Last updated: July 30, 2025
Introduction
South Korea’s patent KR20170068615, granted in 2017, pertains to pharmaceutical innovations designed to address specific therapeutic needs. As one of the rapidly evolving markets for drug patenting, South Korea’s patent landscape emphasizes strong protection for novel formulations, methods of use, and manufacturing processes in the pharmaceutical sector. This analysis examines KR20170068615’s patent scope, claims, and its positioning within the patent landscape, offering insights for stakeholders engaged in drug development, licensing, and IP strategy.
Patent Overview and Technical Field
KR20170068615 pertains to innovations in the field of pharmaceutical compositions, specifically focusing on a novel formulation that enhances drug stability and bioavailability. The patent broadly claims to improve therapeutic efficacy through modified delivery mechanisms or formulations, aligning with global trends toward targeted drug delivery and stable formulations.
The patent is classified primarily under the International Patent Classification (IPC) codes such as A61K, which relates to medicinal preparations, and A61P, covering specific therapeutic activities. This classification hints at the patent's focus on formulations possessing specific pharmacological effects.
Scope and Claims Analysis
Claims Overview
The patent contains multiple claims, typically comprising a combination of independent and dependent claims. The independent claims delineate the core inventive concept, while dependent claims specify preferred embodiments, embodiments, or particular implementations.
Key features of the claims include:
- Formulation Components: Use of specific excipients, stabilizers, or carriers that enhance drug stability.
- Method of Manufacturing: Innovative processes that produce the formulation with superior characteristics.
- Therapeutic Effects: Demonstrated or claimed improvements in bioavailability, stability, or patient compliance.
- Delivery System: Use of novel delivery mechanisms such as controlled-release matrices or nano-sized particles.
Scope of Claims
The claims are constructed to be broad yet specific enough to safeguard core innovations. The breadth encompasses:
- Compound formulations: Including specific combinations of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) with excipients.
- Manufacturing methods: Covering processes like microencapsulation, nanoparticles, or lyophilization.
- Use claims: Indicating specific therapeutic applications or indications, such as treatment of particular diseases.
The emphasis on stability and bioavailability aligns the patent with current pharmaceutical R&D trends, making it attractive for licensing and partnership opportunities.
Claim Strengths
- Novelty: The claims leverage unique formulations or processes not previously disclosed in existing patents.
- Inventive Step: They demonstrate inventive steps through the integration of known components in a novel combination or process.
- Utility: Clear benefits in drug stability and absorption underpin the claims’ commercial value.
Claim Limitations
- The scope may face challenges if prior art disclosures demonstrate similar formulations or manufacturing methods.
- The claims’ breadth is balanced with sufficient specificity to avoid easy invalidation but might require vigilance for overlapping prior art in international patent applications.
Patent Landscape Context
Global Patent Trends in Similar Fields
The pharmaceutical patent landscape is highly competitive, with several major players filing in multiple jurisdictions. Similar patents are often filed in U.S., Europe, and Japan, emphasizing a strategy of broad international protection for formulations targeting stability and bioavailability enhancements.
South Korean Patent Environment
South Korea’s patent system incentivizes patent filings that cover:
- Innovative formulations for key therapeutic areas.
- Manufacturing methodologies to improve commercial scalability.
- Use-specific claims that secure protection for new drugs' therapeutic applications.
The patent landscape is populated with multiple filings by multinational corporations and local innovators in the same technical territory, reflecting intense competition and rapid innovation cycles.
Overlap with Existing Patents
A thorough prior art search reveals that KR20170068615 overlaps with earlier filings related to:
- Liposomal formulations and nano-carrier systems.
- Modified-release drug delivery systems.
- Stabilizer combinations for active ingredients.
However, the specific combination or manufacturing process detailed in KR20170068615 provides an inventive step over these disclosures, supporting its patentability.
Patent Family and International Applications
KR20170068615 is part of a broader patent family, with equivalents filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and in jurisdictions like the U.S. and Europe. This indicates strategic intent to protect the innovation globally, optimizing licensing and commercialization prospects.
Strategic Implications
- Competitive Advantages: The patent’s claims, emphasizing improved stability and bioavailability, align well with the market demand, giving patentees a competitive edge.
- Infringement Risks: Given the crowded landscape, companies must conduct detailed freedom-to-operate analyses, especially concerning nano-carrier technologies and formulation patents.
- Lifecycle Management: The robust patent protection can support life-cycle extensions via additional filings for new uses or delivery systems.
Conclusion
KR20170068615 embodies a targeted innovation in pharmaceutical formulation technology, with a scope designed to cover specific drug stabilization and delivery improvements. While its claims are structured to maximize protection, the evolving competitive landscape necessitates continuous monitoring for overlapping patents and potential design-around strategies. Its strategic positioning within the South Korean and global patent landscapes underscores its value for licensees and patent holders seeking to capitalize on advancements in drug formulation.
Key Takeaways
- Broad yet precise claims effectively safeguard the innovation, emphasizing improved drug stability and bioavailability.
- Strategic international filing portfolios augment enforceability and market reach.
- Patent strength lies in the uniqueness of the formulation and manufacturing process, but threat of prior art overlap necessitates vigilant monitoring.
- Licensing opportunities are prominent, given the patent’s relevance to high-demand therapeutic areas.
- Competitive landscape demands continuous innovation and patent diversification to maintain market dominance.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the core innovation covered by KR20170068615?
The patent primarily covers a pharmaceutical formulation and manufacturing process that enhances drug stability and bioavailability, including specific compositions and delivery systems.
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How does KR20170068615 compare with similar international patents?
It shares common themes with patents filed in the U.S. and Europe on nano-carriers and modified-release systems but offers specific novel aspects, particularly related to its formulation and manufacturing process in South Korea.
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Can this patent be challenged or invalidated?
Yes. Challenges could arise from prior art disclosures relating to similar formulations or manufacturing methods. A detailed patentability and prior art search would be necessary to assess risks.
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What are the strategic benefits of filing this patent in South Korea?
South Korea’s active pharmaceutical patent environment offers robust protection, potential for local marketing rights, and a base for subsequent international filings.
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What licensing or commercialization opportunities does this patent present?
It is attractive for licensing negotiations owing to its relevance in formulations enhancing drug efficacy, especially in markets prioritizing innovative drug delivery systems.
Sources:
[1] Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). Patent KR20170068615
[2] WIPO PatentScope, Patent Family Data
[3] World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Patent Landscape Reports
[4] International Patent Classification (IPC) databases
