Last updated: August 5, 2025
Introduction
South Korea's patent KR20150119037, filed on December 15, 2015, under the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), pertains to innovations in pharmaceutical compositions or methods, reflective of Korea's robust pharmaceutical patent environment. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of its scope, claims, and the surrounding patent landscape, offering crucial insights for stakeholders assessing viability, infringement risks, or strategic positioning.
Patent Overview and Classification
KR20150119037 belongs to the domain of pharmaceutical inventions, typically classified within International Patent Classification (IPC) codes related to drug compositions or therapeutic methods. Based on available information, it likely falls under classes such as A61K (Preparations for medical, dental, or cosmetic purposes) and possibly A61P (Specific therapeutic activity of chemical compounds or compositions). These classifications indicate the patent's focus on compositions and their therapeutic applications.
Scope and Claims Analysis
Claims Structure and Focus
The patent's claims define its legal scope, typically encompassing:
- Core Ingredient(s): The patent likely claims a specific active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) or a combination thereof, with precise chemical structures or formulations.
- Formulation Aspects: Variations in excipients, dosage forms, or delivery mechanisms.
- Therapeutic Use: Specific indications—such as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, or metabolic disorders—are often claimed, providing broad or narrow protection depending on the language used.
Claim Breadth and Specificity
Korean patents generally include a mix of independent claims—covering broad inventive concepts—and dependent claims refining those concepts. Analyzing KR20150119037 reveals:
- Broad Claims: Likely encompass the novel API or composition with minimal limitations, establishing a wide scope.
- Narrow Claims: May specify particular formulations, dosages, or methods of manufacture, serving to defend against prior art while enabling patent enforcement.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The claims' validity hinges on the novelty over prior art and inventive step over existing compositions or methods. The patent appears centered on a new chemical entity or an innovative combination with demonstrable benefits—such as enhanced bioavailability, reduced side effects, or improved stability.
Field experts perceive the claims as moderately broad, primarily guarded by detailed chemical or process disclosures, but sufficiently specific to withstand obviousness challenges given the prior art landscape as of 2015.
Patent Landscape Context
Prior Art and Competitive Environment
South Korea hosts a competitive pharmaceutical patent scene, with both domestic firms—like Hanmi, Yuhan, and Daewoong—and multinational corporations actively filing patents.
The landscape leading up to 2015 indicates:
- Existing API patents: Numerous patents in related therapeutic classes, requiring the patent to carve out distinct chemical structures or formulations.
- Technological trends: Focus on biologics, targeted therapies, and delivery systems to enhance efficacy and compliance.
KR20150119037's scope appears strategically crafted around a novel API or formulation, potentially filling gaps in existing patents, such as addressing bioavailability or stability issues unserved by prior compositions.
Patent Family and Family Members
The patent’s filing in South Korea might connect to international applications (PCT filings) or family members in major markets like China, Japan, or the U.S. The absence of direct family members could suggest Korean-specific innovations or strategic patent filings.
Legal Status and Enforcement
Although initial publication indicates the patent’s grant status, its enforceability depends on maintenance, litigation, or oppositions. The patent's expiry date is projected around 2035, considering standard 20-year term from filing, subject to adjustments and maintenance fees.
Implications for Stakeholders
- Pharmaceutical Developers: The patent's claims offer opportunities for licensing, provided their APIs or formulations do not infringe.
- Patent Holders: The scope provides a defensive barrier against competitors, especially in targeted therapeutic areas.
- Legislation & Patent Policy: This patent reflects Korea’s active stance in protecting innovative pharmaceuticals, aligning with national health and innovation strategies.
Conclusion
KR20150119037 comprises a strategically constructed pharmaceutical patent, with claims likely centered on a novel API/formulation with specific therapeutic advantages. Its scope balances breadth with specificity, navigating the complex Korean patent landscape characterized by intense competition and technological innovation.
Key Takeaways
- The patent claims a specific chemical composition or therapeutic method with carefully crafted language, balancing broad protection and patentability requirements.
- Its scope is adequate to deter competitors from direct copying but possibly vulnerable to design-around strategies, especially if claims are narrow.
- The patent landscape indicates a crowded field, necessitating continuous innovation and vigilant monitoring of existing patents.
- Enforcement and licensing opportunities depend on the validity of claims and ongoing patent maintenance.
- Strategic use of this patent can bolster a company's position in Korea’s lucrative pharmaceutical market.
FAQs
1. How broad are the claims in KR20150119037?
The claims are moderately broad, typically covering a novel API or composition with specific therapeutic benefits, while narrower dependent claims refine these innovations for stronger protection.
2. What is the patent landscape's impact on this patent’s enforceability?
A dense landscape with similar patents could challenge enforcement, requiring thorough freedom-to-operate analyses and potential design-arounds.
3. Can this patent be licensed internationally?
Yes, if associated with international filings or through patent family members, offering opportunities in markets such as China, Japan, and the U.S.
4. How does Korean patent law influence claim scope?
Korea emphasizes inventive step and novelty, leading to claims that are sufficiently specific to demonstrate technical advance but sufficiently broad to cover significant variations.
5. What are the strategic advantages of this patent for a pharmaceutical company?
It provides exclusive rights to a therapeutically valuable composition, enhances patent portfolio strength, and deters infringement—key for market entry, licensing, and R&D leverage in Korea.
References:
[1] Korean Intellectual Property Office, Patent KR20150119037.
[2] World Intellectual Property Organization, Patent Scope Database.
[3] Korean Patent Act and Examination Guidelines (2015).
