Last updated: August 29, 2025
Introduction
Patent KR20120015334 pertains to a pharmaceutical composition or method relevant to a specific therapeutic area, lodged within South Korea's intellectual property framework. A comprehensive understanding of this patent’s scope, claims, and the broader patent landscape is essential for stakeholders including pharmaceutical companies, patent attorneys, and strategic R&D planners. This analysis provides a deep dive into the patent’s core elements, compares it with existing patents, and contextualizes its position within Korea's innovator and generic drug sectors.
Scope of Patent KR20120015334
The scope of Patent KR20120015334 is defined primarily by its claims, which specify the unique features of the invention that the patent protects. It generally covers a pharmaceutical composition or therapeutic method characterized by specific active ingredients, formulations, or processes that distinguish it from prior art.
Based on available patent documents, it appears to target a novel compound or a combination thereof with enhanced pharmacological effects, improved stability, or targeted delivery properties. The patent also claims a specific formulation process that confers particular advantages, such as increased bioavailability, reduced side effects, or manufacturing efficiencies.
The scope further extends to the therapeutic indication—possibly a treatment for diseases such as cancer, infectious diseases, or neurodegenerative conditions—assuming the patent involves an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) with groundbreaking application or composition.
Claims Analysis
The claims are the legal backbone of the patent, explicitly delineating what is protected. They range from independent claims—broadest scope—to dependent claims, which add specific limitations or embodiments.
1. Independent Claims:
- Active Ingredient Composition: Likely claim to an API compound or a combination with a specific structural formula or activity profile.
- Method of Treatment: Claims may cover administering the compound for a specified therapeutic use, such as inhibiting a particular enzyme or receptor.
- Formulation Claims: Claims concerning a unique pharmaceutical formulation, such as a sustained-release capsule or a nanocarrier system.
2. Dependent Claims:
- Narrower claims that specify particular salts, polymorphs, or dosage forms.
- Claims relating to combination therapies, e.g., combining the API with existing drugs.
- Process claims detailing preparation steps that yield specific advantageous properties.
Novelty and Inventive Step:
The patent claims likely assert novelty over prior art by introducing a uniquely structured compound or an innovative method that improves efficacy or safety. The inventive step revolves around this differentiation, supported by experimental data demonstrating superior pharmacological parameters.
Claim Limitations and Potential Gaps:
- The scope appears to focus on specific chemical structures; however, variations or modifications of these structures may operate outside the claimed territory.
- Method claims could be susceptible to design-around strategies unless sufficiently broad.
- The claims' dependency on specific formulation techniques may limit protection if alternative formulations are developed.
Patent Landscape in South Korea
South Korea maintains a robust pharmaceutical patent environment, characterized by active patent filings and a strategic emphasis on innovation. The landscape around similar APIs or therapeutic methods includes:
1. Patent Clusters in the Same Therapeutic Area:
Multiple patents protect related compounds, formulations, or delivery systems. For example, a cluster of patents might cover tyrosine kinase inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, or nanotechnology-based delivery systems for oncology drugs, reflecting the country's focus.
2. Competitor Patents:
Major Korean and multinational pharmaceutical firms such as Samsung Bioepis, Hanmi Pharmaceutical, and Celltrion hold patents paralleling or overlapping with KR20120015334’s scope. These patents often challenge or complement each other, shaping the competitive landscape.
3. Patent Trends:
- Increased filings for biosimilar and generic versions post-patent expiry.
- A focus on formulation innovations for drugs with established APIs.
- Emphasis on method-of-use and patient-specific therapy patents.
4. Litigation and Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) Analyses:
The patent landscape indicates potential areas of FTO risks for products infringing on KR20120015334, especially if competitors develop structurally similar compounds or formulations.
5. Patent Lifecycle and Expiry:
Filed in 2012, the patent likely expires around 2032, assuming standard 20-year patent terms, thus influencing lifecycle management and generic entry strategies.
Comparative Analysis with International Patents
While specific to Korea, this patent aligns with global patent trends, such as protecting chemical structures, method of administration, or specific therapeutic uses. The International Patent Classification (IPC) codes associated with similar patents include A61K (medical preparations), C07D (heterocyclic compounds), and related subclasses.
Internationally, similar patents face challenges over sufficiency of disclosure or inventive step. Korean patent law emphasizes clear enablement and inventive merit, which this patent seems to satisfy, given its detailed claims.
Implications for Stakeholders
- Pharmaceutical Innovators: Would need to consider licensing or designing around KR20120015334 for similar therapeutic targets.
- Generic Manufacturers: Opportunity exists post-expiry or through designing non-infringing formulations.
- Patent Practitioners: Should evaluate patent scopes for FTO and develop strategies to extend lifecycle, such as new polymorphs or combination patents.
Conclusion
Patent KR20120015334 covers a potentially broad and impactful pharmaceutical invention within South Korea’s patent landscape. Its claims focus on specific chemical, formulation, or therapeutic features that set it apart from prior art, with a structured scope protecting innovation in its targeted mechanism or formulation. The surrounding patent environment suggests active competition and ongoing innovation, emphasizing the importance of detailed patent landscaping for strategic decision-making.
Key Takeaways
- The patent’s scope is primarily defined by claims covering unique compounds, formulations, or therapeutic methods, with precise limitations that define patent protection boundaries.
- The Korean patent landscape is characterized by a dense cluster of similar patents, requiring strategic analysis for infringement and licensing.
- Patent lifecycle considerations are crucial; the patent allows protection into the early 2030s, informing timing for lifecycle management.
- Similar patents internationally differ in scope; local patent law nuances influence claim interpretation and enforcement.
- For industry stakeholders, understanding this patent’s scope and the competitive environment facilitates better FTO assessments, licensing negotiations, and innovation strategies.
FAQs
1. What are the typical claims included in Korean pharmaceutical patents like KR20120015334?
Claims usually encompass chemical compounds, methods of synthesis or treatment, formulations, delivery methods, and therapeutic uses, with independent claims setting broad protection and dependent claims adding specificity.
2. How does Korean patent law influence the scope of pharmaceutical patents?
Korean patent law emphasizes inventive step, novelty, and sufficient disclosure. Patents must clearly define the invention, which constrains claims and limits overly broad protections that could be invalidated.
3. When does patent KR20120015334 expire, and what opportunities does this present?
Assuming standard 20-year protection from filing in 2012, it would expire around 2032, opening opportunities for generic manufacturers post-expiry and for patent holders to develop follow-up patents.
4. How does the patent landscape in Korea impact new drug development?
A saturated patent landscape necessitates careful FTO analysis, strategic patent filing, and innovation to avoid infringement and maintain competitive advantage.
5. What strategies can patent holders employ to extend the value of their patents like KR20120015334?
Filing divisional or continuation patents, developing novel formulations or combinations, and pursuing method-of-use patents help prolong patent life and market exclusivity.
Sources:
[1] Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) Patent Database
[2] Patent Application KR20120015334, Official Document
[3] Industry Reports on Korean Pharmaceutical Patent Trends
