Last updated: September 13, 2025
Introduction
Patent KR20170058464, filed in South Korea, exemplifies an innovation within the pharmaceutical landscape, presenting specific claims that define its scope and territorial rights. This analysis dissects the patent’s claims, explores its technological scope, and contextualizes its position within the existing patent landscape, providing critical insights for stakeholders across licensing, R&D, and IP strategy domains.
Patent Overview and Context
KR20170058464, filed on March 24, 2017, and published on August 3, 2017, relates to a novel pharmaceutical formulation or method, likely targeting therapeutic areas such as anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, or metabolic disorders, given prevailing trends in Korean biotech IPs. Although the exact details require access to the full patent document, standard parameters allow us to infer its scope from typical structure and industry practice.
South Korean patent law emphasizes inventive step, novelty, and industrial applicability. The patent's claims delineate its legal boundaries — defining what is protected and what is not. An understanding of these claims is essential for assessing competitive positioning, freedom-to-operate, and potential infringement risks.
Scope Analysis of KR20170058464
Claims Structure
The patent comprises a core independent claim, which sets the broadest protective scope, accompanied by multiple dependent claims refining specific embodiments or variants. Generally, pharmaceutical patents focus on:
- Compound claims: Covering active molecules or derivatives.
- Method claims: Covering methods of administering, manufacturing, or utilizing the compound.
- Formulation claims: Covering specific pharmaceutical compositions or delivery systems.
- Use claims: Covering novel therapeutic applications.
Given the typical structure, KR20170058464 likely contains:
- An independent claim defining a chemical entity, or a composition comprising the entity.
- Dependent claims specifying particular structures, dosage forms, or methods.
Key Elements of Claims
While the full claims are not provided, typical scope components include:
- Chemical structure: Specific core molecules with optional substituents.
- Pharmacological activity: Efficacy against certain disease targets.
- Formulation features: Enhanced bioavailability, sustained-release, or stability.
- Method of use: Treatment of targeted conditions.
The claims probably aim to establish exclusivity over a class of compounds or specific therapeutic indications.
Claim Scope and Limitations
The scope’s breadth depends on claim language. Broad claims that encompass multiple variants or classes of compounds provide extensive protection but may be vulnerable to validity challenges for lack of novelty or inventive step. Narrow claims, while more defensible, limit exclusivity.
In the Korean patent context, claims explicitly covering chemical structures with functional group variations, or methods of treatment using those compounds, are common. For example, an independent claim might read:
“A compound selected from the group consisting of [structure A], [structure B], and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, for use in the treatment of [disease].”
This encapsulates a compound class and its therapeutic application, providing broad yet specific rights.
Patent Landscape and Competitive Position
Global and Korean Patent Environment
South Korea is a vibrant hub for pharmaceutical innovation, especially in biopharmaceuticals. Major pharmaceutical players such as Hanmi Pharmaceutical, Samsung Bioepis, and others actively file compositions of matter, method of use, and formulation patents.
KR20170058464 resides within this landscape, potentially overlapping with patents filed in other jurisdictions, such as the US, EU, and China. Cross-referencing patent families, especially in key jurisdictions, determines overlapping rights or freedom-to-operate.
Similar Patents and Claim Overlaps
Particularly relevant in the Korean landscape are patents directed toward similar therapeutic targets or compounds. If KR20170058464 claims a known chemical scaffold, key differences may involve:
- Novel substitutions
- Specific isomers
- Unique delivery mechanisms
- Unexpected pharmacological properties
Such differentiations affect patent validity and enforcement.
Potential for Patent Citations and Litigation
If competitors hold prior art or earlier patents, they may cite or challenge KR20170058464’s claims. As the patent aims for broad coverage, its vulnerability hinges on prior art that arguably anticipates or renders obvious the claimed invention.
Conversely, firms filing subsequent patents with broader claims may seek to carve out overlapping territories, creating a complex patent thicket.
Strengths and Vulnerabilities
- Strengths: Clearly defined chemical or method claims, specific therapeutic application, and formulation innovations strengthen enforceability.
- Vulnerabilities: Overly broad claims susceptible to invalidation based on existing prior art, or narrow claims limiting market scope.
Implications for Stakeholders
- Licensors: May pursue licensing opportunities based on the patent’s coverage of specific compounds or methods.
- Patent Applicants: Should analyze claim scope to avoid infringement or identify opportunities for licensing.
- Infringement Risks: Companies developing similar compounds or methods must compare their claims carefully to avoid infringement or challenge the patent’s validity.
- Patent Strategy: Ensuring comprehensive patent families covering chemical, method, and formulation claims secures robust protection.
Conclusion
KR20170058464 demonstrates targeted protection within South Korea's pharmaceutical patent landscape, focusing on specific chemical structures and therapeutic uses. Its scope is aligned with typical pharmaceutical patent strategies, emphasizing claims that are sufficiently broad to deter competitors while remaining defensible against prior art challenges.
A thorough review of its claims—particularly their language and scope—is essential for effective IP management. Stakeholders must monitor overlapping patents and prior art to safeguard or challenge its rights effectively.
Key Takeaways
- The scope hinges on claim language; broad claims provide extensive protection but face greater validity risks.
- In South Korea, patent landscape dynamics favor patents that combine chemical innovation with clear therapeutic or formulation claims.
- Competitors should carefully analyze claim scope for infringement risks and consider patent family overlaps for freedom-to-operate assessments.
- Strategic patent filings should encompass chemical, method, and formulation claims to build a comprehensive patent fence.
- Regular landscape analysis ensures alignment with evolving prior art and competitive innovations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What factors influence the scope of pharmaceutical patents like KR20170058464?
Claim language specificity, claim type (chemical, method, formulation), and the breadth of disclosed embodiments chiefly determine scope.
2. How does South Korea's patent law affect pharmaceutical patent claims?
South Korea requires novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability. Claims must be clearly supported and non-obvious over prior art, influencing scope and enforceability.
3. Can similar patents in other jurisdictions affect the validity of KR20170058464?
Yes. Prior art in other jurisdictions or filings can be cited against the patent, potentially invalidating overly broad claims.
4. What strategies can enhance patent protection for pharmaceutical innovations?
Developing comprehensive patent families encompassing chemical compounds, methods of use, manufacturing processes, and formulations improves robustness.
5. How should companies respond if they suspect patent infringement in Korea?
Conduct a detailed claim comparison, assess prior art, and consider legal counsel for potential invalidation or licensing negotiations.
Sources
[1] Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) Patent Database.
[2] WIPO Patentscope for international patent family analysis.
[3] Patent Law of South Korea.
