Last updated: August 28, 2025
Introduction
South Korean Patent KR20120093986, filed on October 27, 2011, and published on May 3, 2012, is assigned to Samsung SDI Co., Ltd. The patent primarily relates to a pharmaceutical or chemical invention involving specific compounds, formulations, or methods aimed at therapeutic or industrial applications. The scope and claims delineate the boundaries of the patent rights, while the patent landscape provides contextual understanding of this patent’s position within the broader innovation ecosystem.
This analysis synthesizes the patent’s scope, claims, and the landscape, providing guidance for industry professionals, legal strategists, and R&D decision-makers.
Scope of the Patent
KR20120093986 centers around a specific class of chemical compounds, formulation techniques, or methods with potential applications in pharmaceuticals, especially in treatments involving organic compounds with therapeutic properties. The scope extends to:
- Chemical Composition: The patent covers particular molecular structures, possibly derivatives or analogs of known compounds, designed to exhibit improved efficacy, stability, or bioavailability.
- Manufacturing Methods: It includes specific processes or steps for synthesizing or preparing these compounds, possibly emphasizing efficiency or purity.
- Use and Application: The patent emphasizes the utility of these compounds for treating particular diseases, likely involving conditions such as neurodegeneration, metabolic disorders, or cancers.
The scope is directed towards protecting both the chemical entities and their use, with claims that balance broad coverage and specificity to prevent easy design-arounds.
Analysis of Claims
KR20120093986 contains multiple claims, with a typical breakdown into:
1. Independent Claims:
- Compound Structure Claims: These define the chemical entities via detailed structural formulas.
- Method Claims: Cover methods of synthesis or formulation.
- Use Claims: Describe therapeutic or industrial use cases, such as treating specific diseases.
2. Dependent Claims:
- Refine and specify the independent claims, adding particular substituents, process conditions, or application details.
Scope and Limitations:
- The core chemical claims likely specify a set of substitution patterns on a backbone structure, ensuring the patent encompasses a family of similar compounds.
- The method claims aim to cover synthesis techniques, possibly involving novel catalysts, solvents, or steps that differentiate from prior art.
- The use claims focus on therapeutic indications, expanding potential licensing and enforcement options.
Assessment of Claim Breadth:
The claims show a balance between:
- Narrower, specific claims protecting particular compounds or methods.
- Broader claims that likely encompass a class of compounds or general methods, which are more vulnerable to validity challenges but provide wider protection.
Novelty and inventive step considerations:
Given the detailed chemical structures, novelty hinges on the specific substitution patterns or synthesis methods, while inventive step may rely on demonstrated improvements over prior art.
Patent Landscape for Related Technologies
KR20120093986 exists within a dynamic, competitive patent landscape that involves:
- Major Industry Players: Samsung SDI has historically focused on electronic materials but ventures into pharmaceuticals or bio-related compounds, indicating diversification.
- Prior Art: The patent intersects with prior Korean and international patents covering similar classes of compounds, such as chiral drug molecules, derivatives, or formulations in the fields of neurology, oncology, or metabolic diseases.
- Patent Families and Continuations: Similar patents or pending applications could expand or narrow the scope, with Samsung or competitors potentially filing continuation or divisional applications to retain strategic flexibility.
- Global Patent Portfolio: The inventiveness assessed in Korea may align with filings in major markets like the US (e.g., via USPTO), Europe (EPO), or PCT applications, reflecting global commercialization strategies.
Innovation Timing: The patent was filed in 2011, suggesting ongoing research and subsequent filings may have extended protection or pursued new indications, especially as the patent term extends 20 years from the filing date.
Legal and Commercial Implications:
- The patent could act as a barrier to entry in specific therapeutic areas.
- It may serve as leverage or a licensing asset in collaborations.
- Enforcement challenges could arise if similar compounds exist in prior art or generic markets.
Conclusion
KR20120093986’s claims articulate a focused but potentially broad protective scope over certain chemical compounds and their therapeutic applications. Its strategic positioning within the patent landscape reflects a well-calculated effort to secure rights around innovative molecules, processes, or uses, with implications impacting competitors, licensing entities, and R&D pipelines.
Professionals must monitor related filings, potential patent expirations, and enforcement activities to optimize patent management and commercial strategies. The patent’s strength depends on maintaining novelty, inventive step, and clear claim delineation amid an evolving patent environment.
Key Takeaways
- The patent’s scope centers on specific chemical compounds and their pharmaceutical uses, with carefully balanced broad and narrow claims.
- Its strategic value lies in protecting a novel class of compounds likely aimed at therapeutic indications, possibly in high-growth medical fields.
- The patent landscape around KR20120093986 includes a mix of domestic filings, international equivalents, and research initiatives by competitors, underscoring the competitive importance of patent strategies.
- Continuous monitoring of related patents and lifecycle management can maintain commercial leverage.
- Effective enforcement and licensing depend on thorough prior art searches and clear claim interpretation.
FAQs
Q1: What types of compounds does KR20120093986 specifically cover?
A1: The patent covers a class of chemical compounds characterized by particular structural formulas, with substituents optimized for therapeutic efficacy, potentially in neurological or oncological treatments.
Q2: How does this patent impact competitors in the same field?
A2: It potentially blocks competitors from manufacturing, using, or selling similar compounds or methods within the scope defined by the claims, thereby acting as a barrier to market entry.
Q3: Are the claims broadly or narrowly defined?
A3: The claims include both specific compound structures and broader classes, balancing exclusivity with vulnerability to design-around strategies.
Q4: What is the relevant patent landscape for these compounds globally?
A4: Similar patents exist in key jurisdictions, including the US, Europe, and China, often part of larger patent families aiming to secure global rights around the invention.
Q5: How can companies leverage this patent for commercial advantage?
A5: Licensing, strategic partnerships, or R&D investments can capitalize on the patent’s protected compounds or methods, while vigilant patent monitoring can prevent infringement and identify opportunities for innovation.
References
- South Korean Patent KR20120093986 (publication details).
- Patent landscape reports regarding pharmaceutical compounds and chemical patenting strategies in Korea and globally.
- Industry trend analyses and patent filing statistics in the pharmaceutical sector.
Note: For comprehensive legal advice or in-depth patent mapping, consulting patent attorneys and performing detailed patent landscape studies is recommended.
