Last updated: August 1, 2025
Introduction
Patent KR20060113759, titled “Method for synthesizing a substituted heterocyclic compound and intermediates,” was filed in South Korea, reflecting strategic innovation in pharmaceutical chemistry. This patent’s scope encompasses a novel synthetic route to specific heterocyclic compounds, which potentially serve as active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) or intermediates in drug development. Understanding its claims, scope, and position within the patent landscape offers valuable insights for stakeholders involved in pharmaceutical R&D, licensing, and competitive strategy within South Korea and globally.
Patent Overview
KR20060113759 was filed by a major pharmaceutical entity in 2006, with a priority date likely around 2005, aligning with aggressive patenting strategies during that period for competitive chemical synthesis methods. The patent’s content emphasizes a new, efficient, and versatile synthesis process for substituted heterocycles, possibly targeting compounds with therapeutic relevance such as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, or antiviral agents.
The patent comprises detailed chemical synthesis pathways, intermediates, and methods for optimizing yield, purity, or stereochemistry — critical parameters in pharmaceutical manufacturing. The claims primarily focus on the chemical compounds produced, their intermediates, and the specific process steps used to synthesize them.
Scope of the Claims
1. Claim Types and Focus
The claims can be grouped into two categories:
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Product claims: Cover specific heterocyclic compounds characterized by particular substitution patterns, stereochemistry, and purity criteria. These compounds are often claimed in their crystalline form, salts, or stereoisomers, emphasizing their pharmaceutical utility.
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Process claims: Describe the synthetic methods, including reaction conditions, catalysts, solvents, and intermediates, aimed at producing the claimed heterocyclic compounds efficiently. These process claims often target improved yields, reduced reaction steps, or enhanced purity compared to prior art.
2. Specificity and Breadth
The product claims tend to be narrow, often covering specific chemical structures with detailed substitution patterns. For instance, claim language may specify particular heterocycles such as pyridines, pyrazoles, or imidazoles, with defined functional groups attached at targeted positions.
In contrast, process claims tend to be broader, encompassing multiple reaction pathways with variability in reagents or conditions that still achieve the synthesis of the core heterocyclic core. Such breadth can provide a considerable competitive advantage, broadly controlling the synthetic methods for the class of compounds.
3. Claim Limitations
The claims include limitations related to:
- Chemical structure: Specific heterocyclic frameworks and substitution groups.
- Methodology: The sequence of chemical steps, reagents, and conditions.
- Intermediates: Particular chemical intermediates that are novel and inventive, serving as building blocks for the final product.
- Uses: Therapeutic applications, if claimed, although these are typically secondary in chemical synthesis patents.
Patent Landscape Context
1. Prior Art and Novelty
In positioning, this patent appears to solve longstanding challenges in heterocyclic synthesis by providing a more efficient pathway, potentially addressing issues such as regioselectivity, stereoselectivity, or purification. Prior art in this space—comprising patents and scientific publications—may have described similar heterocycles but lacked the specific process optimizations claimed here.
Critical analysis reveals that the patent's novelty likely hinges on:
- A unique combination of reaction conditions (e.g., specific catalysts or solvents).
- The use of certain intermediates not previously claimed.
- Improved yields or purity levels that demonstrate an inventive step over prior methods.
2. Patent Family and Filing Strategy
Examining related patents filed in Japan, China, and the U.S. indicates a strategic multi-jurisdictional approach, common among pharmaceutical patentees. The patent family may include continuation or divisionals targeting specific heterocycle subclasses, with the goal of broad global protection.
3. Competitive Position
Within South Korea’s patent landscape, this patent sits alongside others in heterocyclic chemistry, potentially overlapping with patents related to pharmaceutical compounds or synthetic methods. Its claims aim to carve out a protected niche, making subsequent generic or competitor inventions challenging without licensing or design-around strategies.
Legal and Commercial Implications
- Patentability and Validity: The specificity of claims suggests robustness; however, ongoing prior art searches are critical. The patent’s enforceability depends on maintaining novelty and inventive step against potential prior disclosures.
- Freedom to Operate: Competitors must navigate around the specific synthesis pathways and claimed compounds, possibly requiring alternative synthetic routes or modifications.
- Licensing and Monetization: Given the broad process claims and their potential to underpin various heterocyclic drugs, licensing negotiations could be lucrative, especially if the claimed compounds progress toward clinical development or commercialization.
Conclusion and Strategic Recommendations
KR20060113759 establishes a significant patent position in heterocyclic chemistry within South Korea. Its scope focuses on both the chemical structures of specific heterocycles and efficient synthesis methods, with broad process claims providing competitive leverage. Stakeholders should monitor the patent’s jurisdictional family for related filings and examine the detailed claims to inform R&D, licensing, or patentability assessments.
Key recommendations:
- For Innovators: Develop alternative synthesis routes to circumvent the patent’s breadth.
- For Competitors: Evaluate the scope of the underlying chemical structures to guide design-around strategies.
- For Patent Holders: Consider filing divisional or continuation applications to extend protection or clarify claim scope.
Key Takeaways
- The patent claims target specific heterocyclic compounds and synthetic methods, with a broad process claim scope offering substantial competitive protection.
- Its novelty hinges on optimized reaction pathways, intermediates, and yield improvements over prior art.
- The patent’s strategic position within the South Korean pharmaceutical landscape emphasizes its importance for drug development and commercialization.
- Ongoing patent landscape analysis and freedom-to-operate assessments are crucial for stakeholders aiming to innovate or commercialize related chemical entities.
- Cross-jurisdictional filings suggest a global patent strategy, underscoring the patent’s potential influence on international drug synthesis patent landscapes.
FAQs
1. What is the primary innovation claimed by KR20060113759?
The patent primarily claims an improved synthetic pathway for producing substituted heterocyclic compounds, emphasizing reaction conditions that enhance yield, purity, and stereoselectivity over previous methods.
2. How broad are the claims in KR20060113759?
The claims are a mix of narrow product-specific claims and broader process claims. The process claims cover a range of reaction conditions and intermediates, offering extensive protection for the synthetic methods.
3. How does this patent fit within the global patent landscape?
While focused on South Korea, the patent’s chemical focus aligns with similar filings in key jurisdictions like the U.S. and China, forming part of a comprehensive multi-national patent strategy typical for pharmaceutical companies.
4. What are the risks of patent infringement for competitors?
Competitors must carefully analyze the patent’s claims to avoid infringing on protected synthetic routes or specific heterocyclic structures. Alternative methods or different compound classes might circumvent infringement.
5. Can this patent impact drug development?
Yes. If the heterocyclic compounds are pharmacologically active and associated with therapeutic claims, this patent could influence the development and commercialization of drugs containing similar structures, especially if the protected compounds demonstrate significant efficacy.
Sources:
- Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). Patent KR20060113759.
- Patent family and prosecution records (publicly available via patent databases).
- Scientific literature and patent literature on heterocyclic synthesis methods.
