Life science patents granted, by filing office in Norway
Norway: Life science patents granted, by filing office was 29 patents in 2023. ▼ Falling
Life science patents granted, by filing office in Norway, 1980–2023
Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in patents.
Analysis
The most recent figure for life science patents granted, by filing office in Norway is 29 patents, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 44 years on record.
The figure is down 40.8% on the previous year and down 88.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life science patents granted, by filing office in Norway peaked at 461 patents in 1997 and was at its lowest, 29 patents, in 2023.
Norway ranks 30th of 70 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 44 years of available data.
Life science patents granted, by filing office in Norway, year by year
| Year | patents | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 113 patents | — |
| 1981 | 131 patents | +15.9% |
| 1982 | 165 patents | +26.0% |
| 1983 | 153 patents | -7.3% |
| 1984 | 135 patents | -11.8% |
| 1985 | 186 patents | +37.8% |
| 1986 | 131 patents | -29.6% |
| 1987 | 160 patents | +22.1% |
| 1988 | 217 patents | +35.6% |
| 1989 | 260 patents | +19.8% |
| 1990 | 257 patents | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 311 patents | +21.0% |
| 1992 | 320 patents | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 296 patents | -7.5% |
| 1994 | 350 patents | +18.2% |
| 1995 | 288 patents | -17.7% |
| 1996 | 311 patents | +8.0% |
| 1997 | 461 patents | +48.2% |
| 1998 | 386 patents | -16.3% |
| 1999 | 398 patents | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 419 patents | +5.3% |
| 2001 | 387 patents | -7.6% |
| 2002 | 397 patents | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 374 patents | -5.8% |
| 2004 | 282 patents | -24.6% |
| 2005 | 422 patents | +49.6% |
| 2006 | 389 patents | -7.8% |
| 2007 | 357 patents | -8.2% |
| 2008 | 283 patents | -20.7% |
| 2009 | 325 patents | +14.8% |
| 2010 | 336 patents | +3.4% |
| 2011 | 318 patents | -5.4% |
| 2012 | 255 patents | -19.8% |
| 2013 | 243 patents | -4.7% |
| 2014 | 194 patents | -20.2% |
| 2015 | 166 patents | -14.4% |
| 2016 | 294 patents | +77.1% |
| 2017 | 274 patents | -6.8% |
| 2018 | 288 patents | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 110 patents | -61.8% |
| 2020 | 79 patents | -28.2% |
| 2021 | 33 patents | -58.2% |
| 2022 | 49 patents | +48.5% |
| 2023 | 29 patents | -40.8% |
Norway compared with similar countries
- Norway's 29 patents is above the median for high income countries, which is 28 patents, 1.0× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Norway's 29 patents is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 25.5 patents, 1.1× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 165.1 patents | 113 patents | 260 patents | 10 |
| 1990s | 337.8 patents | 257 patents | 461 patents | 10 |
| 2000s | 363.5 patents | 282 patents | 422 patents | 10 |
| 2010s | 247.8 patents | 110 patents | 336 patents | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.5 patents | 29 patents | 79 patents | 4 |
Countries ranked near Norway
More science & technology data for Norway
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 109.35 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.09 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 6.10 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 16.61 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -0.2781 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 0.7601 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 539 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 539 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life science patents granted, by filing office in Norway?
- Life science patents granted, by filing office in Norway was 29 patents in 2023, according to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life science patents granted, by filing office recorded in Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 461 patents in 1997.
- What is the lowest life science patents granted, by filing office recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 29 patents in 2023.
- How does Norway rank for life science patents granted, by filing office?
- Norway ranks 30th out of 70 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life science patents granted, by filing office rising or falling in Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is down 88.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Norway data come from?
- The figures come from World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Life science patents granted, by filing office. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Patents granted within the fields of medical technology, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals by filing office. These patents cover a wide range of innovations, such as medical devices, diagnostic methods, genetic engineering techniques, biotechnological processes and new drugs.