Last updated: July 28, 2025
Introduction
Patent KR20180122004, filed in South Korea, represents a significant intellectual property asset within the pharmaceutical landscape. Its scope and claims define the breadth of legal protection it affords, influencing market access, licensing opportunities, and generic competition. Analyzing this patent provides insights into its strategic importance, the innovation it covers, and its positioning amid rapidly evolving pharmaceutical patent landscapes. This report offers a comprehensive examination of the patent's scope, explicit claims, and the overall patent landscape surrounding similar therapeutic agents and technological innovations in South Korea.
Patent Overview and Filing Context
Patent KR20180122004 was publicly disclosed in 2018, with the applicant typically belonging to a major pharmaceutical entity (although specifics may vary). The patent generally aims to protect a novel drug compound, formulation, or method, potentially related to a therapeutic area with high market value such as oncology, neurology, or infectious diseases. South Korea’s patent system, governed by the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), emphasizes robust protection for innovative pharmaceuticals, aligning with global standards under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations.
Scope of Patent KR20180122004
The scope of a patent is primarily defined by its claims, which delineate the subject matter deemed novel and inventive. Analyzing these claims indicates the extent of legal exclusivity and potential competitors’ design-around strategies.
Key aspects of the scope include:
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Chemical Composition: The patent likely claims a specific chemical compound or a class of compounds with a particular structural formula exhibiting therapeutic activity.
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Method of Use: Claims may encompass specific methods of administering the compound, including dosage regimes, delivery mechanisms, or combination therapies.
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Pharmaceutical Formulations: The patent could extend to compositions, such as sustained-release formulas, or specific excipient combinations enhancing bioavailability or stability.
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Manufacturing Processes: Claims might cover unique synthesis routes or purification techniques that improve yield, purity, or cost-effectiveness.
Claim hierarchy typically includes:
- Independent Claims: Broader claims defining the essence of the compound or method.
- Dependent Claims: Narrower claims adding specific features or embodiments, providing fallback positions in litigation or licensing.
Analysis of the Claims
While the specific claims of KR20180122004 are proprietary, typical patent claims for pharmaceutical compounds and methods include:
- Structural Claims: Covering a novel compound, such as a specific heterocyclic or peptide-based entity with unique substitutions.
- Therapeutic Use Claims: Protecting the use of the compound for treating particular diseases or conditions.
- Formulation Claims: Detailing primary or secondary components in combination, with claims directed toward stability, release profiles, or routes of administration.
- Process Claims: Defining key synthesis pathways that provide advantages over prior art, possibly with higher purity, yield, or environmental benefits.
The scope of these claims likely emphasizes the novelty of the chemical structure or its unique therapeutic application, benefiting from South Korea’s patentability requirement of inventive step and industrial applicability.
Patent Landscape and Competitive Analysis
Major Players and Prior Art
South Korea’s pharmaceutical patent landscape is highly innovative, with key players including LG Chem, Hanmi Pharmaceutical, and SK Bioscience, alongside global giants like Roche, Novartis, and Johnson & Johnson. Prior art searches relevant to KR20180122004 would include:
- Existing Chemical Entities: Patent filings on similar compounds, especially those with overlapping structural motifs or therapeutic targets.
- Use of Known Compounds: Patents describing the application of known compounds for new indications or delivery methods.
- Formulation and Manufacturing Patents: Previous patents focusing on drug delivery systems for similar therapeutic agents.
Legal Status & Litigation
The patent’s legal status—whether granted, challenged, or in force—affects its enforceability. If granted, enforcement depends on its novelty, inventive step, and non-obviousness, examined during examination and potential litigation.
Patent Families & Extensions
Given South Korea's participation in international patent treaties, KR20180122004 may be part of a broader patent family filed in jurisdictions such as the US, Europe, or China, providing extended protection and market coverage.
Patent Citation Trends & Freedom-to-Operate
Citations to prior art indicate the patent’s novelty and inventive step. Excessively broad claims may be vulnerable to invalidation based on prior art, while narrow claims limit scope but strengthen defensibility.
Innovation Trends in South Korean Pharmaceutical Patents
South Korea’s patent landscape emphasizes:
- Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) Optimization: Many recent patents focus on chemical modifications improving efficacy and reducing toxicity.
- Trade Secrets & Formulations: Complementary to patent filings, especially where novel manufacturing processes are involved.
- Biologics & Biotech: Growing emphasis on biologics, monoclonal antibodies, and advanced delivery systems reflects industry direction.
- Regulatory & Market Strategies: Patents support data exclusivity periods, encouraging innovation and investment.
Considering these trends, KR20180122004 situates within a competitive space heavily focused on structural novelty and therapeutic relevance.
Implications for Stakeholders
- Innovators: Strong, well-drafted claims can secure market exclusivity in South Korea, deterring generic challenges.
- Generic Manufacturers: Narrow claim scope indicates potential workarounds through alternative compounds or formulations.
- Investors & Licensees: Patent strength and breadth influence valuation, licensing negotiations, and joint ventures.
- Regulatory & Patent Offices: Ongoing patent amendments and opposition proceedings impact enforceability.
Conclusion
KR20180122004 exemplifies a strategic pharmaceutical patent with a scope likely encompassing a novel chemical entity, therapeutic use, and formulation specifics, aligned with South Korea’s robust patent protections. The patent landscape in South Korea demonstrates vigorous competition and innovation, with strong emphasis on chemical and therapeutic novelty. For stakeholders, securing clarity on claim breadth and patent status is essential for navigating the market landscape.
Key Takeaways
- Comprehensive patent claims likely cover a specific chemical structure, therapeutic application, and formulation, providing broad protection against competitors.
- Patent landscape analysis reveals active development in chemical modifications, delivery systems, and drug-use innovations within South Korea.
- Strategic patent drafting focusing on narrow, defensible claims enhances enforceability and reduces risk of invalidation.
- International patent family expansion is crucial for global market access, leveraging South Korea’s patent system.
- Monitoring patent status and potential challenges is vital for identifying licensing opportunities, patent expiry risks, or infringement concerns.
FAQs
1. What is the typical scope of pharmaceutical patents like KR20180122004?
They generally cover specific chemical compounds, formulations, methods of use, and manufacturing processes, with scope determined by claim language.
2. How does South Korea's patent landscape influence pharmaceutical innovation?
South Korea's stringent patent examination promotes high-quality, inventive filings, but also encourages strategic narrowing of claims to ensure patent robustness.
3. Can competitors design around KR20180122004?
Yes, if they develop structurally different compounds or alternative methods that do not infringe on the patent claims.
4. How important are patent claims during litigation or licensing?
Claims define the legal protection; thus, they are critical in infringement disputes, licensing, and valuation processes.
5. Why is understanding the patent landscape important for market entry?
It helps assess the strength and breadth of existing patents, identify potential barriers, and develop effective strategies for commercialization.
Sources:
[1] Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). Official Patent Documents.
[2] PatentScope, WIPO. Patent Landscape Reports.
[3] Kim, J. et al., "Pharmaceutical Patent Strategies in South Korea," Intellectual Property Journal, 2022.
