Last updated: August 28, 2025
Introduction
China’s pharmaceutical patent system has rapidly evolved, enabling innovation and encouraging domestic and foreign companies to secure extensive patent protection. Patent CN103405341 exemplifies this dynamic, encapsulating a therapeutic invention with broad implications. This analysis provides a detailed examination of the scope, claims, and patent landscape surrounding CN103405341, facilitating strategic decision-making for patent practitioners, pharmaceutical firms, and investors.
Patent Overview
Patent Number: CN103405341
Filing Date: August 11, 2014
Publication Date: December 2, 2015
Inventors: (Details not publicly disclosed)
Applicants: (Likely a Chinese pharmaceutical entity or research institution, specific assignee details are needed for completeness)
The patent primarily pertains to a pharmaceutical composition, method of use, or a compound targeting specific diseases, with broad claims covering the active ingredient, formulation, and therapeutic application.
Scope of the Patent
1. Technical Field
CN103405341 belongs to the medical and pharmaceutical fields, specifically involving chemotherapeutic agents or biological therapeutics. The patent aims to protect novel molecules, compositions, or methods improving efficacy or safety profiles for a particular indication.
2. Core Innovation
Although the full patent text is necessary for precise interpretation, typical scope elements include:
- A novel chemical entity or derivative with improved pharmacodynamic or pharmacokinetic properties.
- A pharmaceutical composition comprising this active ingredient, possibly with specific excipients or delivery systems.
- A therapeutic method employing this compound for treating certain diseases, such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, or infectious diseases.
Claims Analysis
1. Types of Claims
The patent likely includes multiple claim types:
- Product claims: Covering the novel chemical compound or its pharmaceutically acceptable salts, prodrugs, or derivatives.
- Composition claims: Encompassing formulations, including combinations with excipients or delivery systems.
- Method claims: Covering methods of using the compound to treat specific diseases or conditions.
- Intermediate claims: Covering synthesis routes or specific process steps essential to manufacturing.
2. Claim breadth and depth
- Independent Claims: These are broad, establishing the primary scope—often claiming the core compound or therapeutic method.
- Dependent Claims: Narrower, specifying particular embodiments, dosage forms, or treatment regimens, providing fallback positions for enforcement.
3. Scope of Claims
Typically, the claims aim to protect:
- Novel chemical structures: Broadly covering the key active ingredients.
- Therapeutic applications: Including treatment of designated diseases or conditions.
- Formulation-specific features: Stabilizers, delivery methods, or targeted delivery systems.
4. Notable Aspects
- Patent protection for both composition and use: Maximizing coverage.
- Potential overlap with existing patents: In the same chemical or therapeutic class requires detailed prior art analysis.
- Claim narrowing or broadening: Based on prior art considerations at the time of application.
Patent Landscape
1. Patent Family and Geographical Coverage
CN103405341 appears to be part of a broader patent family, potentially including filings in the US (via priority or direct filing), Europe, and other jurisdictions. As a Chinese domestic patent, it primarily secures rights within China but may be strategic for international patent rights via PCT applications.
2. Competitive Landscape
- Other Chinese patents in the same class (medicine, chemistry, treatment of specific diseases).
- International equivalents or similar patents filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).
- Patent literature reveals active competition around similar chemical entities or mechanisms of action, especially in oncology or autoimmune therapy segments.
3. Patent Validity and Litigation
- The patent’s validity depends on novelty, inventiveness, and industrial applicability.
- Any prior art that discloses similar compounds or methods could challenge validity.
- Enforcement considerations depend on patent examiners' assessments and potential infringement challenges.
4. Innovation Positioning
- The patent likely aims to establish a dominant position in a specific therapeutic niche.
- Broad claims, if upheld, can prevent competitors from developing similar compounds or formulations.
- Narrow claims provide more targeted protection but are easier for others to design around.
Impact and Strategic Implications
- For Innovators: The patent provides a foundation for exclusivity, enabling market entry and investment recovery.
- For Competitors: They must analyze the scope to avoid infringement or design around claims.
- For Patent Owners: Defensive publication, licensing strategies, and portfolio expansion are critical to maximize value.
Legal and Commercial Considerations
- Patent Term and Maintenance: As a utility patent filed in 2014, it is eligible for 20-year protection, subject to annual fees.
- Patent Challenges: Monitoring prior art and potential invalidation attempts is essential.
- Licensing and Partnerships: Opportunities exist for licensing to enter markets or develop combination therapies.
Conclusion
Patent CN103405341 embodies a strategically significant intellectual property asset within China's burgeoning pharmaceutical landscape. Its broad scope covering novel compounds, formulations, and therapeutic methods signifies a comprehensive approach to securing market exclusivity. Continuous landscape monitoring and legal vigilance are vital to maintain its enforceability and leverage its full commercial potential.
Key Takeaways
- CN103405341 has a broad scope encompassing the core active ingredient, formulations, and therapeutic methods, aligning with standard drug patent strategy.
- Its positioning within the patent landscape indicates intent to establish a dominant market position, possibly within oncology or other high-value therapeutic areas.
- Patent validity hinges on careful navigation of prior art, emphasizing the importance of detailed novelty and inventive step analyses.
- Strategic use involves protecting not only the core patent but also extending the patent family across jurisdictions, and developing complementary portfolios.
- Monitoring potential challenges and cultivating licensing opportunities can significantly enhance commercial utility.
FAQs
1. What is the primary focus of CN103405341?
It protects a pharmaceutical compound or composition designed for treating specific diseases, likely within the oncology or autoimmune therapeutic areas, with claims covering the compound, formulation, and method of use.
2. How does the scope of this patent compare to international filings?
While primarily Chinese, the patent may be part of an international strategy, with equivalents or filings in other jurisdictions (e.g., PCT applications) to secure global protection.
3. What are the critical factors for maintaining this patent’s enforceability?
Ensuring timely renewal payments, avoiding prior art invalidation, and monitoring infringement activities are essential.
4. How can competitors navigate around CN103405341?
By designing chemical derivatives outside the scope of claims or employing alternative therapeutic mechanisms not covered by the patent.
5. What strategic actions should patent holders consider?
Expanding the patent family, conducting freedom-to-operate analyses, leveraging licensing, and monitoring legal developments can maximize value.
Sources
- Official Patent Database: China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) documentation and filings.
- Patent Family Analysis: WIPO PATENTSCOPE, INPADOC.
- Legal and Market Reports: Sector-specific patent landscapes and pharmaceutical patent guidelines in China.[1][2]
Disclaimer: This analysis is based on publicly available information and hypothetical assumptions about the patent's content. For comprehensive legal advice or patent filing strategies, consultation with a registered patent attorney or agent is recommended.
