A systematic approach to design and develop patented stimuli‐responsive polymers for biomedicine applications: <scp>TRIZ</scp> –patent literature review methodology

Abstract Stimuli‐responsive polymers (SRPs) have emerged as critical components in biomedical applications, particularly in controlled drug delivery and biosensing. Integrating these polymers into microneedle arrays offers significant potential in precise therapeutic applications, but it faces challenges with respect to response consistency, scalability and specificity. This paper introduces a systematic review of the patent literature (TRIZ‐PLR) to address technical contradictions and enhance innovation in SRP‐based biomedical technologies. Multiple SRPs, including thermoresponsive polymers such as poly( N ‐isopropylacrylamide) with lower critical solution temperature around 32 °C and pH‐responsive polymers such as poly(acrylic acid) and poly(vinyl methyl ether), were reviewed. The conditions for responsive release typically involve temperatures around 32 to 37 °C and pH ranges of approximately 5.0 to 6.5, characteristic of pathological environments such as tumor tissues. A case study on microneedle arrays demonstrated how TRIZ‐PLR systematically resolves patent contradictions, specifically addressing challenges related to limited penetration depth, biosensor accuracy and controlled drug release mechanisms. The TRIZ‐PLR approach effectively identified inventive principles for overcoming SRP limitations in microneedle‐based biosensing and drug delivery systems. The findings underscore the value of dual‐ and multistimuli‐responsive polymers, enhancing precision and therapeutic efficacy. This methodology significantly improves SRP performance by identifying innovation pathways through patent contradictions and proposing structured inventive solutions, reinforcing TRIZ‐PLR as a robust tool for sustainable advancement in biomedical polymer applications. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).