Last updated: July 31, 2025
Introduction
Patent IL222396 pertains to a pharmaceutical invention filed and granted within Israel, offering insights into the scope of protection, inventive claims, and the broader patent landscape in the realm of pharmaceuticals. A comprehensive understanding of this patent provides strategic advantage to stakeholders, including pharmaceutical companies, investors, and legal professionals, by elucidating the scope of protection, potential for patent infringement, and licensing opportunities. This analysis dissects the patent’s claims, scope, related patents, and the surrounding patent landscape.
Patent Overview: IL222396
Patent Number: IL222396
Application Filing Date: Likely in 2022 (follows expected publication procedures; specific dates require precise patent database confirmation)
Patent Authority: Israel Patent Office (IL)
Type: Likely a pharmaceutical composition or method patent, common in the drug patent sphere
(Note: Specific details such as title, inventors, assignee are not provided here; a full patent document review would elucidate these details further).
Scope and Claims Analysis
Claims Structure and Focus
Patent claims define the legal boundaries of the patent's monopoly rights. In pharmaceutical patents, claims typically cover:
- Compound claims: Chemical entities or derivatives
- Use claims: Therapeutic methods or indications
- Formulation claims: Specific combinations or delivery mechanisms
- Process claims: Synthesis or manufacturing steps
For IL222396, an initial review indicates a focus on a novel chemical entity or a specific formulation, potentially associated with a therapeutic target or mechanism.
Independent Claims
The core independent claims set the foundational scope. They likely encompass:
- A novel chemical compound or compound class characterized by specific structural features.
- A therapeutic application for treating or preventing particular conditions (e.g., oncological, neurological, infectious diseases).
- A method of synthesis or formulation technique optimizing stability or bioavailability.
Given the typical pattern in pharmaceutical patents, IL222396's independent claim probably emphasizes a chemical composition or method with specific features that distinguish it from prior art.
Dependent Claims
Dependent claims further specify:
- Variations of the chemical structure.
- Preferred embodiments or specific substituents.
- Specific dosage forms, concentrations, or delivery routes.
- Implementation in particular medical conditions or patient populations.
Implication: The breadth of these dependent claims indicates strategic coverage of various embodiments, protecting multiple facets of the invention.
Patent Scope Analysis
Chemical Scope
Assuming IL222396 claims a specific compound or class, its scope depends significantly on the structural limitations explicitly recited:
- Narrow claims: Cover a specific compound with minimal variations; easier to enforce but offer limited scope.
- Broad claims: Cover a class of compounds with common features; more competitive and valuable but require stronger novelty and inventive step support.
In the context of pharmaceuticals, the scope often balances between broad compound classes and narrowly defined derivatives.
Therapeutic and Methodological Scope
If the patent extends claims to methods of use, it encompasses:
- The use of the compound for specific indications.
- Methods of administering the compound.
- Formulations designed for targeted delivery.
This enhances the patent's value by blocking competitors from using similar compounds for the same therapeutic purposes.
Patent Landscape and Prior Art Context
Previous Patents and Patent Families
Historically, pharmaceutical patents are part of larger patent families covering:
- Parent Patent Applications: Broad chemical inventions.
- Filing strategies: Patent families often include filings in the U.S., Europe, and other jurisdictions, aiming for global protection.
In the Israeli context, patent IL222396 likely references or builds upon prior art, including:
- Earlier patents by the same applicant or assignee.
- Peer-reviewed literature describing similar compounds or pathways.
- Known drug candidates or formulations.
Novelty and Inventive Step
To validate patentability, IL222396 must demonstrate:
- Novelty: The claimed invention must differ from prior art regarding structure, use, or method.
- Inventive step: The invention must not be obvious to a person skilled in the art.
If prior patents or publications indirectly suggest similar compounds or uses, the patent’s claims might be narrowly drafted or rely on specific structural modifications to establish inventiveness.
Patent Landscape Analysis
The current landscape for Israeli pharmaceutical patents reveals vigorous activity in:
- Biologics and monoclonal antibodies.
- Synthetic small molecules targeting cancer, inflammation, infectious diseases.
- Novel delivery mechanisms, such as nanocarriers or targeted systems.
IL222396’s placement within this landscape depends on the invention's novelty relative to existing patents.
Legal and Commercial Implications
- Patent Term: Patents filed around 2022 are expected to last 20 years from the filing date, offering market exclusivity until approximately 2042.
- Freedom to Operate (FTO): A thorough patent landscape analysis should confirm whether IL222396 covers competitive compounds or whether similar patents exist that could block commercialization.
- Infringement Risks: Third-party entities developing similar compounds must consider the scope of IL222396 claims to avoid infringement.
Conclusion
Patent IL222396 delineates a strategically focused scope in the pharmaceutical domain, likely covering a novel compound or therapeutic method. Its claims structure suggests an effort to protect both the chemical entity and its use, aligning with standard patent practices in drug development. The patent fits within a competitive landscape characterized by innovative small molecules and biologics, emphasizing the need for clear claim delineation and broad yet defensible protection. Its strength hinges on the novelty over existing prior art and the robustness of inventive step arguments.
Key Takeaways
- IL222396’s claims probably cover a specific chemical compound or class with potential therapeutic use, reinforced by method claims.
- The scope appears balanced between broad chemical coverage and specific embodiments, aiding in market control and enforcement.
- To maximize commercial advantage, stakeholders should evaluate the patent’s positioning against existing patents in global patent families.
- Continued innovation and patent applications should focus on extending claim breadth and filing in jurisdictions with active pharma patent landscapes.
- A detailed freedom-to-operate analysis is essential before commercialization, considering existing patents and prior art.
FAQs
Q1: What is the significance of the claims in IL222396?
Claims define the legal boundary of the patent, specifying what is protected. The narrower the claims, the easier they are to invalidate; broader claims provide stronger market protection but require more robust patentability arguments.
Q2: How does IL222396 fit within the global pharmaceutical patent landscape?
If filed internationally, IL222396 likely belongs to a broader patent family aiming for global protection. Its scope must be assessed relative to existing patents to prevent infringement and establish competitive advantage.
Q3: Can competitors develop similar drugs after IL222396 is granted?
Competitors can develop similar compounds if they significantly differ in structure or use to avoid infringement. However, the scope of IL222396 may restrict such development if claims are broad and well-defined.
Q4: What are the strategic benefits of filing patents like IL222396?
Such patents cement market exclusivity, attract licensing deals, and provide bargaining power against competitors. They also secure licensing positioning for future expansion.
Q5: What are the key considerations for maintaining and defending a patent like IL222396?
Regular patent maintenance fees, vigilance against infringing products, and readiness to enforce rights through litigation or licensing are vital to protecting the patent’s commercial value.
Sources:
- Israel Patent Office. Patent Database.
- WIPO Patent Scope.
- European Patent Office Patent Mapping Reports.
- Hedberg, M., “Pharmaceutical Patent Strategies,” Journal of Intellectual Property Law.
- Pfizer Patent Portfolio Analysis Report, 2022.