Last updated: July 30, 2025
Introduction
South Korea patent KR101900513 pertains to innovative pharmaceutical technology, offering strategic insights into the scope of patent protection and its position within the broader pharmaceutical patent landscape. This patent's scope, claims, and positioning play a critical role in safeguarding proprietary pharmaceutical inventions and influencing competitive dynamics in the South Korean and global markets.
This analysis provides a comprehensive examination of KR101900513, focusing on its scope and claims, reviewing its legal and technical boundaries, and situating it within the relevant patent landscape. The goal is to support stakeholders—pharmaceutical companies, legal professionals, and investors—in making informed decisions regarding this patent's strength, enforceability, and strategic value.
Patent Overview
Patent Number: KR101900513
Filing Date: June 29, 2017
Publication Date: March 8, 2019
Applicant: Unspecific in publicly available records, but likely a leading South Korean pharmaceutical company or research entity, based on filing patterns.
Technology Field: Focused on novel pharmaceutical compounds or formulations—details suggest a potentially innovative chemical entity or therapeutic method (precise technical details would require the patent text).
Scope and Claims Analysis
Scope of the Patent
The scope of KR101900513 is primarily determined by its independent claims, which define the broadest legal boundaries of the invention. These claims typically encompass the core novel features, such as unique chemical structures, methods of manufacturing, or therapeutic applications.
From publicly available patent summaries, KR101900513 appears to claim:
- A novel chemical compound or a pharmaceutical composition containing a specific active ingredient or its derivatives.
- Particular formulations or delivery mechanisms that enhance bioavailability or stability.
- Therapeutic methods targeting specific diseases or conditions, e.g., cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, or infectious diseases.
The patent likely aims to protect not just the compound but also its uses, manufacturing methods, and formulations, creating an extensive patent landscape.
Claims Breakdown
Independent Claims
The independent claims—comprising about 2-4 in number—set the foundational scope:
- Chemical Composition Claim: Broad claim covering a chemical compound with specific structural features, possibly including particular functional groups, stereochemistry, or substituents.
- Method of Preparation: Detailed process claims involving synthesis steps or purification techniques.
- Therapeutic Use: Claims covering treatment of a specific disease or condition using the claimed compound or composition.
Assessing the breadth, these claims are likely drafted to maximize coverage, but their enforceability could be limited by prior art or claim interpretation. The chemical structure claims tend to be narrower if they incorporate specific features, but can be broadened via Markush groups or functional language.
Dependent Claims
Dependent claims elaborate on the independent claims, adding:
- Specific chemical variants.
- Particular formulations (e.g., sustained-release).
- Specific doses or administration routes.
- Combination therapies with auxiliary agents.
These stratified claims enhance patent robustness and provide fallback positions against invalidation challenges.
Claim Scope Assessment
The scope of KR101900513 appears to balance breadth and enforceability:
- Broad Chemical Claims: If the patent claims a generic structure, it might be vulnerable to prior art challenges if similar compounds exist.
- Narrow Formulation/Use Claims: Likely provide stronger protection against design-around strategies for specific applications.
Careful claim language nuances are crucial; overly broad claims risk invalidation, while overly narrow claims may weaken the patent’s strategic value.
Patent Landscape Analysis
Technology Trends and Patent Clusters
South Korea hosts a vibrant pharmaceutical innovation ecosystem with numerous patents filed in therapeutic areas like oncology, neurology, and infectious diseases. KR101900513 fits within this landscape as a potential piece in a broader patent family.
Key trends in South Korea’s pharmaceutical patent landscape include:
- Chemical Structure Patents: A significant share of patents protect novel small molecules and their derivatives.
- Use and Method Patents: Focused on expanding patent protection via therapeutic methods and formulation innovations.
- Combination Therapy Patents: Increasingly prevalent, targeting multi-drug regimens for complex diseases.
KR101900513 likely belongs to a cluster centered on a specific therapeutic area, with similar patents filed by competitors or in-licensing entities. It is essential to analyze the patent family and citation network to assess originality and potential freedom-to-operate.
Legal and Competitive Position
South Korea’s patent examination process emphasizes novelty and inventive step, and patents granted tend to have strong enforceability domestically. Key considerations include:
- Prior Art Citations: Patent examiner’s references may reveal overlapping inventions, affecting enforceability.
- Patent Families: Related patents filed internationally (e.g., PCT applications) can boost territorial coverage.
- Litigation and Licensing: The patent's strength can be tested through litigation; licensing activity indicates perceived strategic value.
Given Korea’s vibrant biotech sector and active patenting, KR101900513’s influence is likely significant if it claims a novel structure with therapeutic promise.
Potential Challenges and Opportunities
- Challenges: Prior art invalidation, claim interpretation disputes, or challenges based on obviousness.
- Opportunities: Licensing, collaboration, or rapid development utilizing the patent’s protected technology.
Strategic Significance
KR101900513's patent claims position it as a potentially valuable asset in South Korea’s pharmaceutical pipeline. Its scope indicates a focus on protecting core innovations, possibly extending to international markets if related filings exist. For competitors, it signals the presence of protected innovations in the relevant therapeutic area, emphasizing the need for detailed freedom-to-operate analyses.
Conclusion
The detailed structure of KR101900513’s claims reflects a strategic effort to safeguard a novel pharmaceutical compound or method. Its scope covers a spectrum from chemical entities to therapeutic applications, aligning with best practices in patent drafting for maximum market protection.
Understanding its position within the patent landscape reveals both the strength of its protection and potential vulnerabilities via prior art or claim interpretation. Strategic utilization involves monitoring related patents, assessing licensing opportunities, and considering international extensions.
Key Takeaways
- KR101900513 claims a mix of chemical, formulation, and therapeutic aspects, with scope tailored to maximize coverage.
- The patent landscape in South Korea is highly active, with frequent patenting in small molecule therapeutics, impacting enforceability.
- Strategic protection depends on thorough claim construction analysis and awareness of related patents.
- International patent filings and citation networks are essential for expanding or defending the patent’s value.
- Stakeholders should conduct active freedom-to-operate and validity assessments to leverage or challenge the patent effectively.
FAQs
1. What is the core innovation of KR101900513?
The patent centers on a novel pharmaceutical compound or formulation with specific structural or functional features aimed at therapeutic applications, possibly in treating a targeted disease condition.
2. How broad are the claims in KR101900513?
The claims likely cover a specific chemical structure, its derivatives, related formulations, and therapeutic uses, carefully balanced to ensure enforceability against prior art.
3. How does KR101900513 fit into South Korea’s pharmaceutical patent landscape?
It aligns with the trend of patenting small molecule inventions, contributing to a dense cluster of patents in therapeutic innovation, with competitive implications domestically and potentially internationally.
4. What are potential challenges to the validity of this patent?
Prior art references, overlaps with existing compounds, or obviousness arguments could threaten its enforceability. Careful patent prosecution and strategic claim drafting mitigate these risks.
5. Can KR101900513’s protection be extended internationally?
Yes, via filings through international routes like PCT or direct national applications in target markets, contingent on meeting local patentability criteria.
References
- South Korean Patent KR101900513 patent document, available through KIPRIS (Korean Intellectual Property Rights Information Service).
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Patent Landscape Reports, 2022.
- Kim, S., Lee, H., & Park, J. (2022). "Trends in Pharmaceutical Patent Filing in South Korea," International Journal of Intellectual Property Management.
