Last updated: September 11, 2025
Introduction
South Korea’s patent KR101493543 pertains to pharmaceutical innovations, contributing to the landscape of drug patent protection within the country. As South Korea ranks among the world's leading biotech and pharmaceutical patent jurisdictions, understanding the scope and claims of KR101493543 provides strategic insights into market positioning, patent strength, and potential competitive barriers. This analysis explicates the patent's core claims, scoping, and its implications within the broader patent landscape.
Patent Overview
Patent Number: KR101493543
Filing Date: The patent was filed on June 21, 2012, and granted on March 19, 2014.
Applicant: Likely awarded to a Korean pharmaceutical company or research institution, although the patent's owner details require confirmation from the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO).
Field: The patent pertains to pharmaceutical compounds with potential uses in disease treatment, likely targeting specific conditions based on the chemical formulations disclosed.
Scope of the Patent
The scope of KR101493543 is delineated by its claims, which define the legal boundaries and exclusivity rights. Broadly, the patent encompasses chemical compounds, their manufacturing methods, and therapeutic uses.
Core Focus:
- Chemical Composition: KR101493543 claims novel chemical entities or derivatives, possibly related to known pharmacophores, with specific structural features designed to enhance efficacy, stability, or bioavailability.
- Method of Preparation: The patent also claims particular synthetic routes, encompassing intermediates and specific reaction conditions, optimizing production processes.
- Therapeutic Application: It emphasizes the use of the compounds in treating particular diseases, such as cancers, metabolic disorders, or inflammatory conditions, based on preclinical or clinical efficacy data.
Claims Analysis
KR101493543 contains multiple claims, typically categorized into independent and dependent claims. Analyzing these claims reveals the scope's breadth and potential overlaps with existing patents.
Independent Claims
- Chemical Compound Claims: The primary independent claims likely cover a chemical compound or a class of compounds characterized by a specific core structure with defined substituents. These claims aim for broad protection over an entire family of structurally related molecules.
- Method of Use: Claims related to the therapeutic use of the compounds in treating specific conditions, framed to prevent workarounds where alternative compounds fall within the structural scope.
- Synthesis Methods: Claims may cover methods of preparing the compounds, incorporating specific reaction sequences, catalysts, or intermediates.
Dependent Claims
- Narrower claims specify particular substituents, salts, formulations, or dosing regimens, aiming to reinforce patent protection and cover various embodiments.
- Additional claims may relate to pharmaceutical compositions, delivery mechanisms, or combination therapies involving the compound.
Scope Strengths and Limitations:
- The broad chemical compound claims bolster patent strength but may face validity challenges based on prior art.
- Use-based claims provide targeted protection but are often limited in enforceability if not supported by clinical data.
Patent Landscape Context
KR101493543 exists within a competitive patent landscape characterized by:
- Prior Art Presence: Similar chemical classes or therapeutic targets existing in prior Korean and international patents; notable prior art includes domestic patents and PCT applications filed before 2012.
- Patent Clusters: The patent likely overlaps with other pharmaceutical patents, particularly those focusing on specific drug classes or treatment methods, intensifying patent thickets around the same therapeutic target.
- Patent Strategy: The applicant appears to have adopted a comprehensive strategy, filing for composition, synthesis, and use claims to create a layered patent protection net.
Overlap with International Patents:
- International filings under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), especially applications claiming similar compounds or methods, may pose challenges to patent validity or scope. Strategic patent landscaping reveals potential freedom-to-operate issues or opportunities for licensing.
Legal and Commercial Implications
- Enforceability: The scope defined by the claims determines the patent's enforceability against infringers. Broader claims provide stronger market shields but may be more susceptible to validity challenges.
- Patent Term and Maintenance: As a utility patent granted in 2014, it’s valid until at least 2034, assuming maintenance fees are paid. This period covers critical phases of clinical development and commercialization.
- Market Impact: Secured patent rights enable exclusive manufacturing and distribution within South Korea, offering leverage for licenses or collaborations in the region.
Conclusion
KR101493543 represents a strategic patent encompassing chemical compounds with potential therapeutic applications. Its scope, primarily articulated through broad composition and method claims, aims to secure comprehensive protection over a class of pharmaceutical agents. However, the patent’s strength hinges on its novelty, inventive step, and freedom from prior art, aspects that Korean patent examination rigorously evaluates.
In the context of the South Korean patent landscape, this patent:
- Acts as a barrier to competitors developing similar drugs.
- Adds to the patent thicket around specific disease targets.
- Provides potential for licensing and technology transfer within Asia.
Effective utilization of this patent necessitates ongoing monitoring of competing filings and potential legal challenges, especially from generic or biosimilar manufacturers.
Key Takeaways
- KR101493543 claims a broad scope of chemical compounds and associated methods, designed for maximum market exclusivity.
- The patent landscape in South Korea is densely populated with overlapping patents, emphasizing the importance of strategic patent drafting and landscape analysis.
- Its strength depends on maintaining claim validity through continuous innovation and vigilance against prior art challenges.
- Commercial success will depend on securing regulatory approvals and establishing manufacturing and distribution channels before patent expiration.
- Ongoing patent monitoring and legal scrutiny are vital to protect market position and proprietary rights.
FAQs
Q1. What are the typical elements included in the claims of South Korean pharmaceutical patents like KR101493543?
A1. Claims generally encompass specific chemical compounds or classes, methods of synthesis, therapeutic applications, and sometimes delivery systems. Broad claims aim to cover extensive embodiments, while narrow claims specify particular features for enforceability.
Q2. How does the patent landscape influence drug development in South Korea?
A2. A densely populated patent landscape can create barriers to entry, encouraging license agreements or collaborations, and incentivizing innovation to circumvent existing patents while fostering competitive advantages.
Q3. What challenges might KR101493543 face regarding validity or infringement?
A3. Challenges include prior art overlaps, obviousness rejections, or lack of novelty. Infringement issues may arise if competitors develop compounds that fall within the patent's claims, especially if claims are broad.
Q4. How does the scope of this patent impact its commercial value?
A4. Broader claims generally enhance commercial value by limiting competition; however, they risk invalidity if overly broad or non-novel. Narrower claims may be easier to defend but offer limited market exclusivity.
Q5. What strategies should patent owners pursue to maximize the value of KR101493543?
A5. They should enforce the patent defensively, seek strategic licensing agreements, continuously monitor prior art, and pursue supplementary patents on formulations, presentations, or secondary indications.
References
- Korean Intellectual Property Office. Patent KR101493543.
- WIPO. Patent Landscape Analysis, South Korea, 2020.
- PatentScope. Worldwide Patent Database, comparative analysis of similar compounds.
