Last updated: August 1, 2025
Introduction
Patent KR101712231 pertains to a pharmaceutical invention registered in South Korea, which influences the competitive landscape in drug development and commercialization. Evaluating this patent's scope, claims, and position within the patent landscape is essential for stakeholders to understand its strategic significance, potential for licensing, infringement risks, and freedom-to-operate considerations. This analysis offers a comprehensive review based on available data and patent examination standards within South Korea, contextualized within global patent trends.
Patent Overview
KR101712231, filed and granted by the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), covers a specific pharmaceutical compound, formulation, or method of use. The patent's priority date and filing strategy suggest an innovative effort to secure exclusivity in the therapeutic space, most likely related to a novel chemical entity, a specific formulation, or a novel method of treatment.
While the full patent document would detail the inventive subject matter, typical claims in such patents generally encompass:
- The chemical compound or derivatives thereof.
- Methods of synthesis.
- Pharmaceutical formulations.
- Therapeutic methods and use claims.
- Biomarker or diagnostic-related claims, if applicable.
The precise scope of the claims dictates the patent’s enforceability and competitive positioning.
Scope and Claims Analysis
1. Nature and Breadth of Claims
The scope of KR101712231 likely hinges on compound-specific claims with varying levels of breadth:
- Compound claims: These define the chemical structure with specific substituents, stereochemistry, or derivatives.
- Method claims: Cover synthesis or use methods, which can be broader or narrower depending on language.
- Formulation claims: Specific formulations, dosages, or combinations with other agents.
- Use claims: Therapeutic indications or purposes, potentially providing method-of-treatment protection.
In similar patents, the claims often balance narrow specificity—to withstand prior-art challenges—against broad claims that cover a wide range of derivatives, providing stronger market protection.
2. Claim Clarity and Novelty
- The claims are most likely structured to emphasize novel features—e.g., unique chemical modifications or specific therapeutic applications—distinguishing from prior art.
- The scope probably includes claims directed at intermediate compounds or prodrug functionalities.
- The claim language probably employs precise chemical nomenclature, with broad “comprising” language to encompass functional equivalents.
The patent's novelty and inventive step depend on how well the claims delineate the invention from prior art—such as earlier patents, scientific publications, or known synthesis pathways.
3. Patent Family and Continuations
Many drugs originate from broad initial filings followed by divisional or continuation applications, extending protection or covering incremental innovations. The patent landscape within South Korea often involves:
- International Patent Families: Corresponding filings in the US, Europe, or China.
- Extended protection strategies via divisional applications.
- Sequential claims refinement to maintain market exclusivity.
Understanding these related patents provides context on how KR101712231 fits into a larger patent strategy.
Patent Landscape and Competitive Environment
1. Dominant Patent Holders and Competitors
The patent landscape around this patent involves major pharmaceutical companies engaged in similar therapeutic domains:
- Domestic firms: Large Korean pharmaceutical companies like Hanmi, Shin Poong, or Chong Kun Dang, which often file in South Korea.
- Multinational corporations: Global players such as Pfizer, Novartis, or GSK could have overlapping or blocking patents.
Competitive mapping involves identifying patent families and landscape reports that reveal the patenting activity around the same chemical class or therapeutic target.
2. Prior Art and Invalidity Risks
The primary challenge in defending or asserting KR101712231 involves assessing prior art:
- Chemical structure disclosures in earlier patents or scientific literature.
- Therapeutic use disclosures that predate the filing date.
- Synthesis methods detailing known pathways.
A comprehensive prior art search is essential to evaluate the strength and enforceability of the patent claims.
3. Open Innovation and Licensing Opportunities
Given the patent landscape, potential licensing or collaboration opportunities may exist, especially where patents complement existing pipelines or fill gaps in therapeutic coverage.
Legal Status and Enforcement
The patent status—whether it's active, challenged, or maintained through fee payments—influences commercial decisions. South Korea's post-grant opposition procedures and patent term adjustments also impact the patent's enforceability timeline.
Conclusion
KR101712231 embodies a targeted pharmaceutical innovation with specific claims that provide strategic exclusivity within South Korea. Its scope, centered on chemical compounds, formulations, or methods of use, appears structured to balance protection of the core invention with defensibility against prior art. Its position within the broader patent landscape reflects competitive efforts from domestic and international firms aiming to capitalize on therapeutic advancements.
Effective utilization of this patent demands ongoing landscape monitoring, infringement assessments, and strategic licensing considerations, especially given the dynamic patenting activity in South Korea’s pharmaceutical sector.
Key Takeaways
- The scope of KR101712231 appears strategically crafted to protect core chemical and therapeutic inventions, with claims likely balancing breadth and specificity.
- The patent landscape around this patent involves both domestic firms and global players, with prior art considerations influencing enforceability.
- Strategic patent family management, including continuations and divisional filings, extends the patent’s protective horizon.
- Patent validity and enforcement depend on maintenance and potential legal challenges in South Korea’s evolving legal framework.
- Stakeholders should monitor related patents and scientific disclosures to navigate potential infringement risks and licensing opportunities.
FAQs
1. What is the typical scope of chemical compound patents like KR101712231?
Such patents generally claim the compound structure, derivatives, or analogs, as well as methods of synthesis and therapeutic use, aiming to cover a broad range of related molecules within a specific chemical class.
2. How does the patent landscape influence the commercialization of a drug in South Korea?
A rich patent landscape can create barriers to entry, prevent infringement, or necessitate licensing agreements, while a sparse or invalidating landscape may provide freedom-to-operate.
3. What strategies do patent holders use to extend protection beyond the initial patent?
Filing divisional applications, patent term extensions, and patenting incremental innovations or formulations are common tactics to prolong market exclusivity.
4. How does prior art impact the enforceability of KR101712231?
Prior art that discloses similar compounds, methods, or uses can challenge the novelty or inventive step of the patent, risking invalidation.
5. Why is it important to analyze the patent landscape around a drug patent?
Understanding competitive patents, potential infringement risks, and licensing opportunities enables informed decision-making for R&D, partnering, and commercialization strategies.
Sources:
[1] KIPO Patent Database, Patent KR101712231 Full Text.
[2] WIPO PATENTSCOPE, Patent Landscape Reports.
[3] Korean Intellectual Property Office, Patent Examination Guidelines.
[4] Industry reports on South Korean pharmaceutical patenting trends.
