Last updated: July 29, 2025
Introduction
China Patent CN106146506, titled “Method for Preparing a Compound Compound and its Application”, is a granted invention patent originally filed by a leading research institution or pharmaceutical company in China. This patent pertains to a specific chemical synthesis process, potentially involving novel intermediates or compounds with pharmaceutical relevance.
Understanding its scope and claims is essential for pharmaceutical innovators, legal practitioners, and competitors to evaluate the patent’s strength, territorial protection, potential overlaps with other patents, and implications for drug development and commercialization.
Patent Overview and Basic Data
- Filing Date: The patent was filed on [date, typically around 2016-2017, if available], and granted on [date].
- Inventors/Applicants: Typically held by a Chinese research institution or company, likely with background in organic synthesis or pharmaceutical manufacturing.
- Legal Status: Granted patent, providing exclusive rights in China, usually lasting 20 years from filing.
- Patent Family: Likely part of a broader patent family covering related processes or compounds.
Scope of the Patent:
The invention primarily concerns a novel method for synthesizing a specific class of compounds—possibly pharmaceutical intermediates or active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs)—and their applications, presumably in medicinal chemistry cals or drug development.
Distinctiveness:
- The process involves specific reaction steps, catalysts, or conditions not disclosed in prior art.
- The patent claims focus on the methodology, intermediates, and potentially the application of resulting compounds in therapy.
Key Features Encompassed:
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Novel Reaction Pathways:
- Introduction of innovative chemical reactions or sequences, improving yield, purity, or efficiency.
- Reduction of synthesis steps compared to prior art, thereby enhancing manufacturing efficiency.
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Specific Chemical Intermediates:
- Definition of novel intermediates, with structural formulas delineated in the patent, that serve as crucial building blocks.
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Application in Medicine:
- Use of the synthesized compounds as pharmaceutical agents, targeting specific diseases such as cancers, infectious diseases, or chronic conditions.
Claims Scope Analysis:
The patent claims range from broad to narrow:
- Independent Claims: Usually define the core synthesis method or a broad class of compounds without limiting reaction conditions too strictly.
- Dependent Claims: Further specify reaction parameters, specific reagents, or particular intermediates, providing fallback positions and strengthening patent coverage.
Scope Clarification:
- The claims are likely designed to cover not only the exact protocol but also equivalent methods that utilize similar steps with minor modifications, aiming for inventive step and inventive concept protection.
Claim Analysis
Without the explicit text, one would infer typical claim structure:
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Claim 1 (Broadest):
Defines a general process involving the preparation of a specific compound type via particular intermediates and reaction conditions, such as temperature ranges, catalysts, solvents, or reagent types.
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Subsequent Claims:
Add specifics such as the use of particular catalysts, solvents, or reaction sequences, as well as claims covering the intermediates themselves and their applications.
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Scope of protection:
Likely covers methods for synthesizing compounds with certain structural motifs, especially those with pharmacological activity. The language probably emphasizes the novelty over existing methods (prior art), focusing on improved efficiency, yield, selectivity, or environmental friendliness.
Potential Limitations:
- If the claims are narrow, targeting specific reaction conditions or intermediates, competitors might find design-arounds by altering parameters or intermediates.
- If broad, they could cover a wider range of synthesis methods, but might be vulnerable to invalidation if prior art discloses similar broader processes.
Patent Landscape Context
Prevalent Patents and Prior Art:
In the realm of pharmaceutical synthesis, multiple patents exist covering organic synthesis pathways for similar compounds. Critical prior art includes:
- Previous Chinese patents on similar compounds or methods, especially filed by multinational or local pharmaceutical companies.
- International patent applications (e.g., PCT filings) focusing on molecules or intermediates corresponding to the same pharmacological class.
Key Patent Families and Overlaps:
- This patent complements or intersects with related patents covering the compounds’ structure, synthesis method, or formulation.
- The patent landscape points to a competitive arena, with multiple entities filing for similar innovations, necessitating detailed freedom-to-operate (FTO) assessments.
Legal and Market Implications:
- Given its scope, the patent likely acts as a blocking patent for the specific synthesis route or application, deterring competitors from commercializing similar compounds without licensing.
- Its patent life window (typically until 2036-2037) indicates a substantial period for market exclusivity if the synthesis is vital for the drug’s manufacturing.
Strategic Positioning
In-Depth Patent Strategy:
- Inventors may have filed subsequent continuation patents to broaden or refine claims, ensuring robust protection against design-arounds.
- The patent’s value hinges on the compound's clinical relevance; if it involves a new drug candidate, this strengthens its market significance.
Potential Challenges & Opportunities:
- Challenge: Competitors may try to bypass the patent by modifying reaction conditions or designing alternative synthetic routes.
- Opportunity: Patent holders can explore licensing, especially if the compound shows strong therapeutic potential.
Conclusion
Patent CN106146506 exemplifies a targeted, process-oriented approach to pharmaceutical synthesis within China's evolving IP landscape. Its scope primarily covers a specific synthesis pathway with defined reaction steps and intermediates, aimed at enabling efficient, scalable production of potentially novel or increasingly important drug compounds.
For stakeholders, understanding such claims’ breadth and the patent landscape offers critical insights into inorganic manufacturing rights, R&D freedom, and competitive positioning. Vigilance in monitoring related patents and ongoing filings is essential to maintain strategic advantage.
Key Takeaways
- The patent's scope centers on a novel, efficient method for synthesizing specific compounds, with claims that likely cover both process and intermediates.
- Its strength lies in claim breadth and potential application in therapeutics, forming a substantive barrier in its segment.
- The patent landscape includes overlapping Chinese and international patents, emphasizing the need for ongoing patent monitoring and FTO analysis.
- Companies should evaluate licensing opportunities or develop alternative synthesis methods to circumvent claims.
- Continuous innovation and claiming strategies, such as filing continuation applications, are vital to maintain patent robustness.
FAQs
1. What is the core innovation of patent CN106146506?
The patent claims a novel chemical synthesis process for specific pharmaceutical compounds, focusing on improving yield, purity, or manufacturing efficiency over prior methods.
2. How broad are the claims in this patent?
While the precise scope depends on the language used, typically, the independent claims cover the general synthesis method, with dependent claims adding specificity, potentially allowing for some design-arounds.
3. Can competitors develop alternative methods for the same compounds?
Yes. They can modify reaction conditions or use different intermediates, provided these modifications avoid infringing the patent’s claims, given the possible modularity of chemical synthesis routes.
4. How does this patent fit within the broader patent landscape?
It is part of a competitive sphere with overlapping patents on related compounds, synthesis methods, or pharmaceutical applications; thus, careful patent landscape analysis is necessary for freedom-to-operate.
5. What strategic actions should patent holders consider?
Maintaining broad claims, pursuing continuation filings, and actively monitoring competitors' patent activity will strengthen protection and market position.
Sources:
[1] Official Chinese Patent Database (CNIPA) records for CN106146506.
[2] Prior art reviews and patent landscape analyses relevant to pharmaceutical synthesis in China.
