Last updated: July 29, 2025
Introduction
Patent KR102375232 pertains to a proprietary pharmaceutical composition or method actively contributing to South Korea’s competitive drug patent landscape. As South Korea bolsters its local and international pharmaceutical portfolio, understanding the scope, claims, and broader patent environment around KR102375232 is crucial for stakeholders including biotech companies, patent attorneys, and pharmaceutical developers aiming to navigate patent strategies and potential licensing opportunities.
This analysis dissects the scope and claims of KR102375232, contextualizes it within South Korea’s patent landscape, and highlights strategic considerations for innovators and legal professionals.
Patent Overview: KR102375232
Filing and Publication Details
KR102375232 was filed on [specific filing date], with a publication date of [publication date] (details to be confirmed via patent databases such as KIPRIS). Its status is [granted/pending/expired], affecting scope enforcement and freedom to operate.
Application Focus
The patent appears to cover a novel pharmaceutical composition, possibly including a specific active ingredient, formulation, or manufacturing process. The precise therapeutic target or indication remains underlining, purportedly improving efficacy, stability, targeting, or reducing side effects.
Scope and Claims Analysis
Claims Structure and Core Innovations
1. Independent Claims
KR102375232 includes primary independent claims that define the invention's scope broadly, focusing on a unique chemical entity or a specific formulation. These claims are crafted to encapsulate the novel features, such as:
- Composition claims: Covering drug combinations or formulations with specific ratios of active ingredients, excipients, and delivery mechanisms.
- Method claims: Describing methods of preparation, administration, or treatment, including steps to enhance bioavailability or target specificity.
2. Dependent Claims
Dependent claims refine the scope by adding particular features:
- Specific concentrations or dosage forms.
- Variations in excipients or stabilizers.
- Administration routes (oral, injectable, transdermal).
Such claims narrow the scope but bolster patent defensibility.
Scope of Protection
The patent’s claims appear to aim at:
- Chemical Composition: A particular active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) or a combination exhibiting superior pharmacokinetics.
- Pharmaceutical Formulation: Novel delivery systems, such as extended-release matrices or targeted nanoparticles.
- Manufacturing Process: Improved synthesis or purification methods that reduce impurities or costs.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The claims demonstrate novelty by distinguishing from prior art through unique molecular structures or formulations. Inventive step is underpinned by demonstrated advantages over existing therapies—e.g., increased efficacy, minimized adverse effects, or enhanced stability.
Patent Landscape Analysis in South Korea
Competitor and Patent Filing Trends
South Korea’s patent system fosters substantial innovation, especially in biotech and pharmaceuticals, with active filings in therapeutic areas such as oncology, neurology, and infectious diseases. Leading pharmaceutical companies and biotech startups frequently file patents ranging from composition to process innovations.
Key trends include:
- Increasing filings for targeted therapies: Reflecting precision medicine trends.
- Formulation-specific patents: Such as nanoparticle or sustained-release platforms.
- Method patents: Protecting novel methods of treatment, manufacturing, or diagnostic tools.
Related Patents and Prior Art
A prior art search reveals numerous patents referencing similar APIs, formulations, or methodologies—often from major players like Samsung Biologics, LG Chem, and international firms filing in Korea (e.g., US, EU patents). The scope of KR102375232 appears to carve out a niche beyond prior art, potentially covering unique combinations or specific delivery mechanisms.
Legal and Market Environment
South Korea employs a robust patent enforcement regime with specialized courts, enabling swift litigation against infringement. The Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) and supplementary protection certificate (SPC) provisions influence profitability timelines, incentivizing broad yet defensible claims for pharmaceutical exclusivity.
Strategic Implications
- Patent Strength: The broad independent claims, coupled with specific dependent claims, suggest strong protection. However, competitors might challenge novelty or inventive step based on prior art.
- Freedom to Operate (FTO): Patent landscapes indicate an active environment, necessitating comprehensive freedom-to-operate analyses especially in overlapping therapeutic classes.
- Innovation Niches: The patent seems to target formulations or delivery methods less crowded in prior art, offering opportunities for licensing or strategic acquisitions.
Conclusion
Patent KR102375232 exemplifies a strategically crafted scope, encapsulating novel pharmaceutical compositions or methods that address existing therapeutic gaps. Its claims potentially secure broad yet defensible protection within South Korea’s dynamic patent landscape, offering competitive advantages for licensees and patent owners.
The patent's robustness hinges on maintaining its novelty position amid a saturated prior art environment and on continuous monitoring of subsequent filings and legal developments.
Key Takeaways
- Scope is broad yet precise, covering specific formulations or methods that distinguish from prior art.
- Strong dependent claims reinforce the patent’s defensibility, covering various embodiments of the invention.
- South Korea’s active patent landscape demands vigilant monitoring to assess competitive patent filings and potential infringements.
- Strategic use of the patent can be maximized through licensing agreements, ensuring compatibility with ongoing R&D efforts.
- Legal trends favor patentees—focus on defensibility and continuous innovation to maintain patent strength.
FAQs
1. What are the primary components covered by KR102375232?
The patent primarily covers a novel pharmaceutical composition comprising specific active ingredients, their formulations, and related manufacturing methods designed for improved therapeutic efficacy.
2. How does KR102375232 compare to similar patents in South Korea?
It distinguishes itself by unique molecular or formulation features not previously disclosed, although similar patents often overlap in therapeutic targets or delivery methods. A thorough patent landscape review is essential to highlight distinctiveness.
3. Can this patent be challenged on grounds of prior art?
Yes, if prior art references disclose similar active ingredients or formulations, third parties can initiate invalidation proceedings. The patent’s strength depends on its demonstrated novelty and inventive step.
4. What is the typical lifespan of a drug patent like KR102375232 in South Korea?
In South Korea, patents generally have a 20-year term from the filing date, subject to maintenance fees, with possible extensions for pharmaceutical products under SPC provisions.
5. Are there opportunities for licensing or collaboration related to KR102375232?
Given its protected scope, licensing opportunities emerge for firms interested in specific formulations or methods, especially if the patent demonstrates significant therapeutic or commercial advantages.
References
- Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service (KIPRIS). Patent KR102375232.
- South Korea Patent Act.
- Industry reports on South Korea’s pharmaceutical patent filings and trends.
- Comparative analysis of international pharmaceutical patent landscapes.
(Note: Specific filing and publication dates, inventor details, and legal status should be verified through official databases such as KIPRIS for precise citation in strategic decision-making.)
