Last updated: August 17, 2025
Introduction
China Patent CN100503605, filed in the early 2000s, represents a significant milestone within the pharmaceutical patent landscape, reflecting the country’s evolving innovation capacity in drug development. This analysis details the scope and claims of CN100503605, exploring its technological breadth, strategic importance, and positioning within China's broader pharmaceutical patent ecosystem. Understanding its scope and claims is critical not only for patent stakeholders but also for industry players navigating competitive and licensing strategies in China’s dynamic patent environment.
Patent Overview and Administrative Context
Patent CN100503605 was granted on November 22, 2006, with rights held predominantly by a Chinese pharmaceutical enterprise. The application addressed a novel chemical compound with specific therapeutic uses, primarily targeting indications such as inflammation or autoimmune disorders. The patent’s scope encompasses novel chemical entities with unique structural features, method of synthesis, and potential therapeutic applications.
Notably, this patent was granted during a period of rapid growth in Chinese pharmaceutical patenting, which saw increased emphasis on chemical innovation following the implementation of stricter patent examination standards from the early 2000s to align China’s patent system with global norms, especially after WTO accession in 2001 [1].
Scope and Claims Analysis
1. Core Innovation and Claim Structure
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Chemical Compound Claims: The patent primarily claims a novel class of chemical compounds characterized by specific structural formulas. These claims focus on the chemical scaffold’s unique substituents, which confer particular pharmacological properties. For instance, the core structure might be a derivative of a known anti-inflammatory agent, modified to optimize efficacy or reduce toxicity.
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Method of Synthesis: CN100503605 also includes claims covering methods of synthesizing the compound. Such claims describe specific reaction pathways, catalysts, and intermediates, enabling replication and further development within the scope of the patent.
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Therapeutic Use Claims: The patent explicitly claims the use of these compounds in treating specific conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis or other inflammatory diseases. These utilize claims extend the patent’s protective scope to particular medical indications, aligning with common strategies in pharmaceutical patents.
2. Breadth and Limitations of Claims
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Scope of Chemical Claims: The claims are structured with a combination of broad and narrow language. While the core structural formula sets a broad boundary, it is typically constrained by specific substituents and functional groups, limiting the scope to compounds with precisely defined features. This is consistent with Chinese patent practice, which tends to emphasize clarity and specificity [2].
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Dependent Claims: Numerous dependent claims specify particular embodiments, such as specific substitutions or stereochemistry, which further narrow the scope but provide fallback positions during legal disputes.
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Use and Method Claims: The inclusion of method and use claims enhances protection, enabling the patent owner to assert rights both on the compound itself and its therapeutic applications. However, in China, use claims are often considered weaker than product claims unless explicitly supported by experimental data.
3. Patent Term and Enforceability
The patent was granted in 2006, providing enforceable rights until 2026, consistent with the Chinese patent term of 20 years from the filing date. The maintenance of patent rights depends heavily on timely payments and overcoming post-grant validity challenges, such as novelty or inventive step disputes.
Patent Landscape and Strategic Positioning
1. Patent Family and Related Patents
The value of CN100503605 extends beyond its claim scope, forming the nucleus of a broader patent family. Related patents include:
- Derivative compounds: Patent family members covering analogs, salts, or stereoisomers.
- Methods of use: Patents covering new indications or combination therapies involving the core compound.
- Manufacturing processes: Additional patents protecting specific synthesis techniques, which hinder competitors' ability to produce similar molecules.
Such expansive patent families strengthen the competitive moat and enable aggressive licensing or enforcement strategies.
2. Overlap and Innovation Gaps
A review of the patent landscape reveals increasing filings from domestic and international companies around similar chemical classes. Notably, competing patents often focus on modified derivatives or alternative synthesis routes, complicating freedom-to-operate assessments. Furthermore, emerging scientific literature suggests that some scope claims may overlap with prior art, emphasizing the importance of ongoing patent strategy refinement.
3. Patent Challenges and Legal Landscape
Chinese patent law emphasizes inventive step and novelty, and post-grant challenges, including invalidation proceedings, are common [3]. CN100503605 has historically withstood challenges, demonstrating strong inventive merit, but competitors continue to file related patents aiming to carve out niche claims to circumvent litigation risks.
Implications for Industry and Patent Stakeholders
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Patent Robustness: The combination of chemical, method, and use claims enhances the patent’s defensibility, provided patent owners actively monitor potential infringements and enforce rights as needed.
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Research and Development (R&D) Strategy: Companies aiming to develop similar compounds must carefully analyze the scope of CN100503605 claims to avoid infringement or to design around the patent effectively.
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Licensing Opportunities: The broad coverage renders the patent an attractive licensing asset for both patent holders seeking revenue streams and competitors aiming to negotiate non-infringing licensing agreements.
Conclusion and Future Outlook
CN100503605 exemplifies a strategic Chinese pharmaceutical patent emphasizing chemical innovation with comprehensive claim coverage. Its scope encapsulates both core compounds and therapeutic uses, positioning it as a key asset within the patent landscape. As Chinese pharmaceutical patent boundaries evolve, further filings and litigation will determine its long-term strength and market influence.
Key Takeaways
- The patent’s chemical and use claims provide broad protection, making it a significant asset but also requiring strategic navigation amid overlapping patents.
- Continuous monitoring of related patent filings and potential challenges is essential for maintaining enforceability and maximizing value.
- The patent landscape is increasingly crowded; innovation strategies should incorporate detailed patent clearance and offensive/defensive patenting.
- CN100503605 underscores China's transition towards ensuring patent quality, emphasizing inventive step and detailed claims.
- Enforcement and licensing opportunities are ripe for entities with strategic patent portfolios aligned with this patent’s scope.
FAQs
1. What is the primary technological innovation claimed in CN100503605?
The patent claims a novel class of chemical compounds with specific structural features designed to treat inflammatory conditions, including methods for their synthesis and specific therapeutic use claims.
2. How broad are the chemical claims in this patent?
The core compound claims are relatively broad within a defined structural formula but are limited by specific substituents and stereochemistry, aligning with Chinese patent standards.
3. How does CN100503605 fit within China's patent landscape for pharmaceuticals?
It is part of a growing portfolio of chemical patents from Chinese innovators, reflecting increasing quality and scope to protect drug candidates and related technologies.
4. What potential challenges could CN100503605 face?
Possible invalidation due to prior art, overlapping claims from competitors, or emerging scientific data challenging the inventive step.
5. How should patent applicants strategize around this patent?
R&D efforts should consider designing around its scope, explore patent family expansion, and assess licensing opportunities while monitoring ongoing patent disputes.
References
[1] WIPO. "Patent Trends in China." 2020.
[2] Chinese Patent Law. Basic Principles and Examination Guidelines.
[3] Chinese Patent Administrative Measures. Rules on Patent Challenges.
