Recent Update on the Patents of Antimicrobial Marine Natural Products

Marine environment has long been shown as the source of diverse organisms and niche for numerous bioactive agents. Marine natural products are of recent interest attributing to their novelty and abundant potential in the field of medicine as well as others. In spite of this recent attention, the marine environment still exists as an under-explored and untapped resource for bioactive agents, highlighting the presence of plentiful opportunities. Bioactive molecules of marine origin have been frequently reported from the microorganisms associated with marine sediments, seawater, coral and its mucus; higher-order marine organisms, mangroves, sponges, seaweeds and sea grasses, etc. Last decade has shown copious publications reporting the bioactive potentials of marine natural products such as antimicrobial, antiviral, antiparasitic, anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-infective properties. Recent studies have also opened an avenue in marine natural product research where the discovered natural products are chemically modified to attain increased bioactivity. Such modified or altered marine natural products were of great demand in pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic and chemical industries, and hence protected by product and process patents. This chapter summarizes the intellectual property rights in the form of patents protecting marine natural products with antimicrobial potentials, including antibacterial, antifungal and antibiofilm activities. This chapter also highlights the patents and applications of modified or semi-synthetic agents related to marine natural sources with antimicrobial properties.

Keywords: Antibacterial, Antibiofilm, Antifungal, Antimicrobial, Anti-virulence, Bioactive agents, Coral, Mangroves, Marine microbes, Marine natural products, Sponges.