Global Collaboration in Technology Sectors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Patent Review

Abstract

This study aims to identify the international technology trends and convergence structures that emerged during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic by analyzing COVID-19-related patents. Accordingly, network analysis was performed using data drawn from COVID-19-related patent applications submitted to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) between 2020 and 2022. The results showed that patent applications were submitted in 21 countries, with 97% of all applications coming from the intellectual property 5 (IP5) countries (US, Korea, China, Japan, and Europe). Technology convergence has occurred between the fields of physics and biology or between different biotechnology sectors. Owing to the nature of government-initiated development processes, technologies related to infectious diseases may exhibit a correlation between national patents and disease control policies. This study is significant since it empirically analyzes the convergence structure and development direction of global technologies engaged in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic by analyzing new patent applications after the COVID-19 outbreak. The findings of this study will help to establish new directions for overcoming other infectious diseases that may emerge in the future.