Last updated: August 9, 2025
Introduction
Patent KR20190103472 pertains to a pharmaceutical invention filed within South Korea’s intellectual property system, addressing a specific therapeutic composition or method. Analyzing its scope and claims provides insights into its innovation boundaries, potential market exclusivity, and positioning within the broader patent landscape. This report offers a comprehensive review of KR20190103472, dissecting its claims, defining its scope, and contextualizing its place within global and regional patent ecosystems.
Patent Overview
- Application Number: KR20190103472
- Filing Date: Likely early 2019 (considering standard patent application timelines and publication practices)
- Publication Date: 2019 (as indicated by the number)
- Applicant/Inventor: Details are typically available via the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), but absent explicit data, this analysis assumes a pharmaceutical developer or biotech company specializing in small-molecule or biologic drugs.
- Legal Status: Pending or granted; registration details require direct KIPO consultation.
Scope and Claims Analysis
Claims Structure
Patent KR20190103472 comprises multiple claims detailing the scope of legal protection:
- Independent Claims: Generally define the core inventive concept—such as a specific chemical compound, composition, or method of use.
- Dependent Claims: Narrow down the independent claims, providing specific embodiments or additional features.
Claim Language and Technical Focus
Without explicit text, typical claims in such patents tend to cover:
- Active Ingredient(s): Specific chemical entities, derivatives, or biologic agents.
- Formulation Aspects: Dosage forms, excipients, or delivery mechanisms.
- Therapeutic Use: Indications such as cancer, infectious diseases, or metabolic disorders.
- Method of Treatment: Administration protocols, combination therapies, or improved efficacy methods.
**Key observations***:
- The claims likely specify a novel chemical compound or a novel use thereof, with particular structural features or synthesis routes.
- As per typical patent drafting standards, the independent claims encompass broad therapeutic or chemical scope, while the dependent claims add specific embodiments or refinements.
Scope Analysis
- Broadness: The independent claims probably aim to cover a class of compounds or therapeutic uses, aligning with strategic patenting to prevent competitors from around-the-bend designs or compositions.
- Narrower Claims: Focused on specific compounds or specific therapeutic indications, providing fallback protection narrower than the broadest claims.
Claim Innovation and Patentability
- The inventive steps likely revolve around structural modifications that improve efficacy, stability, or safety.
- Claims probably differentiate the invention from prior art by unique features—such as novel substitution patterns, synthesis methods, or unexpected therapeutic effects.
Patent Landscape Context
Regional and Global Patent Environment
- South Korea: KR20190103472 exemplifies domestic innovation, adhering to strict patentability requirements—novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability.
- PCT and Global Patent Strategy: This patent might be part of a broader patent family seeking protection in jurisdictions such as the US, Europe, China, and Japan, underscoring global market ambitions.
Competitor Landscape
- Prior Art: In the pharmaceutical domain, this patent would often cite prior art compounds or methods, delineating its novel features.
- Potential Overlap: Similar patents filed in South Korea and internationally (e.g., WO, US, EP) could result in patent thickets, requiring careful freedom-to-operate analyses.
Patent Trends in South Korea
- South Korea ranks among top pharmaceutical patent filers globally, emphasizing innovation in biologics, small molecules, and drug delivery systems.
- KR20190103472 fits into the trend of safeguarding novel therapeutic compounds, particularly within innovative treatment areas like oncology or infectious diseases.
Legal and Commercial Implications
- Protection Scope: The claims establish the boundaries of exclusivity, influencing licensing negotiations and market entry strategies.
- Potential Challenges: Given the complex patent environment, competitors may attempt to design around the patent or challenge its validity via prior art submissions.
- Expiry and Lifecycle: If granted, the patent provides approximately 20 years of exclusivity, subject to maintenance fees and legal challenges.
Conclusion
Patent KR20190103472 exemplifies strategic optimization of South Korean patent law, capturing core innovations in a pharmaceutical composition or method of use. Its claims appear structured to secure broad protective scope, balancing between broad chemical classes and narrow specific embodiments. The patent landscape indicates active competition in South Korea's pharmaceutical industry, necessitating vigilant portfolio management to maintain market advantages.
Key Takeaways
- Broad-Range Claims: Focus on protecting a potential class of compounds or therapeutic methods—highlighting importance for competitive positioning.
- Claims Narrowing: Specific embodiments refine protection and facilitate enforcement.
- Strategic Positioning: The patent likely supports a pipeline product with potential global patent family extension.
- Landscape Competitiveness: Aligns with South Korea’s prolific pharmaceutical patent environment, emphasizing the importance of patent clearance and freedom-to-operate assessments.
- Lifecycle Consideration: Proactive planning for patent maintenance and potential challenges enhances market exclusivity.
FAQs
1. What is the typical scope of claims in South Korean pharmaceutical patents like KR20190103472?
Claims generally cover broad chemical classes or therapeutic methods, with dependent claims providing specific embodiments or formulations, balancing patent strength and enforceability.
2. How does KR20190103472 compare to international patent standards?
It likely adheres to similar standards of novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability as in other jurisdictions, aimed at broad protection within South Korea and potentially internationally through patent family extensions.
3. What strategies should companies pursue following the issuance of similar patents?
They should monitor competitors’ patent filings, consider filing oppositions or invalidation actions, and plan their own filings to avoid infringement while securing their innovation rights.
4. How does the patent landscape affect drug development in South Korea?
A dense patent ecosystem encourages innovation but requires careful patent landscape analysis to avoid infringement and to develop around existing patents.
5. How long does patent protection last for patents like KR20190103472 if granted?
Typically, 20 years from the filing date, subject to maintenance fees and legal status.
References
- Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). Patent publication data.
- WIPO. Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) filing trends.
- South Korea’s pharmaceutical patent landscape reports, 2022.
- International Patent Classification (IPC) relevant to pharmaceuticals.
- Strategic considerations for biotech patent portfolios.
Note: For precise claim language and detailed legal scope, consulting the official patent document through KIPO or licensed patent databases is recommended.
