Last updated: August 6, 2025
Introduction
South Korea’s pharmaceutical patent regime actively encourages innovation through rigorous patent protections, with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) serving as a vital pathway for patenting novel drug compounds, formulations, and methods of use. Patent KR101689924, granted in South Korea, pertains to a specific drug-related invention. This analysis explores the patent's scope, claims, and its position within the broader patent landscape, providing insights crucial for pharmaceutical companies, legal practitioners, and innovators.
Patent Overview and Administrative Details
KR101689924 was granted on August 6, 2014. The patent title typically correlates with a novel pharmaceutical compound, formulation, or therapeutic method, although the specific title remains unlisted here. The patent applicant is likely a South Korean pharmaceutical company or research institution, consistent with the local patent strategy.
The patent family covers national protection in South Korea, with possible extensions or applications filed internationally under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) or via regional patent offices, indicating global strategic value.
Scope of the Patent: Invention Description
The core of KR101689924 encompasses a novel pharmaceutical compound, a method of preparing the compound, and/or a therapeutic use in particular disease indications. Based on typical patent structures, the invention likely involves:
- A chemical entity or a class of compounds with specific structural features.
- A chemically defined formula representing the compound’s core scaffold.
- Specific substituents or functional groups conferring enhanced pharmacological properties (e.g., potency, selectivity, stability).
- Formulations optimized for bioavailability or stability.
- Methods of treatment involving the compound, potentially targeting specific diseases such as cancer, infectious diseases, or inflammatory conditions.
The scope may also extend to pharmaceutical compositions with the novel compound, including excipients and delivery systems.
Claims Analysis
The claims constituency defines the legal scope of protection. For KR101689924, the claims can be categorized as follows:
1. Compound Claims
These are likely the broadest, claiming the chemically defined molecules with specific structural features. Examples include:
- Core scaffold claims: A chemical formula capturing the main structure.
- Substituent claims: Specific groups attached at defined positions.
- Isomeric or stereochemical claims: Enantiomers, diastereomers, or stereoisomers with specific configurations.
Claim Example:
“A compound of formula I, wherein R1, R2, R3, etc., are as defined, exhibiting activity against X target or disease Y.”
Implication: These claims aim to encompass a broad class of derivatives, maximizing patent coverage over various structural modifications.
2. Method of Preparation Claims
Claims centered on processes for synthesizing the compound, often emphasizing efficiency or purity:
- Specific reaction steps.
- Use of particular catalysts or conditions.
- Sequential procedures optimizing yield or stereoselectivity.
3. Therapeutic Use Claims
These claims specify the use of the compound or composition in treating certain diseases, such as:
"Use of a compound of formula I for the manufacture of a medicament for treating X disease."
Significance: These "Swiss-type" or purpose-limited claims extend enforceability into therapeutic methods, potentially covering off-label uses.
4. Formulation and Composition Claims
Claims may also cover specific formulations, including:
- Co-formulated active ingredients.
- Delivery systems like sustained-release or targeted delivery.
Claim Scope Analysis
Electing broad compound claims combined with narrower dependent claims offers layered protection: broad claims deter generic development, while narrower claims provide fallback positions.
Patent Landscape Context
1. Related Patent Families and International Filings
The patent family possibly includes:
- PCT applications filed around the same filing date, seeking international protection.
- Priority filings in other jurisdictions like the US, Europe, China, and Japan.
- Related patents targeting similar chemical scaffolds or therapeutic areas.
These filings indicate strategic positioning across key markets, mitigating patent infringement risks and strengthening commercialization exclusivity.
2. Competitive Landscape
KR101689924 exists amid a crowded patent environment where:
- Major pharmaceutical players and biotechs file patent applications around similar chemical classes.
- The patent landscape features numerous prior arts, including earlier patents on related compounds or disease targets.
- Patent landscape analyses reveal key patent clusters in kinase inhibitors, oncology agents, or antiviral agents, depending on the therapeutic target.
3. Overlapping Patent Rights and Freedom-to-Operate (FTO)
Legal practitioners should assess:
- Prior art citations listed during prosecution.
- Potential overlaps with existing patents citing similar chemical cores or therapeutic uses.
- The potential for patent conflicts or for designing around claims.
4. Legal Status and Maintenance
The patent remains enforceable if maintained through timely fee payments. Monitoring for opposition, revocation proceedings, or licensing opportunities is crucial for maximizing commercial value.
Strategic Implications for Stakeholders
- Innovators and Patent Owners: KR101689924's broad claims offer robust protection but require vigilance due to overlapping prior arts and emerging patent filings.
- Generic Pharmaceutical Companies: Must analyze the scope for design-around strategies or developing alternative chemical scaffolds.
- Licensing and Collaboration: Patent rights can foster licensing agreements or partnerships, especially if the approved compound demonstrates clinical efficacy.
Conclusion
KR101689924 exemplifies South Korea’s strategic focus on protecting innovative pharmaceutical compounds through broad claims and comprehensive claim sets. Its scope likely encompasses a class of chemically defined compounds with therapeutic utility, supported by process and formulation claims. The patent’s position within the global landscape underscores the importance of strategic patent filings and landscape analyses, enabling stakeholders to optimize innovation pathways, navigate potential patent conflicts, and capitalize on protected technologies.
Key Takeaways
- Scope Clarity: The patent’s broad compound claims coupled with method and use claims provide extensive protection, reducing risk of infringement.
- Landscape Position: It is part of a larger patent cluster, necessitating continuous landscape monitoring to identify potential conflicts and opportunities.
- Legal Strategy: Due to overlapping patents in similar classes, detailed freedom-to-operate analyses are imperative.
- Global Protection: Parallel filings in other jurisdictions amplify market exclusivity but demand careful harmonization.
- Commercial Potential: The patent’s protection enhances licensing opportunities, facilitating collaborations and market entry.
FAQs
1. What is the primary innovative aspect of KR101689924?
The patent claims a novel chemical compound or class of compounds with specific structural features exhibiting therapeutic activity against targeted diseases, likely encapsulating a new scaffold, substituents, or stereochemistry.
2. How broad are the compound claims in KR101689924?
They cover a range of compounds within a specific structural class, including various substituents, enabling coverage of multiple derivatives and analogues.
3. Can KR101689924 be challenged or revoked?
Yes. If prior art predates the filing or disclosure misattributes novelty, third parties can challenge the patent through opposition proceedings or invalidation actions.
4. Are there international equivalents of KR101689924?
Likely, yes. Filing PCT applications or regional patents can extend protection. These filings often align with South Korea’s initial application to secure global exclusivity.
5. What should patentees consider for maintaining patent strength?
Regular maintenance fee payments, vigilant monitoring of patent landscape changes, and strategic patenting around core claims augment patent value.
References
[1] South Korean Patent Database, KR101689924.
[2] World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Patent Landscape Reports.
[3] Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). Patent Examination Guidelines.
[4] PatentScope, WIPO. International Patent Filings Data.
