2025-02-06
Cancer remains a major health challenge in Europe, but technological advancements are improving survival rates. While healthcare systems excel in prevention and care, challenges remain in scaling and commercializing innovations.
On the occasion of World Cancer Day, the European Patent Office (EPO) has released its second study on cancer-related technologies, covering the period from 2010 to 2021. The study highlights that the fastest-growing areas of cancer innovation are cellular immunotherapy (+37.8%), gene therapy (+31.0%), imaging analysis (+19.6%), liquid biopsies (+17.2%), and healthcare informatics (+14.7%). However, despite these advancements, Europe is losing ground to the U.S. and China, with a decline in patent applications in these fields averaging 5 percentage points. At the same time, Europe has more oncology startups than the U.S.
While Europe has a higher number of early-stage startups, the U.S. is significantly more successful in scaling them to later growth stages. According to the EPO study, nearly 40% of cancer-related startups in the U.S. reach a mature phase, compared to only 24% in the EU and less than 27% in other EPO member states. U.S. oncology startups also hold nearly twice as many patents as their European counterparts, which may contribute to their greater access to funding, given the proven link between patent ownership and investment.
A strong innovation ecosystem is essential for overcoming these barriers. Anna Jardfelt, Director General of the Swedish Patent and Registration Office (PRV), emphasizes the importance of intellectual property (IP) protection and knowledge dissemination in fostering growth. ”At PRV, we work to safeguard intellectual property rights through registration while also enhancing awareness and expertise in these critical areas. We also contribute to national competency development in intellectual property, which is vital for the industry.”
Academic and research institutions play a crucial role in driving cancer-related innovation. Nearly half of all cancer-related patents from EU countries between 2010 and 2021 originated from universities, research institutes, and hospitals. Additionally, over 12% of cancer-related patent applications in the EU come from research institutions but are filed by companies. In other EPO member states, research institutions account for nearly 30% of all patents, with 6.4% of them being submitted by companies.
The EPO’s study also highlights that while Europe has more oncology startups in early growth phases, the U.S. leads in late-stage growth, emphasizing the need for investment and support mechanisms to help European startups scale successfully. To bridge this gap, the EPO has launched tools such as the Deep Tech Finder, which helps connect investors with promising oncology startups based on their funding history and patent portfolios.
Europe has a strong foundation for cancer-related innovation, but strengthening pathways for scaling and commercialization will be critical in ensuring that groundbreaking research translates into real-world patient benefits. Addressing these challenges will help European startups compete globally and accelerate the development of life-saving treatments.