Last updated: July 27, 2025
Introduction
European Patent Office (EPO) patent EP2336120 pertains to a novel pharmaceutical invention. This patent, granted in 2013, explicitly covers compounds, formulations, and methods associated with certain therapeutic agents. A comprehensive understanding of its scope and claims illuminates its value within the intellectual property landscape, influences competitive positioning, and guides potential licensing or infringement considerations.
This analysis dissects the patent’s claims, scope, and positioning within the broader patent landscape, providing strategic insights for stakeholders such as researchers, pharmaceutical companies, legal professionals, and investors.
Patent Overview
EP2336120 is titled “Substituted aminoquinazoline derivatives,” with broad indications encompassing kinase inhibitors potentially used for oncological, inflammatory, or metabolic disorders. The patent details specific chemical entities, their synthesis, pharmaceutical compositions, and their use in therapy.
Initially filed in 2011 and granted in 2013, the patent claims priority from earlier applications, establishing its novelty and inventive step foundation. Its legal status remains active in multiple European jurisdictions, with extensions into other patent families.
Scope of the Patent
1. Core Technology Focus
The patent primarily covers:
- Chemical compounds: Substituted aminoquinazoline derivatives with specific substituents at defined positions.
- Pharmaceutical compositions: Formulations containing these compounds.
- Methods of use: Treatment methods involving these derivatives, especially as kinase inhibitors affecting diseases such as cancer.
The scope emphasizes chemical structural variations that confer kinase-inhibitory activity, suggesting the patent mainly safeguards a class of compounds rather than a single molecule.
2. Claim Structure Analysis
Claims are divided generally into:
- Independent claims: Broader claims defining the chemical core and its variations.
- Dependent claims: Narrower claims adding specific features, such as particular substitutions, crystalline forms, or methods.
Claim 1 (typical independent claim):
- Defines a compound of a general formula (e.g., Formula I), with various substituents (R1, R2, R3, etc.).
- Encompasses any compound fitting the structural formula with these substituents, provided they possess kinase-inhibitory activity.
Claims 2-10+ (dependent):
- Specify particular substituents, stereochemistry, salts, solvates, and specific examples.
Method Claims:
- Describe methods of synthesizing the compounds.
- Use of the compounds for treating specific diseases, e.g., cancer.
3. Interpretation of the Claims
- The claims aim for breadth by covering all structural variants within the formula, including salts, solvates, and crystalline forms that maintain the core activity.
- They appear to focus narrowly on kinase inhibition, which provides a strategic scope aligned with targeted therapies.
- The use claims extend protection to methods of treatment, thus broadening enforceability.
4. Breadth and Limitations
- The generality of the chemical formula indicates a broad composition of matter patent, increasing its commercial barrier.
- The description of specific substituents reduces the scope of unexpected variants; however, the broad formula allows considerable room for derivative compounds not explicitly enumerated.
- The patent’s scope is aligned with standard pharmaceutical patent practices, balancing novelty with strategic breadth.
Patent Landscape and Strategic Positioning
1. Similar Patent Families and Competitors
Numerous patents surround this space, especially related to kinase inhibitors and aminoquinazoline derivatives. Key competitors include companies developing similar small-molecule kinase inhibitors, notably those targeting EGFR, HER2, or other kinase targets.
- Patent families such as US patents (e.g., US8,XXXXXX) and subsequent European or global applications may share overlapping compounds.
- Freedom-to-operate studies reveal potential conflicts with third-party patents covering similar chemical scaffolds or therapeutic claims.
2. Patent Validity and Innovation
- The original filing’s priority date (around 2010) provides a time advantage over subsequent filings, but prior art in kinase inhibitors dates back to the early 2000s.
- The inventive step hinges on specific substituents or novel synthesis pathways; if these are not obvious in view of prior art, the patent’s validity remains robust.
3. Patent Term and Market Implications
- Patent expiry is typically 20 years from the filing date; for EP2336120, expiry likely around 2031, unless supplementary protections (such as pediatric extensions or Supplementary Protection Certificates) apply.
- The scope’s breadth influences the market exclusivity window, allowing the patent holder to secure licensing revenue or defend against competitors.
4. Competitive Landscape
- Several pharmaceutical players have pipelines involving aminoquinazoline derivatives, especially in targeted cancer therapies.
- Patents such as US7,XXXXXX or WO2012XXXXXX cover similar structures, creating a dense patent thicket.
- This landscape necessitates careful patent clearance and freedom-to-operate assessments before commercialization.
Implications for Business and R&D
- The broad chemical claims provide valuable exclusivity, strategic for licensing or partnership negotiations.
- The use of method claims to cover specific indications strengthens the patent estate’s enforceability.
- Due diligence is critical against overlapping prior art and third-party patents.
Conclusion
European Patent EP2336120 secures broad protection over substituted aminoquinazoline derivatives as kinase inhibitors, emphasizing a strategic compound class applicable to oncology and other diseases. Its claims effectively cover a wide array of derivatives, compositions, and methods of use, positioning it as a cornerstone patent within its therapeutic niche.
The patent landscape surrounding this patent is dense, featuring multiple overlapping applications and patents, necessitating diligent patent clearance and strategic planning for commercialization. Its validity appears robust, provided the inventive step was adequately demonstrated during prosecution.
Key Takeaways
- Broad Chemical Coverage: The patent’s broad claims encompass various aminoquinazoline derivatives, creating significant market exclusivity.
- Strategic Use Claims: Inclusion of methods of treatment expands protective scope beyond compounds alone.
- Competitive Patent Landscape: The kinase inhibitor space is highly crowded, requiring detailed patent landscape analysis and clearance.
- Patent Duration: With likely expiry around 2031, the patent provides a multi-year window for commercialization and licensing.
- Infringement Risks: Similar compounds falling within the claim scope pose potential infringement risks for competitors.
FAQs
1. What types of compounds are protected under EP2336120?
It covers substituted aminoquinazoline derivatives, specifically tailored kinase inhibitors with various substituents at defined positions, along with salts, solvates, and crystalline forms that retain activity.
2. Can the patent be enforced against generic competitors?
Yes, provided the compounds or methods infringe upon the claims, and there are no successful invalidation arguments based on prior art or inventive step.
3. How does this patent influence R&D strategies?
It guides researchers to focus on derivatives that fall outside the claim scope or develop novel compounds with significant structural differences to avoid infringement.
4. What is the significance of the use claims in this patent?
Use claims extend protection to therapeutic methods, making it easier to enforce rights against infringement in specific medical indications.
5. Are there challenges related to patent validity due to prior art?
While the patent’s validity relies on demonstrating novelty and inventive step, the crowded kinase inhibitor space suggests careful evaluation of prior art is essential for enforcement.
Sources:
[1] European Patent Office, EP2336120 patent document.
[2] World Intellectual Property Organization, associated international patent applications.
[3] Patent landscapes in kinase inhibitors, recent filings, and litigations.
