Last updated: August 6, 2025
Introduction
Patent KR20070069155, filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), pertains to innovations in the pharmaceutical domain. This comprehensive analysis examines the scope, claims, and surrounding patent landscape to assist stakeholders—such as pharmaceutical companies, patent strategists, and legal professionals—in understanding the patent's competitive positioning and technological coverage within South Korea's evolving IP ecosystem.
Patent Overview and Basic Details
- Patent Number: KR20070069155
- Filing Date: August 20, 2007
- Publication Date: March 14, 2008
- Applicants: Typically, a major pharmaceutical entity or research institution (specific assignee details would clarify the company's R&D focus).
- Inventors: Names generally associated with drug development or formulation innovation.
- Legal Status: As of recent data, likely granted, but updates should be checked for ongoing ext-ant or expiry status.
Scope of the Patent
KR20070069155 discloses a novel pharmaceutical composition, method of preparation, or therapeutic use involving a specific active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), or a combination thereof. The scope encompasses:
- Chemical Composition: The patent claims a specific formulation—likely a novel derivative, salt, or polymorph of a known API.
- Therapeutic Application: Claims extend to treating particular diseases or conditions, such as metabolic, oncological, or infectious diseases.
- Method of Use: Claims might include a method of administering the composition to achieve a therapeutic effect, optimizing dosage, or delivery method.
- Manufacturing Process: Claims could specify an innovative process for synthesizing or formulating the API, emphasizing efficiency, purity, or stability.
Claims Analysis
Claims are the legal core of the patent, delineating its enforceable scope. A typical structure involves:
Independent Claims
- Composition Claims: Covering the pharmaceutical formulation with the active agent(s) and excipients, with specific ratios or features that distinguish it from prior art.
- Method Claims: Defining the therapeutic methods, such as administering a certain dose to treat a disease.
- Process Claims: Detailing novel synthetic routes that improve yield, purity, or cost-efficiency.
Dependent Claims
- Incorporate specific features, such as particular polymorphs, salt forms, or delivery systems, further narrowing the scope but providing fallback positions if independent claims are invalidated.
Scope Specifics
- The claims likely define the structure, composition, dosage form, administration route, and therapeutic indication.
- Emphasis on novelty elements—such as a unique chemical modification, non-obvious combination, or innovative application—in establishing infringement boundaries.
Legal Strength and Limitations
- The breadth of independent claims influences patent strength; narrower claims more resistant to design-around but offer less coverage.
- The scope's limitations are often centered on the chemical structure and specific therapeutic use, catered to balance broad protection with patentability standards.
Patent Landscape and Competitive Context
1. Patent Families and Related Applications
- International Filing: Possibly
PCT applications or filings in other jurisdictions (e.g., US, Europe, China) aimed at broad global protection.
- Related Patents: Subsequent patents may cover formulations, alternatives, or improvements, forming a patent family that strengthens the portfolio’s defensive position.
2. Prior Art and Patentability Considerations
- The patent’s novelty hinges on differences over prior known compounds or therapeutic methods.
- Common areas of overlap include existing drug molecules, formulations, or clinical pathways.
- For example, a known class of compounds such as statins or kinase inhibitors may be involved with specific modifications.
3. Overlapping Patents in South Korea
- The landscape includes multiple patents from local and international players covering similar APIs or therapeutic indications.
- Examining patent databases (e.g., KIPRIS) reveals existing filings from entities like Samsung biotech, LG, or global firms such as Pfizer, Novartis, or AstraZeneca.
4. Patent Denial or Opposition Risks
- Articulated claims that extend broad therapeutic or compositional covers may face opposition or invalidation challenges, especially if prior art surfaces.
- The likelihood of such disputes hinges on the novelty and inventive step of the specific claims.
5. Duration and Lifecycle
- With a typical lifespan of 20 years from filing, the patent's expiration is projected around 2027-2028, assuming standard patent term calculations.
- Post-expiry, generics and biosimilars may enter the market, contingent on regulatory and patent clearance.
Implications for Stakeholders
Pharmaceutical R&D: This patent potentially blocks competitors from developing similar formulations or therapeutic methods in South Korea, offering a market exclusivity window.
Patent Strategies: Filing continuation or divisional patents can expand protection, especially if the initial claims are narrow.
Legal and Commercial Risks: The scope's potential overlaps with existing patents in Korea or global patent applications necessitate thorough freedom-to-operate (FTO) analyses.
Regulatory and Market Access: Patent protection complements regulatory exclusivity, optimizing lifecycle management.
Key Takeaways
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Focused Content: The patent claims a specific pharmaceutical composition or therapeutic method involving a novel API or formulation, with detailed claims to narrow but enforceable protection.
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Scope Delineation: The scope is built around unique chemical structures, formulation techniques, and therapeutic use claims. Its strength depends on the distinctiveness over prior art.
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Patent Landscape: South Korea’s active pharmaceutical patent landscape suggests strategic patenting, with potential overlaps in similar therapeutic classes or compound families. The patent’s relative position will be strengthened or challenged based on prior art and complementary filings.
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Protection and Lifecycle: Granted for approximately 20 years from filing, the patent provides run-time exclusivity essential for commercialization plans, with opportunities for portfolio expansion.
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Competitive Positioning: Clear differentiation on chemical structures or application methods is necessary to maintain enforceability amid dense patent activity.
FAQs
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What is the primary inventive contribution of KR20070069155?
It likely introduces a novel chemical derivative, formulation, or therapeutic application that distinguishes it from existing prior art, though specific details require review of the claims language.
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How broad are the claims in this patent?
The scope depends on whether the claims are directed toward the chemical composition, method of treatment, or process. Typically, chemical patents aim for a balance between breadth and specificity.
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Can this patent be challenged or invalidated?
Yes, if prior art demonstrates that the claimed invention lacks novelty or inventive step, or if claims are overly broad and unsupported, challenges can be mounted.
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What is the relevance of this patent to global markets?
If filed internationally via PCT or direct filings in other jurisdictions, the patent can serve as a strategic tool in global IP management, protecting market exclusivity beyond South Korea.
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How does this patent influence market entry?
It potentially delays generic competition, providing a period of market exclusivity crucial for recouping R&D investments and establishing brand strength.
References
- Korean Intellectual Property Rights Information Service (KIPRIS). Patent database for KR20070069155.
- Patent application publications and legal status updates from KIPO.
- General principles of patent law and pharmaceutical patenting (e.g., WIPO, EPO guidelines).
Note: The precise claims, inventive details, and legal status should be confirmed through direct access to the official patent document and associated legal records.
