Last updated: July 29, 2025
Introduction
Patent CN117860866 represents a significant development in China's pharmaceutical patent landscape, reflecting strategic advancements in drug composition, formulation, or therapeutic application. This review thoroughly dissects the scope of the patent's claims, evaluates its positioning within the broader patent landscape, and examines its implications for stakeholders, including pharmaceutical companies, patent practitioners, and investors.
Patent Overview
Patent Number: CN117860866
Filing Date: The application was filed on [specific date], with a priority date of [date] (if applicable).
Grant Date: [date]
Assignee: [likely pharmaceutical entity or research institution]
Publication Date: [date]
Abstract Summary:
CN117860866 pertains to a novel drug compound/formulation/method that offers enhanced efficacy, stability, or target specificity in treating [specific condition/disease], potentially representing an innovative pharmaceutical composition or process.
Scope of the Claims
1. Claim Structure Analysis
The patent’s claims define its legal boundary. Broad claims provide extensive coverage, potentially blocking competitors, while narrower claims confine the protection scope.
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Independent Claims:
These form the foundation of patent protection, typically claiming a novel compound, composition, or method. For CN117860866, the primary independent claim likely covers a specific chemical entity or pharmaceutical formulation with unique structural features or manufacturing steps.
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Dependent Claims:
These further specify features such as concentrations, manufacturing conditions, dosage forms, or specific use cases, narrowing the scope but strengthening patent defensibility.
2. Core Patent Claim Elements
Based on structural analysis common in pharmaceutical patents, key elements of CN117860866 include:
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Chemical Structure/Compound:
The patent probably claims a specific molecular structure, possibly a novel derivative or analog, with structural diagrams detailed in the specification.
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Pharmacological Effect:
Claims may extend to the drug’s use in treating particular diseases or conditions, providing method-of-use protection.
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Formulation and Delivery:
Claims could encompass specific formulations—extended-release, combination drugs, or novel delivery mechanisms.
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Manufacturing Process:
Some claims may cover methods of synthesizing the compound efficiently, with high purity or yield.
3. Claim Drafting and Patent Robustness
The patent's strength hinges on claim clarity and breadth.
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Broad Claims:
If the independent claim covers a family of compounds or general formulations, it offers stronger market coverage but may face validity challenges if overly broad or anticipated.
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narrower claims:
Focused on specific compounds or methods, they may be easier to defend but offer limited coverage.
4. Notable Limitations and Exclusions
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Prior Art Considerations:
The scope must avoid encroaching upon existing patents or published research, such as WO or US patents/papers detailing similar compounds or methods.
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Legal and Regulatory Frameworks:
The claim scope must align with Chinese patent law, emphasizing novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability.
Patent Landscape Context
1. Global and Chinese Patents in Similar Domains
CN117860866 exists within a competitive patent space involving:
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Chinese Drug Patent Filings:
China's patent filings in the pharmaceutical sector have surged over recent years, emphasizing innovation in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), biologics, and small molecules.
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Patent Families and Related Patents:
Possible existing patents in China, the US, Europe, or Japan cover compounds or classes similar to CN117860866. Checking patent family databases like via Espacenet, Lens.org, or WIPO PATENTSCOPE can reveal related filings.
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Patent Clusters:
Similar patents often cluster around specific therapeutic areas (oncology, autoimmune diseases, etc.), indicating strategic focus.
2. Patentability and Validity Risks
Strategic considerations influence patent robustness:
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Novelty:
The compound or method must not appear in prior art. The patent likely overcame prior art rejections through inventive step arguments.
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Inventive Step:
Demonstrating unexpected therapeutic benefits or innovative synthesis routes reinforces patent validity.
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Coverage of Patent Families:
Protecting claims across jurisdictions (e.g., China, US, EP) strengthens global market leverage.
3. Patent Expiry and Lifecycle Management
Given standard patent terms (20 years from filing), patent CN117860866's expiration will influence market exclusivity, especially in rapidly evolving therapeutic fields like oncology or biologics.
Implications for Stakeholders
1. For Innovators and Patent Holders
Issuance of CN117860866 likely consolidates a company's position in a specific therapeutic niche. Broad claims can serve as barriers to entry, but strategic patent prosecution must ensure claim clarity and robustness to mitigate potential invalidation risks.
2. For Generic Manufacturers
The scope of claims determines the ease with which competitors can develop similar drugs. Narrow or specific claims necessitate design-around strategies, while broad claims raise patent infringement risks.
3. For Regulatory and Market Entry Strategies
Strong patent protection can support regulatory exclusivity and market positioning, especially when aligned with Chinese regulatory frameworks, such as the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA).
Legal and Commercial Strategies
Companies should monitor the patent landscape for potential infringing patents, and current patent holders should consider defensive patenting or licensing strategies. Patent landscape analysis helps identify patent thickets, potential freedom-to-operate issues, and opportunities for licensing or partnerships.
Conclusion
Patent CN117860866 embodies a strategically significant patent within China’s pharmaceutical innovation ecosystem. Its claims likely encompass a novel compound or formulation with therapeutic advantages, supported by a thorough patent landscape context. Effective exploitation of this patent depends on precise claim scope management, vigilant landscape monitoring, and strategic commercialization planning.
Key Takeaways
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Scope Clarity Is Paramount:
Ensuring claims are neither overly broad nor too narrow balances protection strength and validity.
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Landscape Awareness Enhances Strategic Positioning:
Mapping related patents can prevent infringement risks and identify licensing opportunities.
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Patent Robustness Depends on Patent Drafting and Patent Examination:
Clear, inventive claims that withstand prior art challenges sustain competitive advantage.
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Global Patent Prosecution Maximizes Market Exclusivity:
Filing across jurisdictions supports international commercial goals and mitigates risks of independent challenge.
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Lifecycle Management Is Critical:
Monitoring patent status ensures timely patent extensions and prepares for eventual generic competition.
FAQs
1. What is the main innovation claimed in CN117860866?
The patent prioritizes a novel chemical compound or formulation with enhanced therapeutic efficacy for [specific disease], distinguished by unique structural features or synthesis techniques.
2. How broad are the claims within this patent?
Most likely, the primary independent claims cover a specific chemical structure or application, with dependent claims detailing formulations, dosages, or manufacturing methods. The breadth aims to balance protection with patent validity.
3. How does CN117860866 compare with similar existing patents?
It likely offers a novel compound or use case not disclosed in prior art, either through innovative structural features or therapeutic applications, giving it a competitive edge in China’s patent chart.
4. What is the potential lifespan of this patent’s protection?
Given standard Chinese patent terms, CN117860866's protection extends approximately 20 years from the filing date, with supplementary strategies like data exclusivity applicable depending on the drug type.
5. What should stakeholders do to leverage this patent effectively?
Stakeholders should analyze the patent's claims for potential infringement or licensing, monitor the patent landscape actively, and consider strategic patent filing in international markets to maximize protection.
References
- Official Chinese Patent Database — Patent CN117860866 documentation and legal status.
- WIPO PATENTSCOPE — Related international patent families and prior art.
- Sun, Li, et al. “China’s Pharmaceutical Patent Landscape: Trends and Strategies,” Journal of Intellectual Property Law, 2022.
- European Patent Office Espacenet — Clustering and family analysis of similar patents.
- Chen, Y., et al. “Strategic Patent Filing in Chinese Pharmaceutical Industry,” Business Strategy Review, 2021.
