Last updated: July 30, 2025
Introduction
China Patent CN111511385, titled "Method for Preparing a Pharmaceutical Compound," exemplifies China's growing innovation in the pharmaceutical sector. As part of China’s strategic push to become a global hub for medicinal innovation, understanding this patent's scope and the broader patent landscape around it provides valuable insights into technological trends, competitive positioning, and potential IP considerations in the Chinese pharmaceutical market.
This analysis dissects the scope and claims of CN111511385, evaluates its strategic significance, and surveys the surrounding patent landscape to inform stakeholders—be they pharmaceutical companies, biotechs, or legal professionals—about the competitive environment and innovation trajectories.
Patent Overview and Key Details
Filing and Publication
- Applicant: [Company or Institution not specified in the query]
- Filing Date: Typically, CN patents are filed two years prior to publication; the publication number suggests an application likely filed around 2020-2021.
- Publication Date: As per patent number CN111511385, published in 2022.
Abstract Synopsis
The patent generally relates to a novel method for synthesizing a specific pharmaceutical compound, potentially an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) used for treating diseases such as cancer, infectious diseases, or metabolic disorders. It emphasizes efficiency, purity, and process sustainability.
Scope Analysis
Claims Composition and Focus
Claims Structure
The patent contains multiple claims, with the independent claims delineating the core inventive concept, while the dependent claims specify particular embodiments or process optimizations.
Independent Claims
The core of the patent typically covers:
- A method for preparing a specified pharmaceutical compound.
- The process involving specific chemical reagents, catalysts, or reaction conditions.
- Innovations in reaction sequence or purification techniques that enhance yield or purity.
Scope of Claims
The claims primarily encompass:
- A chemical synthesis route for the target compound, emphasizing particular reaction steps or intermediates.
- Process conditions—such as temperature, solvents, and catalysts—that confer advantages like reduced byproduct formation or cost-effectiveness.
- Optional modifications, including alternative reagents or catalysts, with some claims explicitly covering process variants to broaden protection.
Analysis
The scope appears focused on proprietary improvements in the preparation process of a specific API. It aims to secure exclusive rights over a technological step that provides advantages in manufacturing efficiency or safety.
Claim Strategies and Potential Limitations
- The breadth of independent claims suggests a strategic effort to monopolize not only the exact process but also closely related variants.
- Dependent claims that specify alternative reactants or conditions serve to extend patent coverage across multiple embodiments.
- The scope's strength depends on how precisely the claims are distinguished from prior art, which is vital for enforceability and defensibility.
Patent Landscape Context
Prevalence of Similar Patents
China's pharmaceutical patent landscape, especially in chemical and process innovation, is highly active. Around the priority filing of CN111511385, multiple patents targeted similar APIs or synthesis processes, including:
- Patents focusing on novel intermediates or alternative synthetic routes for the same class of compounds.
- Prior art from both domestic Chinese entities and international players like Pfizer, Novartis, and Chinese biotech firms.
- Use of custom catalysts or green chemistry techniques, aligning with global trends toward sustainable manufacturing ([1]).
Key Competitors and Patent Holders
Major Chinese pharmaceutical companies and research institutes filing related patents include:
- Harbin Pharmaceutical Group
- Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry
- Beijing Yiling Pharmaceutical
International firms are increasingly filing patent equivalents or improvements in China, signaling a competitive push to secure manufacturing rights and market exclusivity.
Legal and Regulatory Environment
Patent examination in China emphasizes novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability. Given China's focus on "green chemistry", innovations claiming safer, environmentally friendly processes tend to receive favorable consideration. However, the patent landscape is also highly litigated, with patent opposition and invalidation proceedings common, especially for broad claims ([2]).
Implications for Stakeholders
For Innovators and Patent Owners
- The patent’s strategic scope indicates an effort to control not just the specific method but also alternative process variations, enhancing protection against design-arounds.
- Monitoring similar patents can inform freedom-to-operate (FTO) assessments and licensing strategies.
- The patent may serve as a blocking patent to deter competitors from entering certain manufacturing routes.
For Competitors
- The scope of CN111511385 necessitates careful design-around strategies that avoid infringing specific process claims.
- Investment in novel synthesis pathways or different intermediates can circumvent patent barriers.
- Consideration of patent validity is necessary, given the scrutiny by Chinese patent examiners for overlapping claims.
For Legal Professionals
- The patent’s claims should be analyzed for potential infringement and invalidity risks.
- Assess claim scope in relation to China's patent examination standards and prior art.
- Evaluate enforcement potential given the enforceability climate and patent scope breadth.
Conclusion
The Chinese patent CN111511385 exemplifies strategic process innovation in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Its scope encompasses specific synthesis methods with tailored process conditions, designed to secure a competitive edge through robust and broad claims. The patent landscape around it reflects China's dynamic environment of chemical and pharmaceutical patenting, emphasizing process improvements aligned with green chemistry principles.
Organizations operating in this space must undertake vigilant freedom-to-operate analyses, consider alternative process designs to circumvent patent barriers, and monitor ongoing patent filings to maintain competitive advantage.
Key Takeaways
- CN111511385 secures broad process patent rights specifically targeting a pharmaceutical compound synthesis, with claims emphasizing process efficiency and environmental considerations.
- The patent landscape remains highly active in China, with numerous patents on similar APIs and synthesis methodologies, necessitating diligent patent monitoring and strategic planning.
- Broad claim coverage underscores the importance of designing around or challenging patents via prior art or validity proceedings.
- Stakeholders should prioritize patent landscape analysis, compliance, and innovative process development to sustain competitiveness.
- Continuous assessment of patent enforcement trends and legal standards in China is essential for mitigating IP risks and supporting strategic growth.
FAQs
1. What is the main innovation disclosed in CN111511385?
The patent primarily discloses a novel chemical synthesis method for a specific pharmaceutical compound, focusing on improved reaction conditions, yields, and environmental sustainability.
2. How broad are the claims of CN111511385?
The independent claims specify particular reaction steps, reagents, and conditions, with dependent claims covering various process modifications, offering extensive protection over the synthesis route.
3. How does this patent fit into the broader Chinese pharmaceutical patent landscape?
It aligns with China's emphasis on process innovation and green chemistry, competing alongside domestic and international patents targeting similar APIs or synthesis methods.
4. What strategic considerations should companies have regarding this patent?
Companies must analyze potential infringement risks, consider design-around strategies, and evaluate patent validity to navigate the competitive IP environment effectively.
5. How can stakeholders leverage this patent landscape analysis?
It informs patent filing strategies, licensing opportunities, R&D direction, and legal actions, supporting informed decision-making in China's pharmaceutical sector.
References
[1] China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). Guidelines for Patent Examination. 2020.
[2] Wang, L., et al. “Patent Litigation Trends in China's Pharmaceutical Sector: Navigating Innovation and Enforcement.” Intellectual Property & Innovation, 2022.
