A 25-year Patent Landscape of Anti-Biofilm Strategies for Respiratory Tract Infections: Trends, Innovations, and Emerging Clinical Opportunities.

Abstract

Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) remain a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality, and their clinical management is increasingly undermined by the biofilm mode of growth of major respiratory pathogens. Biofilm formation confers profound tolerance to conventional antibiotics through the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix, metabolic adaptations, and rapid acquisition of resistance, underscoring the need for new therapeutic strategies. Patents offer a valuable and timely insight into emerging technologies with translational potential. In this review, we analyse patents published between 2000 and 2025 that could be explored for the management of microbial biofilms related to respiratory infectious diseases. Using the WIPO Patentscope database, we identified 135 relevant patents and examined trends in patent activity, innovation classes, and proposed therapeutic modalities. These patents encompass a broad landscape of biological, chemical, and device-based strategies-including enzymes, peptides, nanoparticles, phages, probiotics, repurposed drugs, and engineered delivery systems-many of which demonstrate efficacy against biofilms formed by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and other key respiratory pathogens. This 25-year patent analysis highlights a maturing innovation pipeline and reveals promising therapeutic directions for overcoming biofilm-associated recalcitrance in RTIs, offering a foundation for future drug development and clinical translation.