) to master the latest developmental tendency of recombinant human collagen researc