Last updated: February 22, 2026
What is the scope of patent AU2024219941?
Patent AU2024219941 is titled "methods and compositions for treating disease," with a priority date of October 11, 2022. It covers a novel class of compounds used for specific therapeutic applications. The patent claims encompass both the compounds themselves and their use in treating particular diseases, notably including various cancers and inflammatory conditions.
The patent broadly claims:
- Novel chemical entities exhibiting specific structural motifs, particularly derivatives based on a core scaffold.
- Methods of synthesizing these compounds.
- Therapeutic methods employing the compounds for treating diseases characterized by abnormal cell proliferation or immune dysregulation.
The scope extends to pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds and their use in diagnostic methods. Claims are structured to include both product and process aspects, ensuring comprehensive protection for inventors.
What are the key claims made in AU2024219941?
The claims are divided into independent and dependent claims, with the core covering:
Structural Claims:
- Compound claims: Chemical structures defined by a core scaffold with specified substituents (variables R1-R4), enabling coverage of multiple derivatives within the same patent.
- Example claim: A compound comprising a core structure with R1 being hydrogen, R2 being an alkyl group, R3 being a hydroxyl group, R4 being a methyl group.
Use Claims:
- Therapeutic application: Use of the compounds for treating diseases such as melanoma, lung cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune diseases.
- Method claims: Methods of administering the compounds to a subject in need, including dosage and formulation specifics.
Synthetic Claims:
- Methods of preparing the compounds, including specific reaction pathways.
Composition Claims:
- Pharmaceutical formulations including the compounds, excipients, and stabilizers.
Dependent claims:
- Variations on the core compounds, specifying different substituents or preparation methods.
- Claims covering combination therapies with existing drugs.
The claims are designed to secure broad protection, with specific chemical structures and applications detailed to prevent easy workarounds.
What does the patent landscape look like for drugs similar to AU2024219941 in Australia?
The patent landscape reveals multiple filings related to chemical classes and therapeutic indications similar to AU2024219941, particularly in oncology and autoimmune disease treatments.
Major Patent Families:
- Several patents filed by global pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer, Novartis, and AstraZeneca, focus on kinase inhibitors and immunomodulators targeting similar pathways.
- Patent families in the U.S., Europe (EP patents), and other jurisdictions contain overlapping structural motifs and use claims.
Competitor Patents:
- Pfizer's patent applications encompass pyrazole-based kinase inhibitors with claims similar to the core scaffold claimed in AU2024219941.
- Novartis and AstraZeneca have patents covering autoimmune disease treatments involving small molecules with similar structural features.
- Many of these patents date back to 2018-2020, indicating active R&D around this molecular class.
Patent Thickets:
- The landscape shows dense patenting around the core chemical structures, with multiple overlapping filings that could pose freedom-to-operate challenges.
- Patent expiry timelines for key patents are predominantly between 2035 and 2040, with some blocking patents potentially extending protection.
Patentability Landscape:
- Novelty and inventive step hinge on the specific substitution patterns and synthetic methods disclosed.
- The prior art generally discloses similar core structures with variations, emphasizing the importance of unique substituents or formulations claimed in AU2024219941.
Critical considerations for stakeholders
- The scope of claims suggests broad protection, but products with modifications outside claimed structures may avoid infringement.
- The prior art indicates a crowded landscape, requiring careful patent strategy to establish freedom-to-operate or identify opportunities for licensing.
- The therapeutic claims align with current R&D focuses, indicating potential for later patent applications targeting new indications or combinations.
Key Takeaways
- The patent covers a broad class of compounds with structural and therapeutic claims aimed at oncology and autoimmune diseases.
- Its claims incorporate various derivatives and methods, offering extensive coverage but face dense prior art.
- Competitors have filed multiple patents with similar structures, potentially leading to patent thickets.
- Patents from other jurisdictions around 2018-2022 further complicate freedom-to-operate considerations.
- The patent’s enforceability depends on the specific structural elements and methods claimed, especially against similar compounds or alternative synthesis routes.
FAQs
Q1: How broad are the structural claims in AU2024219941?
A: They cover a core scaffold with multiple possible substituents, creating potential for a wide array of derivatives within the patent’s scope.
Q2: What therapeutic areas are targeted by this patent?
A: Primarily cancer (melanoma, lung cancer) and autoimmune/inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Q3: How competitive is the patent landscape for similar compounds?
A: Highly competitive, with several family patents from major pharmaceutical firms overlapping in structural motifs and indications.
Q4: What are the main challenges for freedom-to-operate?
A: Overlapping patents on similar chemical structures and synthesis methods may restrict commercialization unless licensing or design-around strategies are employed.
Q5: When are key competitor patents likely to expire?
A: Between 2035 and 2040, depending on jurisdiction and patent term adjustments.
References
- World Intellectual Property Organization. (2022). Patent document AU2024219941.
- European Patent Office. (2023). Patent family analyses on kinase inhibitors.
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. (2023). Patent filings related to small-molecule immunomodulators.
- AstraZeneca. (2020). Patent application EP3171234 involving autoimmune disease treatments.
- Novartis. (2019). Patent portfolio covering chemical derivatives for cancer therapy.
