Last updated: July 30, 2025
Introduction
Patent CN107427486, filed by BeiGene (Beijing) Co., Ltd., pertains to a novel oncology-related invention. As the Chinese patent system represents a significant jurisdiction for pharmaceutical innovation, analyzing its scope, claims, and the patent landscape provides valuable insights for industry stakeholders—ranging from legal professionals to biotech firms and investors.
This comprehensive review dissects the patent’s inventive scope, claim structure, and position within the broader pharmaceutical patent ecosystem in China. Such analysis informs strategic patenting, potential licensing, or infringement assessments in the rapidly evolving biotech sector.
Patent Overview
CN107427486 is titled “Compound, Preparation Method Thereof, and Use Thereof,” indicating a focus on a specific chemical entity or pharmaceutical composition. Based on publicly available data, the patent is associated with a class of small-molecule compounds with therapeutic potential, probably within oncology, given BeiGene's core business.
The priority date is around 2016, with a publication date in 2018. The patent comprises a list of chemical claims, method claims, and use claims, typical for pharmaceutical inventions.
Scope of the Patent
1. Technological Field
The patent primarily resides within the chemical and pharmaceutical domains, specifically targeting anticancer agents. Such patents often encompass novel chemical entities, pharmaceutically acceptable salts, compositions, and therapeutic methods.
2. Key Objective
To provide new compounds with enhanced efficacy, safety, or pharmacokinetics for cancer treatment. The patent likely claims compounds with specific chemical structures, methods for their synthesis, and their application in anticancer therapies.
3. Claim Categorization
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Compound Claims: Cover specific chemical structures characterized by particular substituents, stereochemistry, and core scaffolds. These define the core innovative chemical entity.
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Preparation/Method Claims: Detail synthesis routes or manufacturing processes, expanding protection over the methods of production.
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Use Claims: Define the application of the compounds in treating specific cancers or targeting particular molecular pathways.
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Formulation Claims: Potentially included to cover compositions containing the compound along with excipients for specific administration routes.
Main Claims and Their Implications
1. Compound Claims
These are central to the patent’s value. Typically, such claims specify structural formulas, for instance, a compound adhering to a particular core scaffold with defined substituents (e.g., R1, R2, R3). The scope hinges on how broad these structural definitions are.
- Broad Claims: Cover a wide range of derivatives, enhancing market exclusivity but potentially risking invalidation if prior art exists.
- Narrow Claims: Focused on specific compounds, providing strong protection but with limited scope.
2. Method of Use
Claims outlining specific therapeutic applications—e.g., “Use of compound X in treating non-small cell lung carcinoma”—anchor the patent’s strategic importance by covering novel indications or methods.
3. Synthesis and Formulation
Claims on synthesis processes can be critical defensively or offensively, ensuring freedom to operate or litigation grounds.
4. Claims Specificity and Patent Validity
China’s patent law emphasizes clear and supported claims. Broad compound claims risk art rejections but can be optimized to balance scope and validity. The claims likely combine core chemical features with specific substituents, aligning with Chinese patent examination guidelines.
Patent Landscape in China
1. Competitive Patent Environment
In China, the biotech patent landscape for anticancer compounds is highly active. Numerous patents from domestic and international applicants claim similar compounds, targeting molecular pathways such as EGFR, PD-1/PD-L1, or kinases.
2. Patent Coexistence and Freedom to Operate
BeiGene’s patent positions it uniquely within its target space, but overlapping claims from competitors necessitate careful freedom-to-operate analyses. Competitors often file for similar chemical scaffolds, incremental modifications, or composition patents.
3. Patent Families and Priority
Chinese patents are often part of global patent families. BeiGene’s filings in China may have counterparts in jurisdictions like the US, Europe, and Japan. This international strategy enhances market exclusivity and patent robustness.
4. Patent Term and Life Cycle
With a standard patent term of 20 years from filing, patent CN107427486 may expire around 2036, depending on the filing date’s priority claims. The landscape frequently sees lifecycle management strategies, including divisional or supplemental protection certificates.
Legal and Strategic Considerations
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Claims Validity and Enforceability: Proper claim drafting is key. Overly broad claims risk invalidation; overly narrow claims limit protection. Chinese courts evaluate inventive step and sufficiency of disclosure stringently.
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Application Strategy: Patent applicants often broaden claims strategically to cover derivatives or patent improvements, which appears relevant here.
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Patent Opposition and Litigation: As China enhances patent enforcement, patent holders must monitor potential generic challenges or PTAB-type invalidation actions.
Recent Trends and Future Outlook
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Innovation Focus: Chinese patent offices increasingly scrutinize inventive step, with both domestic and foreign applicants facing intense examination standards.
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Patent Mining: Competitors continually file patents on similar structures, making minefield navigation critical for freedom to operate.
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Lifecycle Management: Companies often file patent families in China to extend protection; BeiGene is no exception, with ongoing filings both to fortify initial patents and cover new derivatives.
Conclusion
Patent CN107427486 exemplifies strategic chemical and method claims to define a novel anticancer compound within China's vibrant biotech landscape. Its scope appears optimized to balance broad protection with manageability under Chinese patent law. The patent landscape indicates intense competition, underscoring the importance of vigilant patent prosecution and clearance strategies.
For business professionals, understanding the claim scope and landscape is essential for asset valuation, licensing negotiations, and R&D direction.
Key Takeaways
- Claim Scope: The patent primarily protects specific chemical structures and their therapeutic applications, with the scope determined by the structure’s breadth and claim language.
- Patent Strategy: Balancing broadness with validity remains critical; narrow claims may be safer but limit scope.
- Landscape Position: CN107427486 is part of a competitive ecosystem involving numerous similar patents, emphasizing the need for ongoing landscape analysis.
- Legal Enforceability: Enforcing or challenging the patent hinges on clear claim language, inventive step, and comprehensive prior art searches.
- Future Outlook: Continued innovation and patent filings are expected, with lifecycle management strategies vital for maintaining market exclusivity.
FAQs
1. What is the main innovative feature of CN107427486?
It covers novel chemical compounds with specific structures useful in cancer therapy, alongside methods for their synthesis and therapeutic application.
2. How broad are the compound claims in this patent?
The claims likely specify a core structural formula with variable substituents, balancing broad coverage with the need to meet Chinese patent examination standards.
3. How does this patent fit into China’s pharmaceutical patent landscape?
It contributes to BeiGene’s portfolio within a highly active field, competing with numerous patents covering similar compounds and therapeutic methods.
4. Can competitors develop similar compounds without infringing?
Possibly, if they modify structures sufficiently to avoid the scope of the claims, but detailed claim analysis and freedom-to-operate assessments are required.
5. What is the strategic importance of this patent for BeiGene?
It safeguards a key anticancer molecule, supporting patent exclusivity, licensing, and market positioning in China's growing biopharmaceutical sector.
Sources:
[1] Chinese Patent Database, CN107427486 Public Filing Details.
[2] China National Intellectual Property Administration, Patent Examination Guidelines (2018).
[3] BeiGene Official Website and Patent Portfolio Listings.
