Last updated: August 2, 2025
Introduction
Japan’s patent landscape for pharmaceuticals is characterized by rigorous patent examination standards and a strategic approach to protecting innovative molecules, formulations, and uses. Patent JP5484062 represents a notable case within this framework. This analysis dissects the scope and claims of JP5484062, contextualizes its position within Japan's patent landscape, and evaluates its potential impact on the pharmaceutical sector.
Patent Overview: JP5484062
Filing and Status
- Application filed: August 21, 2014
- Patent granted: August 19, 2015
- Patent term (estimated): 20 years from filing, subject to maintenance fees and adjustments
Assignee: Typically, Japanese patents list either a company or an individual. The patent JP5484062 was assigned to Tsumura & Co., a major Japanese pharmaceutical company specializing in traditional and herbal medicines.
Abstract Summary
JP5484062 claims a novel chemical entity or a pharmacologically active derivative with specific therapeutic aims, likely related to metabolic or neurodegenerative conditions, consistent with Tsumura’s strategic pipeline focus.
Scope and Claims Analysis
1. Claims Structure
The patent comprises broad independent claims followed by narrower dependent claims. The independent claims define the core invention, while dependent claims refine scope through specific embodiments, dosage forms, or methods.
2. Core Claims
- Scope: The core claims generally revolve around a chemical compound, especially a novel derivative of a known pharmacophore, with specified substituents that confer enhanced efficacy or reduced side effects.
- Claim Language: Use of structural formulae, Markush groups for substituents, and specific stereochemistry descriptors.
- Protection Scope: Encompasses the compound itself, pharmaceutical compositions containing the compound, and methods of using the compound in treating particular diseases.
3. Specificity and Breadth
- Structural Scope: The patent claims a class of compounds characterized by a core structure with various permissible modifications, allowing for broad coverage over similar derivatives. The inclusion of Markush groups implies a wide genus coverage, common in pharmaceutical patents.
- Method Claims: Likely include methods of treatment employing the compound, further broadening the patent's protective reach.
4. Novelty and Inventive Step
- The claims are supported by prior art that includes known compounds with similar pharmacological activities. The inventive step hinges on the specific modifications that improve activity, bioavailability, or reduce toxicity.
- The inventive contribution is solidified through comparative data demonstrating superior therapeutic profiles over prior art compounds.
5. Limitations and Scope Tightening
- Narrower claims specify particular substituents or specific stereoisomers, reducing the risk of invalidation as obvious variants.
- Use claims are limited to certain diseases (e.g., neurodegenerative or metabolic disorders), narrowing potential infringement scenarios.
Patent Landscape Context
1. Prior Art and Related Patents
- Numerous Japanese and international patents exist for chemical derivatives targeting similar pathways, such as kinase inhibitors, neuroprotectants, or metabolic modulators.
- Key prior art includes WO patents and U.S. filings that describe similar core structures but lack the specific modifications claimed herein.
2. Patent Family and Filing Strategy
- JP5484062 likely forms part of a broader family with corresponding applications in the U.S. (e.g., application USxxxxxxx), Europe, and China, indicating a strategic worldwide patenting effort.
- Filing dates suggest an emphasis on blocking competitors from entering specific niches within the Japanese market.
3. Patent Challenges and Freedom-to-Operate (FTO)
- The broad Markush claims could invite validity challenges based on prior disclosures.
- Competitors attempting to develop similar compounds must carefully navigate these claims, considering the scope of what is protected.
4. Lifecycle and Competitive Positioning
- With a typical 20-year term, JP5484062 remains a valuable asset, especially if the compound advances through clinical development and commercialization.
- Its strength lies in the combinatorial scope and method claims, which could preclude competitors from developing similar therapeutics without licensing.
Implications for Stakeholders
1. Patent Holders
- The patent consolidates Tsumura’s proprietary rights in a promising class of therapeutic compounds.
- Strategic prosecution of the patent's narrower claims can serve to extend protection or defend against challenges.
2. Competitors
- Must analyze the scope of JP5484062 thoroughly to avoid infringement, especially noting the broad structural claims.
- Design-around strategies could involve alternative modifications outside the protected Markush groups or different therapeutic targets.
3. Researchers and Innovators
- The patent’s disclosed compounds and methods provide valuable insights but also set boundaries for research activities in the covered chemical space.
Conclusion
Patent JP5484062 exemplifies a robust pharmaceutical patent strategy—balancing broad claims over novel derivatives with narrower method-specific claims. Its scope primarily encompasses derivatives of a core pharmacophore, with protection extending to formulations and therapeutic methods. Navigating this patent landscape requires careful analysis of claim language and prior art.
Key Takeaways
- Broad Structural Claims: JP5484062’s utilization of Markush groups provides extensive protection over a chemical class, intensifying competitive barriers.
- Narrower Method Claims: Reinforce exclusive rights over specific therapeutic applications, crucial for clinical development.
- Strategic Patent Position: The patent underpins Tsumura’s innovation in targeted therapies, potentially extending to follow-up patents or patent family members in other jurisdictions.
- Risk Management: Competitors need detailed infringement analyses and innovative design-around approaches considering the scope of the claims.
- Market Impact: The patent secures an early strategic advantage in Japan’s healthcare market for the covered therapeutic class.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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What is the primary chemical class protected by JP5484062?
The patent protects a class of derivatives based on a specific core structure, likely involving modifications aimed at increasing efficacy or reducing toxicity, pertinent to neurodegenerative or metabolic treatments.
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How broad are the claims in JP5484062?
The claims are notably broad, utilizing Markush groups to cover multiple possible substituents, thereby securing extensive coverage of the chemical space within the core structure.
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Can competitors develop similar compounds without infringing JP5484062?
Yes. Designing around the patent might involve using alternative core structures, different substitution patterns outside the claimed Markush groups, or targeting different therapeutic pathways.
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What are the implications of JP5484062’s method claims?
Method claims extend patent protection to specific therapeutic uses or administration procedures, which can be critical during clinical development for market exclusivity.
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How does JP5484062 fit into Tsumura’s overall patent portfolio?
It complements Tsumura’s broader effort in pharmaceutical innovation, especially in traditional Japanese medicine derivatives, and forms part of a strategic backbone for licensing and commercialization in Japan.
References
- Japanese Patent Office JP5484062 (Official patent document)
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publications regarding patent families related to JP5484062.
- Industry reports on Japanese pharmaceutical patent strategies.
- Tsumura & Co. corporate patent filings and disclosures.
- Relevant prior art patents in the chemical and pharmaceutical space.
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