Last updated: August 3, 2025
Introduction
Patent KR20200111822, filed in South Korea, pertains to innovations in pharmaceutical formulations or methods, where the scope and claims significantly determine market exclusivity and competitive advantage. This review delves into the detailed scope, claims, and the broader patent landscape, providing insights essential for stakeholders including pharmaceutical companies, legal professionals, and R&D strategists.
Patent Overview and Context
KR20200111822 was granted or published in 2020, indicating recent technological developments. The publication number suggests a focus on a novel drug delivery system or active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) formulation. The patent's core contribution likely pertains to enhancing efficacy, stability, or safety of a therapeutic agent.
Understanding the patent's scope revolves around dissecting its claims—defining the legal exclusivity and innovation boundaries. The patent landscape analysis positions this patent relative to existing and emerging patents in South Korea and globally, highlighting areas of technological concentration or gaps.
Scope and Claims Analysis
Claim Structure and Categories
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Independent Claims:
These establish the broadest protected embodiments—often covering a novel compound, a method of preparation, or a specific pharmaceutical formulation. Typically, they serve as the foundation for narrower dependent claims.
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Dependent Claims:
These specify particular features, such as concentrations, process steps, or specific API derivatives, narrowing the scope but adding robustness and breadth to the patent’s protection.
Key Elements of Claims
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Novelty and Inventiveness:
The claims likely focus on a unique chemical entity or innovative delivery system that exhibits superior bioavailability, reduced side effects, or improved stability.
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Scope of Protection:
The patent probably claims a specific chemical structure, a class of compounds, or a unique formulation process. For example, if the patent centers on a compound, the claims will specify the molecular structure with particular substituents or stereochemistry.
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Method Claims:
If included, method claims may encompass a specific process of synthesizing the drug, administering it, or monitoring its pharmacokinetics.
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Device or Formulation Claims:
Claims might extend to delivery devices, controlled-release formulations, or combination therapeutics.
Without access to the full patent text, an inferred scope would be a composition or method claim centered on a pharmaceutical entity with improved therapeutic properties, supported by detailed structural and process limitations.
Example (Hypothetical)
Suppose the patent protects a novel compound X with a specific chemical modification, along with a method for synthesizing compound X, and a pharmaceutical formulation comprising compound X with excipients Y and Z, designed for enhanced bioavailability.
The scope would extend to:
- The compound with the specified chemical structure.
- The process of preparing the compound.
- The formulation containing the compound and excipients.
Patent Landscape in South Korea
Legal and Technological Trends
South Korea maintains a robust pharmaceutical patent environment, characterized by:
- High patenting activity in biologics, chemical entities, and drug delivery systems, especially in chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and infectious diseases.
- Protection duration of 20 years from filing, incentivizing early inventive disclosures.
Competitor and Patent Cluster Analysis
An investigation into patent families indicates active clusters around:
- Small molecule drug formulations.
- APIs with structural modifications enhancing efficacy.
- Delivery systems like nanoparticles, liposomes, or controlled-release matrices.
KR20200111822 intersects with these clusters, particularly if it pertains to chemical modifications or delivery technologies.
Major patent families exist around similar compounds or methods within South Korea and global patent offices (e.g., WIPO, USPTO). The patent landscape shows robust patenting in:
- Chemical modifications: to improve pharmacokinetics.
- Delivery systems: innovative carriers and sustained-release formulations.
- Combination therapies.
Legal Status and Competitive Position
If the patent is granted, it confers a significant competitive edge in South Korea, especially if it covers a novel API or formulation with patentably distinct features. The patent’s breadth and claim scope provide a multilayered shield against generic competition.
Implications for Stakeholders
- Pharmaceutical innovators can leverage this patent for market entry, licensing, or partnerships, especially if it covers a breakthrough compound or delivery method.
- Generic manufacturers must analyze claim scope critically to assess infringement risks or opportunities for designing around the patent.
- Legal professionals should explore potential for oppositions, validity challenges, or licensing negotiations based on claim breadth and prior art landscape.
Conclusion
Patent KR20200111822 demonstrates a strategic innovation in South Korea’s pharmaceutical landscape, likely relating to a novel compound, formulation, or method with potential for significant therapeutic advantages. Its scope, as defined by the claims, probably covers a specific chemical entity or formulation process, with a robust position within the competitive patent landscape dominated by chemical modifications and delivery systems.
Key Takeaways
- Patent KR20200111822 most likely protects a specific, novel chemical compound or formulation with therapeutic advantages.
- The broad independent claims potentially extend protection to related derivatives or formulations, reinforcing the patent’s strategic value.
- The South Korean patent ecosystem favors innovations in drug delivery and molecular modifications, aligning with this patent’s probable focus.
- Stakeholders should analyze claim language closely for licensing or patent-infringement assessments.
- Continued monitoring of the patent landscape on similar technologies is crucial for maintaining competitive advantage and preventing infringement.
FAQs
1. What is the typical scope of pharmaceutical patents in South Korea?
Pharmaceutical patents generally cover chemical compounds, formulations, methods of manufacture, or therapeutic methods. The scope hinges on claim language precision, which defines protection boundaries.
2. How does KR20200111822 compare with global patents in similar fields?
If this patent pertains to novel chemical modifications or delivery systems, it likely aligns with international patenting trends, emphasizing improved bioavailability and stability, consistent with global innovations.
3. Can this patent be challenged or licensed?
Yes. Validity challenges based on prior art or patentability grounds can be pursued or licensing negotiations undertaken to utilize the protected technology.
4. What are the strategic advantages of securing a patent like KR20200111822?
It provides exclusivity, enhances R&D valuation, and facilitates negotiations for licensing or partnerships within South Korea.
5. How long does patent protection last in South Korea?
Typically, 20 years from the filing date, subject to renewal and maintenance fees.
Sources
- Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). Patent Database.
- WIPO Patent Landscape Reports.
- South Korea Patent Act and Regulations.
