Overall rank by patents
#431
Across all tracked assignees
USPTO 2015–2025 USPTO PatentsView US Corporation
Duke University
USPTO PatentsView assignee record — 1,050 granted patents across 152 technology areas, active 2015–2025. Filing-trend and competitive-moat analysis cross-referenced to USPTO Patent Public Search. Primary class: A61K (PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES).
1,050
Total patents granted
152
CPC technology areas
19.3
Avg claims per patent
+33%
5-year filing velocity
Portfolio overview
Duke University has been granted 1,050 US utility patents between 2015 and 2025, placing Duke University at rank #431 across all assignees tracked by PlainPatent. This portfolio spans 152 distinct Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) subclasses, averaging 19.3 claims per patent with primary concentration in A61K (PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES). As a US Corporation, Duke University is one of the broader-portfolio assignees in the PatentsView dataset. The composite Innovation Score of 68.2/100 blends portfolio volume, filing velocity, technology breadth, and claim depth into a single comparable measure drawn directly from USPTO PatentsView records.
Filing cadence tells the strategic story. Between 2020 and 2025 the company received 600 grants, compared with 450 in the 2015–2019 window — a +33% shift in five-year velocity. Steady filing volume suggests sustained innovation without dramatic pivots. The US Corporation classification further shapes interpretation, since corporate, government, and individual filers pursue patents for materially different reasons.
Claim depth and technology breadth together indicate competitive posture. Duke University's 19.3 average claims per patent sits within the typical range for solid legal coverage without excessive prosecution cost, while a diversified footprint across 100+ CPC subclasses spreads risk across many technology fronts. Combined with portfolio volume, these signals let analysts, investors, and licensing professionals benchmark Duke University against peers pursuing similar technology classes.
How does Duke compare?
Granted US patents 2015–2025 versus the largest corporate holders — this company marked ◀
- Samsung
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
106,890 patents
- International Bus…
International Business Machines Corporation
72,926 patents
- Canon 34,378
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
34,378 patents
- LG 32,607
LG ELECTRONICS INC.
32,607 patents
- Taiwan Semiconduc… 31,041
TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
31,041 patents
- Apple 30,560
Apple Inc.
30,560 patents
- Qualcomm Incorpor… 30,354
QUALCOMM Incorporated
30,354 patents
- Intel 27,498
Intel Corporation
27,498 patents
- Duke University ◀ 1,050
Duke University
1,050 patents
What this shows Duke holds 1,050 patents — placing it at rank #431 overall, well behind the volume leaders but ahead of the tens of thousands of smaller assignees in the dataset.
USPTO utility patent grants by year · 2015–2025
Grants by year
Teal-shaded recent years (2020–present) versus the 2015–2019 baseline. Full figures in the table below.
View data table
| Year | Patents Granted | Share of Period |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 68 | 6.5% |
| 2016 | 81 | 7.7% |
| 2017 | 96 | 9.1% |
| 2018 | 105 | 10.0% |
| 2019 | 100 | 9.5% |
| 2020 | 98 | 9.3% |
| 2021 | 93 | 8.9% |
| 2022 | 126 | 12.0% |
| 2023 | 92 | 8.8% |
| 2024 | 114 | 10.9% |
| 2025 | 77 | 7.3% |
Which technologies does Duke University patent most?
C07K— PEPTIDES 230
Top 15 of 152 technology areas
Patent Moat Analysis
Portfolio Volume Strong
Tech Breadth Diversified
Claim Depth Standard
Velocity Growing
Frequently Asked Questions
How many patents does Duke University hold?
Duke University holds 1,050 US granted patents filed between 2015 and 2025, spanning 152 technology areas.
What is Duke University's Innovation Score?
Duke University has an Innovation Score of 68.2 out of 100. This composite metric weighs portfolio volume (40%), filing velocity (20%), technology breadth (25%), and claim depth (15%).
What technology areas does Duke University focus on?
Duke University's top technology area is A61K (PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES) with 462 patents. The company has filed patents in 152 CPC subclasses total.
Is Duke University's patent filing rate increasing or decreasing?
Duke University's recent filing velocity is +33% compared to the prior five-year period. The company is maintaining or growing its patent output.
What does claim depth mean for Duke University's patents?
Duke University's patents average 19.3 claims each. This falls within the standard range, providing solid legal coverage.
How is the Duke University patent data sourced?
All patent data comes from USPTO PatentsView, a public research dataset maintained by the United States Patent and Trademark Office covering US granted utility patents from 2015 to 2025.
Learn More
Explore the patent dataset
A61K technology
Duke University's primary CPC class — all holders and yearly trends
Top 50 patent holders
See where Duke University ranks among the largest US patent assignees
All technology classes
Browse every CPC technology area by patent activity
How the score works
The four dimensions behind the Innovation Score
Related
Data sourced from USPTO PatentsView — official U.S. government patent data. See our methodology for computation details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainPatent Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the USPTO PatentsView database. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- USPTO PatentsView — official U.S. Patent and Trademark Office bulk patent data. patentsview.org
- USPTO Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) — application status and file history. uspto.gov/patents/pair
- USPTO Bulk Data Storage System — comprehensive patent text + claims dataset. bulkdata.uspto.gov
- USPTO CPC Classification — Cooperative Patent Classification scheme for technology categorization. uspto.gov/cpc
- SEC EDGAR — public filings cross-reference for assignee corporate entity matching. sec.gov/edgar
- WIPO PATENTSCOPE — international patent context (related international filings). wipo.int/patentscope
