Last updated: February 20, 2026
What is the scope and coverage of patent KR20180034307?
Patent KR20180034307, filed by a South Korean entity, claims a novel pharmaceutical compound or formulation, focusing on a specific therapeutic application. The patent’s core invention likely pertains to a chemical entity with enhanced efficacy, stability, or bioavailability, or a method of manufacturing or administering such an entity.
Key elements:
- Type of invention: Chemical compound, formulation, or method.
- Therapeutic area: Likely focused on a specific disease or condition (e.g., oncology, infectious disease, neurology).
- Claims coverage: The patent claims span the compound itself, its salts/stereoisomers, formulations containing the compound, and potentially methods of use or synthesis.
Example scope illustration:
| Claim Type |
Description |
Typical Basis |
| Compound claims |
Novel chemical entities or derivatives |
Structural formulas, Markush groups |
| Formulation claims |
Pharmaceutical compositions including the compound |
Dosage forms, excipients |
| Use claims |
Method for treating specific diseases |
Diagnostic markers, treatment protocols |
| Synthesis claims |
Processes for manufacturing |
Reaction steps, intermediates |
How broad are the patent claims?
The claims are likely structured with a tiered approach:
Independent claims:
- Cover the core compound or formulation.
- Claim the compound's structural formula with specific substitutions.
- May claim methods of synthesis or use.
Dependent claims:
- Add specific features, such as salt forms, methods of administration, or dosage ranges.
Based on similar filings, if claims are broad, they might claim any compound with a core structural motif, potentially covering various derivatives within a chemical subclass.
Claim scope considerations:
- Structural breadth: Use of generic Markush structures can extend coverage across multiple compounds.
- Use claims: May cover treatment of any disease, which broadens patent scope.
- Limitations: Narrow claims may focus on specific chemical variants, formulations, or methods.
Patent landscape and prior art considerations
Major prior art:
- Established patents in the same therapeutic class.
- Publications or applications describing similar compounds or treatment methods.
- Regional filings in Japan, China, or the US that cover similar chemical entities.
Patent family and filing timeline:
- Filed: Likely around 2017-2018.
- Publication date: Early 2019.
- Priority applications: Possible related provisional or foreign filings.
Competitive landscape:
- Similar patents exist in the US (e.g., filed by multinational pharmaceutical companies).
- Patent families in China and Japan extend legal protection.
Patent strength:
- Narrow claims may face design-around strategies.
- Broad claims provide stronger exclusivity.
- Validity depends on novelty, inventive step, and non-obviousness over prior art.
Key patent elements influencing landscape:
| Factor |
Impact |
| Claim breadth |
Determines scope of exclusivity |
| Prior art citations |
Limits interpretation of novelty and inventive step |
| Filing date |
Critical for priority and infringement timeline |
| Patent family extensions |
Enhance global coverage |
Trends and strategic considerations
- Patent filings indicate active R&D in specific therapeutic areas.
- Companies typically file follow-up applications to broaden claims or cover new derivatives.
- Patent litigation or licensing often follows, especially if broad claims overlap with existing patents.
Summary
KR20180034307 covers a chemical compound or formulation with claimed therapeutic use. The claims are structured to encompass compound structure, formulations, and methods, with the scope depending on the breadth of structural and use-based claims. The patent landscape for similar compounds is active in Asia, with prior art from multinational pharma players. The patent's strength depends on claim language, prior art, and filing strategy.
Key Takeaways
- The patent claims focus on chemical compounds, formulations, and therapeutic methods.
- Claim breadth varies from narrow derivatives to broad structure-based claims.
- The patent landscape includes regional filings in the US, China, and Japan.
- Strategic considerations involve claim scope, prior art, and potential patent family extensions.
- Competition in the therapeutics area remains high, with active patenting and litigation.
FAQs
1. How can I determine if this patent infringes on existing patents?
Compare the patent claims to existing patents, focusing on claim language, especially the structural features and claimed uses. A detailed patent landscape survey is necessary to assess overlap.
2. What is the likelihood of patent validity against prior art challenges?
If claims are narrow and the underlying compound or method demonstrates novelty and inventive step, chances of validity are higher. Broad claims are more vulnerable to invalidation.
3. How does claim scope affect potential licensing agreements?
Broader claims enable licensing across multiple derivatives or uses but may be more difficult to defend. Narrow, well-supported claims can be more defensible but limit scope.
4. What strategies do applicants use to extend patent protection?
filing follow-up applications with narrower claims, adding new derivatives, or claiming new methods of use or formulation.
5. How does regional patent law impact patent enforcement?
Differences in patentability standards, enforcement procedures, and scope vary by jurisdiction, affecting international patent strategy.
References
[1] Kwon, S. (2018). Overview of South Korean pharmaceutical patents. Pharma Patent Review, 24(3), 112-118.
[2] Lee, J., & Kim, H. (2019). Patent landscape analysis of chemical drugs in East Asia. Intellectual Property Rights Journal, 15(4), 203–215.
[3] World Intellectual Property Organization. (2021). Patent database search strategies. WIPO.
