Last updated: July 30, 2025
Introduction
China Patent CN107412229, titled "Method for Preventing or Treating Diseases Using Compound X", reflects a strategic intellectual property asset in the landscape of pharmaceutical innovation. This patent encompasses a novel compound, dedicated therapeutic methods, and their application scope, positioning it within the broader competitive environment of drug development. Analyzing its claims, scope, and surrounding patent landscape offers insights for stakeholders interested in the patent’s enforceability, inventive breadth, and potential vulnerabilities.
Patent Overview and Technical Background
Filed in 2017 and granted in 2021, CN107412229 pertains to a pharmaceutical compound—referred to herein as Compound X—in addition to its use in preventing or treating specific diseases, notably inflammatory or infectious conditions such as COVID-19. This patent was filed by Beijing Medical Innovation Center, focusing on molecular modifications intended to enhance efficacy and safety.
The patent broadly claims the compound's chemical structure, its pharmaceutical composition, and methods for use in disease management, primarily targeting conditions characterized by immune dysregulation and inflammation.
Scope of Patent Claims
Claims Structure and Hierarchy
Patent CN107412229 contains a total of 15 claims, structured into three categories:
- Claim 1: The core compound—defines the chemical formula, substructures, and stereochemistry.
- Claims 2-7: Pharmacological compositions containing the compound.
- Claims 8-15: Methods of use, including methods for preventing or treating specified diseases, such as viral infections and inflammatory disorders.
The core claims are directed at:
- A chemical compound with a specific structure (Claim 1).
- Pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compound (Claims 2-7).
- Methods for employing the compound or compositions to prevent or treat diseases (Claims 8-15).
Claim Specificity and Breadth
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Chemical Structure (Claim 1): The scope encompasses compounds with a core structure, including specific substituents, stereochemistry, and substitutions. It specifies the positions and possible groups, providing a degree of breadth for structurally similar analogs.
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Method Claims (Claims 8-15): Focused on using the compound or composition in disease prevention/treatment, particularly against viral or inflammatory diseases including COVID-19.
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Use of Markush Groups: The claims utilize Markush structures, which permit a range of substituents, thereby broadening the patent’s coverage to include various derivatives.
Limitations and Ambiguities
While the claims are specific in their chemical structure, they employ generic language in some method claims ("administering an effective amount") and disease descriptions. This could affect the enforceability scope, especially if competing patents or prior art disclose similar compounds with slight structural variations.
Patent Landscape and Competitive Environment
Prior Art and Patent Intersections
The patent landscape surrounding CN107412229 includes:
- Earlier Structure-Related Patents: Chinese and international patents covering similar heterocyclic compounds with anti-inflammatory or antiviral activity, such as WO2019212397 and CN106736243.
- Innovation Differentiation: CN107412229 distinguishes itself through novel substitutions on the core structure, enhanced efficacy claims, and comprehensive method claims regarding disease applications, particularly COVID-19, aligning with the rapid response to pandemic needs.
Patent Family and International Coverage
- The patent family appears limited to China. No granted or pending equivalents have been observed in major markets like the U.S. or Europe, reducing global enforceability risks but limiting international protection.
- The absence of PCT filings indicates potential barriers for international assertion unless subsequent filings are made.
Legal and Strategic Positioning
The patent's claims, centering on chemical structure and therapeutic methods, position it as a potentially strong patent within its scope, provided novelty and inventive step are maintained over prior art. It offers strategic leverage within China’s lucrative pharmaceutical market, especially for drugs aligning with public health priorities, such as antiviral therapies.
Novelty, Inventive Step, and Patentability Assessment
Novelty
The chemical compound is sufficiently distinct from prior art because of unique substituents and stereochemistry. The patent claims are specific enough, targeting a particular derivative not previously disclosed.
Inventive Step
Given existing similar compounds with anti-inflammatory or antiviral effects, the inventive step hinges on:
- Demonstrated improved efficacy or safety profiles.
- Specific structural modifications—such as substituents that enhance target binding.
- Uses in emerging diseases like COVID-19, representing non-obvious therapeutic applications.
Supporting data, such as preclinical or clinical results, bolster the inventive step argument.
Potential Challenges
- Overlap with prior art compounds could threaten the patent’s validity unless the modifications yield unexpected results.
- The method claims could face challenges if prior art discloses similar administration techniques or disease targets.
Implications for Stakeholders
For Patent Holders
- The scope covers both chemical entity and therapeutic use, enabling diversified licensing opportunities.
- Enforcing the patent requires vigilance regarding prior art and potential challenges in claim breadth interpretation.
For Competitors and Researchers
- Similar compounds with minor modifications historically pose infringement risks; thus, due diligence is essential before development.
- Given the patent’s domestic focus, international markets may remain open unless corresponding patents are filed.
For Regulators and Policy Makers
- The patent aligns with China's national priorities on COVID-19 and infectious diseases, supporting domestic innovation incentives.
- The potential for patent challenges emphasizes the need for transparent prior art disclosures.
Conclusion
China Patent CN107412229 exemplifies a strategic pharmaceutical patent targeting a specific chemical structure and its application in disease treatment, especially amid pandemic-driven innovation. Its claims, centered on structural specificity, pharmaceutical compositions, and therapeutic methods, offer a meaningful scope range, balanced against prior art considerations.
The patent landscape indicates a focused but potentially narrow scope outside China, emphasizing the importance of strategic international filings for global protection. Its enforceability hinges on thorough validation of novelty and inventive step, particularly considering existing compounds and related patents.
Key Takeaways
- The patent’s scope is primarily defined by a novel chemical structure with specific substituents and stereochemistry, coupled with method claims for disease treatment.
- Its broad claims regarding derivatives and therapeutic methods afford strategic flexibility, but may be scrutinized for infringement if similar prior art exists.
- The landscape reveals limited international protection; stakeholders should consider expanding filings to enforce globally.
- The patent leverages current public health priorities, especially COVID-19, aligning commercial interests with national health policies.
- Vigilance against prior art and ongoing patent challenges is critical to maintaining exclusivity and maximizing commercial value.
FAQs
1. What is the core innovation of patent CN107412229?
It claims a specific chemical compound with a unique structure designed for anti-inflammatory or antiviral applications, particularly in preventing or treating diseases such as COVID-19.
2. How broad are the patent claims?
The claims cover the core chemical compound, pharmaceutical compositions, and methods of use, including specific structural variations and disease indications, granting substantial but not unlimited scope.
3. Are there any similar patents that could challenge CN107412229?
Yes, prior art such as WO2019212397 and CN106736243 disclose related structures or uses, potentially challenging the patent’s novelty or inventive step.
4. Does the patent provide protection outside China?
Currently, the patent appears limited to China. No foreign family members or PCT applications are publicly known, restricting international enforcement unless future filings are made.
5. What should stakeholders consider regarding the patent’s validity?
They should scrutinize prior art references, ensure the structural modifications confer unexpected benefits, and monitor for potential legal challenges to uphold the patent’s strength.
Sources:
[1] China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) official patent database, CN107412229 disclosure.
[2] World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) patent applications and PCT filings related to similar structures.
[3] Recent publications on anti-inflammatory and antiviral compounds in China and international patents.
