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\( \def\WIPO{World Intellectual Property Organisation} \)

Global patent panorama of 3D bioprinting: Trends, maturity and key stakeholders

Pantoja, K.C., author.; Tarabal, V.S., author.; Oliveira, M.E.J., author.; Oliveira, A.G.S., author.; Silva, C.L.V., author.; Nascimento, P.F., author.; França, T.A., author.; Ribeiro, R.I.M.A., author.; Dernowsek, J.A., author.; Granjeiro, P.A., author.
2026
Available Online

Title
Global patent panorama of 3D bioprinting: Trends, maturity and key stakeholders
Author
Pantoja, K.C., author.
Tarabal, V.S., author.
Oliveira, M.E.J., author.
Oliveira, A.G.S., author.
Silva, C.L.V., author.
Nascimento, P.F., author.
França, T.A., author.
Ribeiro, R.I.M.A., author.
Dernowsek, J.A., author.
Granjeiro, P.A., author.
Item Type
Journal article
Description
1 volume.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wpi.2025.102421
Summary
Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is emerging as a high-complexity technology in the field of biofabrication, integrating interdisciplinary principles from engineering, materials science, cell biology, and regenerative medicine. This technique enables the fabrication of functional biological constructs composed of living cells and biomaterials through additive manufacturing methods with high spatial resolution. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the main applications, recent advances, and technical limitations related to 3D bioprinting, with emphasis on its implementation in bioprocesses. In the biomedical context, significant progress has been observed in tissue engineering and 3D disease modeling, particularly in translational oncology and the development of predictive drug screening platforms. In industrial biotechnology, bioprinting has been employed for the production of high-purity biological inputs, such as extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, using human cell systems, thereby promoting more sustainable, animal-free production routes. In the food industry, this technology allows the development of personalized and nutritionally tailored products incorporating innovative and environmentally sustainable ingredients, such as microalgae and insects. In the agricultural sector, 3D bioprinting has been applied to plant tissue engineering and the design of biomimetic models to optimize crop systems. Additionally, a patentometric analysis highlights the global expansion of 3D bioprinting, with a notable increase in filings across international jurisdictions and a gradual transition toward technological maturity. The findings underscore the strategic role of 3D bioprinting as a driver of technological innovation with significant impacts on health, sustainability, and the bioeconomy.
Source of Description
Crossref
Series
World Patent Information ; 84, March, 2026
In
World Patent Information
Linked Resources
online version
Published
Oxford [England] : Elsevier Ltd., 2026.
Language
English
Copyright Information
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0172219023000108
Record Appears in
External Online Journals > World Patent Information

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