Introduction

After looking at the growth of the field and the leading players, this final part focuses on the technology itself. The study sorted the 1,807 relevant patents and applications into two main categories: Composition (the medicine itself) and Therapy (the treatment approach), and then looked at how medicines are delivered to the body.

Composition vs. Therapy

The large majority, 81%, focus on compositions, meaning combinations of active ingredients and additives used to treat, cure or prevent skin cancer. Only 19% focus on therapies.

Types of Composition

Compositions are divided by the nature of the active ingredient. Organic compounds (synthesised chemical compounds, alkaloids, terpenoids and similar) are the largest group, with 1,051 patents and applications (442 granted, 609 applications), about 56% of the total. Biological compositions based on proteins, hormones, cytokines, nucleotides, vitamins or enzymes follow with 802 (278 granted, 524 applications). Herbal compositions based on plant extracts are very few, with just 34.

Most organic and biological compositions are still in the application stage, which shows that this is an active and recent area of innovation.

Types of Therapy

Chemotherapy is the most patented therapy, with 241 patents and applications (84 granted, 157 applications). The next group is made up of newer, immune-based approaches and established ones: vaccine therapy (111), radiation therapy (106) and immunotherapy (104). Gene therapy (38) and photodynamic therapy (25) are smaller areas.

Vaccine therapy and immunotherapy together total 215 and both are mostly applications, pointing to growing interest in treatments that help the body’s own immune system attack cancer cells.

Routes of Administration

How a medicine reaches the body matters as much as what it contains. Injectable medicines lead with 1,445 patents and applications (579 granted, 866 applications). Oral medicines follow with 1,240, and topical products such as creams, lotions, gels and sprays come next with 763, which is particularly relevant for skin cancer because the treatment can be applied directly to the affected area. Controlled-release systems such as liposomes, microspheres and nanoparticles account for 116 and other routes for 58.

Key Takeaways

• Drug compositions dominate (81%), led by organic compounds, with biological medicines close behind.
• Chemotherapy leads among therapies, while vaccine and immunotherapy show strong momentum.
• Injectable, oral and topical routes are the main delivery methods; controlled-release systems are a smaller but emerging area.
• Herbal compositions and gene and photodynamic therapies remain relatively unexplored in patents.

Conclusion

Taken together, the three parts show a field that is growing steadily, led by the United States, universities and major pharma companies, and centred on new drug compositions. As immune-based therapies and new delivery systems mature, they could shape the next generation of skin cancer treatment.