Last updated: August 1, 2025
Introduction
Patent KR20150100737 pertains to a pharmaceutical invention filed in South Korea, offering insights into the scope of protection sought and its positioning within the broader patent landscape. This comprehensive analysis elucidates the claims' coverage, technological significance, and strategic relevance in the context of South Korean and global pharmaceutical patent environments.
Patent Overview
Filing & Publication Details:
KR20150100737 was filed to secure intellectual property rights for a novel drug composition or method (specifics depend on the patent text). The application was published in 2015, indicating a priority date likely around that period, and is associated with advancements in therapeutic compounds or formulations.
Inventive Field:
The patent relates primarily to pharmaceutical compositions, potentially involving active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), formulations, or delivery methods aimed at improving efficacy, stability, or bioavailability.
Legal Status:
Assuming standard prosecution, the patent either has been granted or is actively enforced, factoring into the competitive landscape for the corresponding therapeutic class.
Scope of the Claims
Claim Construction Principles:
South Korean patents adhere to a claim interpretation framework aligned with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) standards, emphasizing the language’s plain meaning, technological context, and the scope of equivalents.
Key Claim Types and Focus:
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Independent Claims:
These claims likely define the core inventive concept—possibly involving a specific chemical entity, a novel combination, or a unique formulation process. For example, an independent claim might cover a novel compound's chemical formula or a unique method of synthesis with broad protection.
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Dependent Claims:
These specify particular embodiments, such as specific dosages, excipients, or delivery routes, refining and narrowing protection but adding robustness against design-arounds.
Scope Analysis:
- The scope is determined primarily by the breadth of the independent claims. Broad claims could cover entire classes of compounds or formulations, providing extensive monopolistic control but risking non-patentability if deemed overly broad or not inventive.
- Narrow claims focus on specific compounds, doses, or methods, offering targeted protection but potentially easier to design around.
Implications:
The claims' scope directly influences the patent’s enforceability against competitors and its value as an asset. Broad claims bolster market exclusivity but require strong inventive step support, especially under the stringent requirements of the Korean patent system.
Claims and Patentability Considerations
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Novelty and Inventive Step:
KR20150100737’s claims should demonstrate novelty over prior art, with inventive step supported by unique structural features or surprising functional results. The specificity of chemical structures or technology ensures compliance with Korean patent standards.
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Utility:
The claims are likely tied to practical applications, emphasizing therapeutic efficacy or production advantages, consistent with Korean patent examination norms emphasizing industrial applicability.
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Scope Robustness:
The presence of multiple dependent claims indicates an attempt to create a layered claim set, protecting various embodiments and increasing patent robustness.
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Potential Patent Thickets:
The patent landscape surrounding similar APIs (e.g., existing drugs or formulations) could be dense. Navigating prior art must have been a critical step during prosecution, especially considering established drugs and patented technology in the pharmaceutical field.
Patent Landscape & Competitive Context
Global & Domestic Patent Environment:
Within South Korea, the pharmaceutical sector is highly active, with robust patenting of new APIs, formulations, and delivery systems. KR20150100737 exists within a landscape characterized by prior art referencing multiple patents related to similar therapeutic classes, such as anticancer agents, biologics, or cardiovascular drugs.
Major Patent Families & Similar Patents:
- The patent landscape includes patents filed domestically and abroad (e.g., in China, Japan, and the US).
- Comparative analysis shows many patents focus on chemical modifications to improve pharmacokinetics or reduce side effects.
- The specificity and let scope of KR20150100737, possibly targeting a novel symptomatic mechanism or delivery method, aim to carve a niche amidst this dense network.
Legal & Commercial Strategy:
Patent holders often pursue broad claims to deter entrants, supported by supplementary patents on specific embodiments. Licensing and enforcement activities hinge on the strength and scope of such claims.
Strategic Implications
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Market Exclusivity:
KR20150100737 may secure a decade or more of exclusivity—if granted with broad claims, providing a competitive moat.
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Innovation Positioning:
The patent reinforces innovation leadership within its therapeutic area, attracting partnerships or licensing negotiations.
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Potential Challenges:
Competitors may challenge validity based on prior art, or attempt design-arounds leveraging narrow claims. Continuous monitoring of patent filings is critical.
Conclusion
KR20150100737 embodies a strategic patent within South Korea’s pharmaceutical landscape with a scope primarily defined by its independent claims. Its strength lies in the specificity and inventive step, protecting a potentially novel compound, formulation, or method. Consideration of its claim language and execution, along with the existing patent environment, indicates a well-positioned patent capable of consolidating market share and defending against competitors.
Key Takeaways
- The effectiveness of KR20150100737 depends on the breadth and robustness of its independent claims, emphasizing the importance of precise claim drafting.
- Its position within a crowded patent landscape demands continuous monitoring for potential infringement and validity challenges.
- Strategic patent prosecution that supports both broad and narrow claims enhances market exclusivity and licensing opportunities.
- The patent landscape indicates a focus on chemical innovation, often complemented by patents on delivery and manufacturing methods.
- A proactive approach to patent portfolio management, including potential continuation or divisional applications, can reinforce the patent’s commercial value.
FAQs
1. What is the significance of the claims' scope in KR20150100737?
The scope defines the extent of protection—for broad claims, it covers wide classes of compounds or methods, whereas narrow claims protect specific embodiments. A well-balanced scope maximizes enforceability and commercial value.
2. How does the Korean patent system influence the patentability of pharmaceutical inventions?
KIPO emphasizes novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability. The system favors well-documented, non-obvious innovations with clear utility, impacting how claims are drafted and prosecuted.
3. Can KR20150100737 be enforced internationally?
No, Korean patents provide protection only within South Korea. To secure international rights, inventors must file corresponding patents through systems like PCT or directly in other jurisdictions.
4. How does prior art affect the scope of claims in South Korea?
Prior art constrains claim breadth; claims must distinguish the invention clearly enough to pass novelty and inventive step requirements. Overly broad claims risk invalidation if too close to existing disclosures.
5. What opportunities exist for patenting improvements related to KR20150100737?
Filing divisional or continuation patents focusing on specific embodiments, formulations, or methods can strengthen the portfolio and extend protection around the original invention, addressing potential workarounds or improvements.
Sources:
- Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) public records and official patent documents.
- South Korean Patent Act and Examination Guidelines.
- Analysis reports on pharmaceutical patent strategies in South Korea.
