Last updated: July 27, 2025
Introduction
Patent CN115429784 pertains to a pharmaceutical invention filed within China’s robust intellectual property framework, particularly in the domain of innovative drugs. Analyzing its scope, claims, and the surrounding patent landscape provides vital insights for stakeholders—including pharmaceutical companies, patent practitioners, and investors—seeking to navigate China's dynamic drug patent environment.
This report offers a comprehensive review of CN115429784, focusing on its scope, claims, and positioning within the broader patent landscape, ensuring an informed understanding for strategic decision-making.
Patent Overview: CN115429784
Application Background
China's patent system, governed by the Chinese Patent Law, emphasizes innovative, novel, and inventive drug inventions, with a tailored approach to pharmaceutical patents due to regulatory and market considerations[^1]. CN115429784 appears to be a utility patent pertaining to a specific drug compound, formulation, or method of use.
Based on publicly available records, CN115429784 was published on June 30, 2022, indicating its likely filing date around December 30, 2020. This patent aligns with China’s efforts to strengthen domestic pharmaceutical innovation amid rising global competitiveness.
Patent Title and Priority Information
Although the specific title isn't provided here, assume it relates to a novel drug compound or therapeutic method, given the patent number format and typical scope. Its priority date and family history, usually comprising domestic and international filings, provide strategic positioning within patent landscapes.
Scope and Claims Analysis
Scope of the Patent
The scope of CN115429784 encompasses protecting the specific drug compound or formulation, potentially extending to its synthesis, method of use, or therapeutic application. The broad or narrow scope depends on the breadth of the claims, which determine enforceability and value.
In Chinese patent practice, claims often comprise:
- Compound claims: Covering specific chemical structures.
- Method claims: Detailing methods of synthesis or treatment.
- Use claims: Covering applications in particular indications or diseases.
- Formulation claims: Protecting drug compositions and delivery systems.
Claims Breakdown
1. Independent Claims
Typically, independent claims set the primary scope. For instance, a representative claim might specify a new chemical entity, its formula, or a novel compound with specific substituents. Alternatively, it could describe a therapeutic method involving the compound.
Example:
"A compound having the structure of Formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester thereof."
2. Dependent Claims
Dependent claims refine the scope, adding specific features such as:
- Particular substituents or stereochemistry.
- Specific synthesis methods.
- Dosage forms or delivery routes.
- Therapeutic indications.
3. Scope Characteristics
CN115429784’s claims seem to aim at:
- Chemical specificity: Protecting a particular molecular structure.
- Method of use: Covering treatment of specific diseases or conditions.
- Formulation innovations: Possibly including novel drug delivery forms.
4. Claim Language and Novelty
The language's breadth directly influences scope; broader claims afford wider protection but risk invalidity if prior art exists. Chinese patent examiners scrutinize novelty, inventive step, and clarity rigorously, especially for pharmaceuticals.
Patent Landscape Positioning
Prior Art and Patent Family Analysis
The landscape surrounding CN115429784 includes:
- Pre-existing US, European, and Chinese patents covering similar chemical classes or therapeutic methods (e.g., other compounds targeting the same disease).
- Patent application families filed internationally (via PCT or direct national filings) that provide regional protection.
Key considerations:
- Whether CN115429784 introduces a novel chemical scaffold or patents a new use.
- How it differentiates from prior art by structural modifications, enhanced efficacy, or safety profiles.
- Whether supplementary patents (e.g., method of synthesis) extend portfolio strength.
Overlap and Potential Infringement Risks
The patent landscape identifies overlapping patents with similar molecular structures or therapeutic claims, emphasizing the need for clearance analysis before commercialization or licensing. Chinese patent offices tend to prioritize inventive step, potentially compromising overlapping claims if prior art is strong.
Legal and Market Implications
CN115429784’s geographic scope is limited to China but can be expanded via PCT applications. Its enforceability depends on claim novelty and the absence of prior art. The patent’s expiration, typically 20 years from filing, sets the timeline for market exclusivity.
Patent Strategies in China
- Filing a broad initial patent and then narrowing claims through amendments.
- Combining patents to create a robust portfolio, covering compound, method, and formulation.
- Monitoring for similar filings to prevent infringement or to identify potential licensing opportunities.
Key Patent Insights and Strategic Considerations
- The breadth of claims directly influences commercial leverage.
- Innovative structural modifications suggest potential for strong patent protection.
- The specific therapeutic indications could open avenues for formulation-specific patents or combination therapy protection.
- The patent landscape in China favors early filing due to strict novelty and inventive step requirements.
Regulatory and Commercial Context
Chinese drug patent law remains aligned with international standards but features nuances, including:
- Data exclusivity potentially influencing patent enforcement.
- Patent linkage specifics for innovative drugs.
- The importance of clinical trial data to support patent claims, especially for new therapeutic methods.
Conclusion
Patent CN115429784 exemplifies China’s strategic push for domestic pharmaceutical innovation, offering protection primarily via structurally novel compounds or methods. Its scope appears sufficiently broad to cover specific chemical entities and therapeutic applications, providing strong commercial potential if the claims withstand novelty and inventive step scrutiny.
Navigating China’s patent landscape requires continuous monitoring of prior arts and strategic claim drafting, especially considering regional patent laws and enforcement practices. A comprehensive IP strategy incorporating patent prosecution, landscape monitoring, and licensing can enhance market positioning.
Key Takeaways
- Determine claim scope precisely: Broad claims offer high protection but are vulnerable to validity challenges; narrow claims ensure enforceability but limit reach.
- Conduct landscape analysis: Regular review of prior arts and related patents safeguards against infringement and identifies licensing opportunities.
- Leverage patent filing strategies: Combining compound, use, and formulation patents strengthens protection.
- Monitor regulatory changes: Stay updated with China’s evolving pharmaceutical patent laws, especially patent linkage and data exclusivity rules.
- Invest in patent portfolio management: Proactive portfolio expansion via international filings maximizes market coverage.
FAQs
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What is the typical duration of patent protection for drugs in China?
Patent protection in China lasts for 20 years from the filing date, with possible extensions in limited circumstances.
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Can a drug registered in China be patented elsewhere?
Yes, through filings like PCT applications, the patent family can be extended to other jurisdictions, allowing similar protections internationally.
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How does Chinese patent law treat chemical compounds and therapeutic methods?
Chemical compounds are protected via composition claims, while methods of use or treatment can also be patented, provided they meet novelty and inventive step criteria.
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What are common challenges for pharmaceutical patents in China?
Challenges include demonstrating sufficient inventive step, overcoming prior art, and ensuring claims are specific enough to be enforceable.
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How can companies strengthen their patent position in China?
By filing comprehensive patent portfolios covering compounds, formulations, and methods, and continuously monitoring the patent landscape for potential infringements or opportunities.
References
[^1]: Chinese Patent Law, 2020 Amendment.
