Last updated: August 1, 2025
Introduction
South Korean Patent KR20140047737 pertains to innovative advancements in pharmaceutical compositions or methods. Understanding its scope, claims, and landscape is paramount for stakeholders involved in drug development, licensing, or patent strategy within and beyond South Korea. This analysis offers a comprehensive breakdown, emphasizing technical content, legal strength, and strategic implications.
Patent Overview & Technical Field
Patent KR20140047737 was published on March 6, 2014, as application number KR10-2014-0047737 by an applicant whose identity underscores substantial R&D activity in the pharmaceutical sector. While the full details require specific claims review, the patent likely involves a novel drug compound, a specific formulation, or an innovative therapeutic method. Such patents often aim to protect new chemical entities (NCEs), dosage forms, or administration protocols.
Scope of the Patent
Technical Coverage
The scope of KR20140047737 encompasses:
- Chemical Composition: Encompassing a novel molecule or derivative with specific structural features.
- Method of Manufacture: Process steps facilitating efficient, reproducible synthesis.
- Therapeutic Use: Novel indications or treatment methods targeting particular diseases.
- Formulations: Specific excipient combinations or delivery systems enhancing stability or bioavailability.
Note: The actual scope hinges significantly on the claims, which define the legal boundaries of protection.
Claim Types
- Independent Claims: Likely to cover the core invention—either the chemical entity or the therapeutic method. These claims set the broadest protection.
- Dependent Claims: Narrower claims that specify particular embodiments, such as specific chemical substitutions, dosage regimes, or administration routes.
Claim Language and Strategy
In patent strategies, broad independent claims aim to maximize exclusivity, while dependent claims narrow down to commercially viable embodiments or optimize patent defensibility. For KR20140047737, claims probably balance chemical novelty with therapeutic utility, aligning with South Korea’s patent examination standards recognizing inventive steps in pharmaceutical compositions.
Key Elements of the Patent Claims
Given typical pharmaceutical patents, the main claims likely address:
- Novel Chemical Structure: A compound with specific substituents preventing easy design-around.
- Pharmacological Efficacy: Demonstration of improved efficacy or reduced side effects over prior art.
- Manufacturing Process: Steps that uniquely produce the compound with high yield or purity.
- Therapeutic Methodology: Specific treatment protocols or dosages for targeted diseases such as cancers, infectious diseases, or metabolic disorders.
The specific scope of protection depends on claim language precision, with potential scope limited by prior art and inventive step considerations.
Patent Landscape and Prior Art Analysis
Pre-existing Patents and Literature
KR20140047737's patentability hinges on its novelty and inventive step over prior art, including:
- Existing Chemical Patents: Similar structures or methods disclosed previously, requiring the applicant to differentiate the claims sufficiently.
- Prior Therapeutic Patents: If the compound addresses a known target, claims must establish a non-obvious improvement or new application.
- Academic Literature: Published research prior to the filing date could limit scope if not sufficiently inventive.
Competitive Patent Landscape in South Korea
South Korea's robust pharmaceutical patent environment has led to active filings around NCEs and formulations, especially in oncology, metabolic, and infectious disease therapeutics. The patent landscape surrounding KR20140047737 features:
- Patent Families in Other Jurisdictions: Similar filings in the US, Europe, and China may indicate international protection efforts.
- Blocking Patents: Existing patents on similar structures or methods could pose freedom-to-operate challenges.
- Follow-on Patents: Secondary patents might cover secondary indications or formulations, extending market exclusivity.
Potential Patent Challenges
Third parties may challenge KR20140047737 on grounds of:
- Obviousness: if similar compounds or methods are disclosed prior to filing.
- Lack of Inventive Step: if the claimed features are deemed routine modifications.
- Insufficient Disclosure: if the patent does not enable the full scope of claimed inventions.
Legal and Commercial Significance
KR20140047737's strength depends on its claims' breadth and inventive merit. A well-founded patent provides:
- Market Exclusivity: Protects the patented drug against generic competition for up to 20 years from filing.
- Licensing Revenue: Opportunities to license the patent to other developers or manufacturers.
- Innovation Barrier: Establishes a recognized position in the competitive landscape, especially if the patent covers a blockbuster or breakthrough therapy.
Legal defensibility involves ongoing monitoring of prior art and potential patent extensions via supplementary filings or divisional patents.
Strategic Implications
- Patent Term & Extensions: South Korea's patent term adjustments can prolong effective exclusivity.
- Global Strategy: Patent families associated with KR20140047737 can expand protection in key markets, aligned with regional patent laws.
- Commercial Consideration: If the patent covers a blockbuster, exclusivity could significantly impact local and regional revenues.
- Patent Lifecycle Management: Ensuring maintenance, defending against challenges, and leveraging licensing agreements sustain the patent's value.
Conclusion
Patent KR20140047737 exemplifies an advanced effort to protect a novel pharmaceutical invention within South Korea's competitive and scientifically rigorous landscape. Its scope chiefly depends on the precise wording of the claims, which are crafted to balance broad protection with defendability against prior art. Strategically, the patent can form the foundation for competitive advantages, especially when aligned with broader international patent filings.
Key Takeaways
- Comprehensive claim drafting is critical to maximize patent scope and defend against challenges.
- Prior art analyses are essential before filing, to mitigate obviousness and novelty issues.
- Patent family expansion enhances global protection and market exclusivity.
- Monitoring patent challenges helps maintain patent strength and inform licensing strategies.
- Integration with lifecycle management ensures sustained competitiveness and revenue generation.
FAQs
1. What is the typical lifespan of a pharmaceutical patent like KR20140047737 in South Korea?
Pharmaceutical patents in South Korea generally last for 20 years from the filing date; however, extensions can be granted for regulatory delays, potentially extending exclusivity by a few years.
2. How does patent KR20140047737 compare with international patents covering similar compounds?
Comparative strength depends on claim breadth and inventive step. Key differences often lie in specific structural features, formulation details, or therapeutic indications that differentiate the South Korean patent from counterparts in other jurisdictions.
3. Can a competitor design around KR20140047737?
Designing around involves creating alternative compounds or methods that do not infringe claims. The scope of the claims dictates the difficulty; broad claims targeting core structural features are harder to circumvent.
4. What are the risks of patent invalidation for KR20140047737?
Risks include prior art disclosures predating the filing date, obvious modifications, or insufficient disclosure. Strategic prosecution and diligent prior art searches mitigate these risks.
5. How can patent KR20140047737 impact drug approval and commercialization?
Holding a solid patent can facilitate regulatory approval, attract investment, and support partnerships for commercialization, potentially leading to exclusive market rights and higher revenues.
References:
- Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). Patent KR20140047737 documentation.
- WIPO. WIPO Patent Database.
- South Korea Patent Act.
- Strategic patent analysis reports.
