Brevet, innovation modulaire et collaboration. Le cas des vaccins géniques

Beyond their function of protecting and rewarding innovation, patents are increasingly used as mediation instruments and as vehicles for interactions. Focusing on the development of new, genetically engineered vaccines, we show that they are central components of the production of innovation. A genetically engineered vaccine is constituted by three basic modules: the antigen, the vector and the adjuvant. The advent of genetic engineering techniques promotes the autonomous development of each of these blocks at the technical as well as the organizational and the cognitive levels. Patents become therefore strategic instruments and negotiation devices throughout the elaboration of product architecture. They act as an interface between heterogeneous organizations, technological trajectories and corpus of knowledge.