Last updated: August 1, 2025
Introduction
Patent CN111818927, filed in China, pertains to a novel pharmaceutical composition or method, with potential implications for drug development, manufacturing, and commercialization within its therapeutic domain. As the Chinese patent landscape continues to evolve, understanding the scope, claims, and overall patent milieu surrounding CN111818927 is essential for stakeholders including pharmaceutical companies, legal professionals, and R&D entities aiming to navigate the competitive environment and manage intellectual property rights effectively.
This analysis delves into the patent's scope, examines its claims in detail, explores existing and potential patent landscape influences, and offers strategic insights relevant for current and future patent considerations in China’s dynamic pharmaceutical landscape.
Scope of Patent CN111818927
The scope of a patent defines its territorial and subject-matter boundaries, which in this case are centered in China with potential for international implications via patent family strategies. The patent application’s scope encompasses:
- Therapeutic domain: Likely addresses a new drug compound, composition, or method of treatment—potentially targeting a specific disease or medical condition.
- Material or formulation: Includes specific chemical entities, their combinations, or delivery systems.
- Manufacturing process: Encompasses novel techniques or steps relevant to achieving the pharmaceutical formulation.
- Use claims: Covers therapeutic uses, including methods of administration, dosing, or treatment protocols.
- Scope limitations: The scope is constrained by detailed claims, which specifically delineate the protected features, thereby gradually narrowing the boundary of protection.
The scope's breadth hinges on the claims' formulation—whether they are broad (covering multiple compounds or methods) or narrow (covering specific embodiments). Based on typical Chinese pharmaceutical patents, CN111818927 probably combines compound claims with method and use claims, thereby covering multiple dimensions within the therapeutic space.
Claims Analysis
A comprehensive analysis of the patent's claims reveals the core of its protection. Claims in Chinese patents fall into two types: independent and dependent:
1. Independent Claims
These set the broadest boundaries. For CN111818927, such claims likely define:
- Novel chemical entities or compounds: Featuring unique structures or functional groups that distinguish them from prior art.
- Pharmaceutical compositions: Claiming formulations with specific ratios, excipients, or delivery systems.
- Therapeutic methods: Claims related to administering the compound/method to treat particular diseases, possibly with defined dosage and frequency.
Example (hypothetical):
"An oral pharmaceutical composition comprising [chemical compound], wherein the compound is characterized by [specific structural feature], for use in treating [disease]."
2. Dependent Claims
These refine the independent claims by specifying particular embodiments:
- Variations in drug dosage, formulation type, or administration route.
- Additional features like stabilization agents, carriers, or specific device delivery systems.
- Specific patient populations or treatment protocols.
Claim Strategy and Patented Innovations
The claims ostensibly focus on:
- Chemical novelty: Introducing a new compound with improved efficacy or safety.
- Formulation innovation: Novel delivery systems enhancing bioavailability or stability.
- Method claims: Innovative treatment protocols or administration schedules.
The specificity of claims balances broad protection with defensibility against prior art, a key strategic element in Chinese pharmaceutical patents.
Patent Landscape Analysis
A comprehensive patent landscape assessment places CN111818927 within China’s robust pharmaceutical innovation ecosystem. Relevant factors include:
1. Prior Art and Patent Family Presence
The novelty of CN111818927 necessitates prior art searches related to:
- Existing Chinese patents and applications in the same therapeutic area.
- International patents filed via PCT or direct applications with similar claims.
- Scientific disclosures and literature.
The patent's novelty suggests that it either introduces a new chemical entity or a novel use/method not previously disclosed.
2. Competitive Patent Activities
Companies active in the same therapeutic domain—be they domestic Chinese players like Sinopharm or international majors such as Pfizer or Novartis—are likely to have related patent filings. Observations include:
- Patent density in the same class: Numerous patents around related compounds or formulations.
- Patent overlap or fragmentation: Multiple filings protecting different aspects (composition, process, use).
- Strategic patenting: Broader patents may be in process to cover similar compound classes or methods.
3. Geographical and IP Strategy
Given China's expanding pharmaceutical IP environment, applicants often pursue:
- Chinese patent protection for domestic market leverage.
- International patent filings via PCT routes for broader protection.
- Patent families to ensure comprehensive coverage of core innovations.
The patent's scope and claims potentially align with such strategic trends, emphasizing innovative or high-value claims to counteract infringement challenges.
4. Potential for Litigation or Licensing
If CN111818927 covers a commercially significant drug candidate, it could serve as a critical asset for licensing negotiations, or as a basis for asserting patent rights against competitors.
Implications for Stakeholders
For Innovators and Patent Holders:
- The claim structure likely provides solid protection if the novelty and inventive step are well supported.
- Broad claims covering therapeutic uses and formulations increase enforcement scope but also pose validity risks if challenged by prior art.
For Competitors:
- Careful analysis of claim language is essential to avoid infringement.
- Designing around narrow claims or developing alternative compounds/formulations can be effective strategies.
For Patent Examiners and Legal Professionals:
- Critical examination of novelty, inventive step, and written description is necessary.
- Monitoring subsequent patents citing or related to CN111818927 informs landscape shifts.
Key Takeaways
- CN111818927 appears to encompass both chemical and therapeutic claim categories, aiming for broad protection within the Chinese pharmaceutical market.
- The patent's scope hinges on its claim language, which likely delineates specific compounds and their use, setting a foundation for both offensive and defensive IP strategies.
- The Chinese patent landscape in pharmaceuticals is highly active, with overlapping patents and aggressive patent filing strategies demanding rigorous freedom-to-operate analyses.
- Strategic patenting—covering multiple facets of the invention—bolsters market position, licensing potential, and litigation defense.
- Continuous monitoring of related patent filings is critical for emerging competitors and established players aiming to sustain innovation leadership.
FAQs
1. What is the typical scope of Chinese pharmaceutical patents like CN111818927?
Such patents often encompass chemical compounds, pharmaceutical compositions, methods of preparation, and therapeutic uses, with scope tailored by claim breadth to protect core innovations.
2. How does CN111818927 compare with international patent standards?
While Chinese patents follow similar criteria—novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability—they tend to have narrower claim scopes compared to American or European counterparts, emphasizing strategic claim drafting.
3. What are the risks of patent invalidation for patents like CN111818927?
Invalidation risks include prior art that anticipates or renders the claims obvious, insufficient written description, or lack of inventive step, necessitating robust prosecution and claims drafting.
4. How does the patent landscape influence drug development in China?
A dense patent environment incentivizes innovation but also demands careful patent landscape analysis to avoid infringement and secure freedom-to-operate.
5. Can CN111818927 be enforced abroad?
Not directly; Chinese patents are territorial. To extend protection outside China, patent applicants must file corresponding patent applications in target jurisdictions.
References
[1] State Intellectual Property Office of China (SIPO). Patent CN111818927.
[2] WIPO Patent Landscape Reports. Chinese Pharmaceutical Patents.
[3] Chinese Pharmacological Patent Statutes and Guidelines.
[4] Patent Examination Guidelines of China.
[5] Market analysis reports on Chinese pharmaceutical patent strategies.
Note: The precise claim language, detailed description, and prosecution history of CN111818927 are crucial for a definitive technical and legal evaluation. This analysis offers an overarching perspective based on typical patent structures in China’s pharmaceutical sector, assuming standard claim formats and strategic patenting practices.
