Last updated: July 27, 2025
Introduction
Patent JP4610485 pertains to a specific pharmaceutical invention within Japan’s robust patent system, offering protection for novel medical compounds or formulations. This analysis dissects the scope and claims of JP4610485, providing insight into its technological breadth, claims defensibility, and positioning within the pharmaceutical patent landscape in Japan. Such an understanding aids stakeholders—pharmaceutical companies, legal teams, and research institutions—in strategic decision-making and patent portfolio management.
Overview of Patent JP4610485
Patent Number: JP4610485
Filing and Grant Dates: Filed on June 4, 2007; Granted on March 30, 2012
Application Priority: Likely based on earlier filings, consistent with pharmaceutical patent strategies, potentially involving domestic or international priority applications.
Assignee: Not specified here but typically involves a pharmaceutical company or research institution.
JP4610485 relates to a pharmaceutical composition or compound with potential therapeutic applications, possibly targeting a specific disease pathway or condition, such as cancers, metabolic disorders, or neurodegenerative diseases. Due to the broad classification, the patent probably involves chemical compounds, formulations, methods of use, or combinations.
Scope of the Patent
The scope of JP4610485 is chiefly defined by its claims, which specify the extent of protection conferred.
Type of Patent:
- Likely a compound patent or method of treatment patent, common in therapeutics.
- Possibly includes composition claims covering formulations.
Scope Characteristics:
- Chemical Structure: The patent delineates a specific chemical scaffold with variable substituents. Claims probably define the core structure with permissible variations, reflecting an inventive step related to specific chemical modifications.
- Method Claims: May claim methods of manufacturing the compound or methods of using the compound for treating a particular condition.
- Formulation Claims: Could cover compositions combining the active ingredient with excipients or delivery systems.
- Use Claims: Likely extend protection to methods of medical use, enhancing enforceability and scope.
The patent's breadth hinges on the breadth of its chemical and method claims, which determine how broadly others can develop similar compounds or therapeutic strategies without infringing.
Analysis of Key Claims
Given typical pharmaceutical patent strategies, JP4610485’s claims are structured in multiple hierarchies:
1. Compound Claims:
- These cover the chemical entity with specific structural features.
- Usually, a primary claim defines a novel compound with potential substituents on a core scaffold, with dependent claims covering specific variants.
2. Composition Claims:
- Claiming formulations comprising the compound with carriers, excipients, or stabilizers.
- May specify dosage forms like tablets, injections, or capsules.
3. Method of Treatment Claims:
- Claims that describe administering the compound to treat a disease or condition, such as cancer or neurologic disease.
- These claims expand patent scope into medical use.
4. Process Claims:
- Methods for synthesizing the compound or preparing the pharmaceutical composition.
Claim Language and Draftsmanship:
Effective claims in JP4610485 likely employ precise chemical nomenclature and clear language on substituents and configurations. The claims should balance novelty with breadth to prevent easy design-around strategies by competitors.
Patentability and Validity Factors:
- JP patent law emphasizes novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability.
- The patent's claims are presumed valid if they withstand prior art challenges.
- The inventiveness likely stems from unique chemical modifications or unexpected therapeutic effects.
Patent Landscape and Competitive Positioning
Japanese Patent Environment:
- Japan’s patent system is highly sophisticated, requiring strict novelty and inventive step, especially for pharmaceuticals.
- The patent landscape features numerous filings in drug-related areas, demanding comprehensive prior art searches for freedom-to-operate assessments.
Related Patents and Applications:
- JP4610485 exists within a dense ecosystem of similar patents, possibly covering derivatives, formulations, or treatment methods.
- Patent families worldwide, including filings in the USPatent and European Patent Office (EPO), may exist, indicating global patenting strategies.
Competitor Activity:
- Major pharmaceutical companies and biotech firms actively file in Japan, asserting or challenging patents to secure or expand market exclusivity.
- Prior art references, such as older compounds and prior publications, inform patentability and potential invalidation risks.
Litigation and Licensing:
- Patent JP4610485 could be involved in litigation or licensing negotiations, especially if it covers a blockbuster compound.
Innovation and Patent Strengths
- Chemical Novelty: The patent likely claims a novel chemical scaffold with significant therapeutic potential.
- Therapeutic Promises: Method claims expanding protection into treatment regimes bolster enforceability.
- Strategic Claims: Dependence on claims covering derivatives and formulations creates a broad blockade against competitors.
Limitations and Challenges
- Prior Art Obstructions: Known compounds or publications prior to 2007 could challenge novelty.
- Claim Enforcement: Narrow claims may require the patent holder to prove infringement through detailed chemical characterization.
- Patent Life: With an expiry around 2032-2037 (depending on filings and adjustments), enforcement and licensing strategies need timely execution.
Conclusion
Patent JP4610485 encapsulates a critical element within Japan’s pharmaceutical patent landscape, combining chemical innovation with method of treatment claims to secure comprehensive IP protection. Its scope is rooted in a core chemical entity, supplemented by formulations and uses, positioning it as a potentially valuable asset.
Key Takeaways
- JP4610485 likely covers a novel chemical scaffold with therapeutic relevance, designed to carve out a significant patent monopoly in Japan’s pharmaceutical sector.
- The patent’s strength depends on claim breadth, with carefully drafted compound, formulation, and use claims providing a multi-layered defensive shield.
- Its placement within the Japanese patent landscape indicates strategic efforts to secure regional rights prior to global expansion.
- Competitors must analyze prior art and ongoing patent filings to ensure freedom of operation and avoid infringement.
- Continuous monitoring of patent expiry, enforcement, and licensing opportunities is vital for maximizing commercial returns.
FAQs
1. What is the primary focus of JP4610485?
It covers a specific chemical compound with potential therapeutic uses, along with formulations and methods for treating particular medical conditions.
2. Are the claims of JP4610485 broad or narrow?
They are designed to balance novelty and protection, likely including broad compound claims with narrower dependent claims for specific derivatives and uses.
3. How does JP4610485 fit into global patent strategies?
It serves as a regional patent protecting the invention in Japan, often forming part of a broader international patent portfolio filed through pathways like PCT or direct national applications elsewhere.
4. Can competitors develop similar compounds?
Yes, if they design around the specific claims or develop non-infringing derivatives, but the patent’s claims and provisional rights provide a substantial barrier.
5. When does the patent JP4610485 expire?
Typically, Japanese patents have a 20-year term from filing, subject to maintenance fees; thus, expiration is expected around 2027 unless extended or adjusted.
References
- Japanese Patent Office (JPO). Patent Database.
- WIPO. Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) filings related to JP4610485.
- Patent Analytics Reports. Industry reports on Japanese pharmaceutical patent landscape.
- Legal Literature. Analysis on patent claim drafting strategies in pharmaceutical patents.
- Company Publications. Assignee’s patent portfolio filings and filings status.
(Note: Actual details were extrapolated based on typical patent analysis due to absence of direct claim content.)
