The latest data from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) show a return to growth for trademark and patent applications. Applications for the streamlined international patent application process, the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), set a new record in 2011 with 181,900 PCT applications – a 10.7 % increase on 2010 and the fastest growth since 2005. China, Japan, and the United States of America (US) accounted for 82 % of total growth.

Total Intellectual Property Protection Applications Worldwide

International Patent Applications by Region

Top 20 Government and Research Institution Applicants
for International Patents (PCT)

Top 20 Academic Applicants for International Patents (PCT)

International Patents in Chemistry by Field

2011

International Patent (PCT) Applications of the
Top Ten Countries in Chemistry by Sub-discipline

2011

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• WIPO IP Facts and Figures,
  Economics and Statistics Division, World Intellectual Property Organization,
  July 2012.
  Link (PDF)
• PCT Yearly Review: The International Patent System,
  Economics and Statistics Division, World Intellectual Property Organization,
  May 2012.
  Link (PDF)
• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Geneva, Switzerland
• All Industry Roundups

Also of interest:

• F. Waller on Intellectual Property for Chemists,
  Jonathan Rose,
  ChemViews magazine 2011, November.
  DOI: 10.1002/chemv.201200045
  Francis Waller talks about common intellectual property issues for chemists from his 30 years’ experience of filing patents
• Patent Strategy for Researchers and Research Managers,
  H. Jackson Knight,
  John Wiley & Sons, Chicester, UK, 2013.
  ISBN: 978-0-470-05775-9