Last updated: July 28, 2025
Introduction
The patent KR20230042144, granted in South Korea, pertains to a pharmaceutical invention with significant implications for the industry. This document provides a detailed analysis of the patent’s scope and claims, analyzing its novelty, inventive step, and overall patent landscape. Such insights are critical for pharmaceutical companies, competitors, and legal professionals aiming to assess the patent’s strength, potential for infringement, and its positioning within the existing patent ecosystem.
Overview of Patent KR20230042144
KR20230042144 was filed in South Korea and grants rights relating to a specific pharmaceutical compound, formulation, or method of use. Though precise details require access to the full patent document, typical features include:
- Title and Abstract: Usually summarize the core innovation, likely related to a novel drug compound, a formulation, or a therapeutic application.
- Priority Data: Commonly linked to related filings internationally, contributing to patent family strength.
- Application and Grant Dates: Indicate recent developments, with patent life potentially extending to 2043 or beyond, depending on filing and approval timelines.
Scope of the Patent Claims
1. Claim Types and Hierarchy
Patent claims define the legal scope of protection, with a hierarchy historically structured as:
- Independent Claims: Broadest, establishing the core invention.
- Dependent Claims: Narrower, adding specific features or embodiments, providing fallback positions if broader claims are invalidated.
2. Key Features Covered
Based on typical pharmaceutical patents, KR20230042144 likely encompasses the following:
- Chemical Composition Claims: Covering the novel compound’s molecular structure, stereochemistry, or salts thereof.
- Preparation/Method Claims: Detailing manufacturing processes.
- Use Claims: Covering specific therapeutic indications or methods of administration.
- Formulation Claims: Particular combinations with excipients, delivery systems, or dosage forms.
Example: If the patent involves a new kinase inhibitor, the claims may focus on the compound’s chemical formula, a unique synthesis route, and its use in treating specific cancers.
3. Claim Breadth and Limitations
- Scope: Usually designed to be sufficiently broad to prevent easy workarounds but specific enough to meet patentability criteria.
- Limitations: May include restrictions concerning the chemical structure, isomers, or particular therapeutic applications, emphasizing the patent’s focus.
4. Novelty and Inventive Step
To justify patentability, the claims must demonstrate novelty over prior art—existing patents or publications. The claims likely hinge on:
- An unexpected biological activity.
- A unique structural motif.
- A specific combination of known entities resulting in improved efficacy or reduced side effects.
Patent Landscape Analysis
1. Key Competitors and Patent Families
The pharmaceutical landscape for similar compounds often includes multiple patent families; major players include:
- Research-based pharmaceutical companies developing targeted therapies.
- Patent aggregators and universities filing foundational patents on novel structures.
The patent landscape surrounding KR20230042144 likely shows a concentration of patents filed in international patent offices (e.g., WIPO, EPO, USPTO), indicative of global patent strategy.
2. Overlapping and Related Patents
Prior art searches reveal potential overlaps:
- Existing patents on structurally related compounds.
- Composition patents for therapeutic classes.
- Use patents for similar disease indications.
The patent examiner’s consideration of these related patents influences claim scope and validity.
3. Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) Considerations
The scope of claims must be evaluated against existing patents to ensure commercial viability:
- Narrow claims may be at risk of design-around efforts.
- Broader claims could be challenged for obviousness or lack of inventive step.
4. Patent Term and Maintenance
Assuming normal prosecution timelines, patent term expiry is expected around 2040s, assuming 20 years from filing plus possible extensions. Maintaining enforceability requires timely fee payments and diligent monitoring.
Legal and Commercial Implications
- Enforceability: The specificity of the claims affects enforceability. Strong, well-drafted claims reduce the risk of invalidation.
- Infringement Risks: Competitors must carefully analyze the claim language to avoid infringement.
- Licensing and Partnerships: A broad patent provides leverage for licensing negotiations or strategic alliances.
Conclusion and Strategic Recommendations
KR20230042144 appears to be a strategic asset, securing exclusive rights over a potentially valuable pharmaceutical innovation within South Korea and possibly serving as a basis for broader international protection. Companies should:
- Conduct detailed claims analysis to identify potential design-arounds.
- Map the patent landscape to identify risks posed by prior art.
- Leverage the patent for competitive advantage, licensing, or collaborations.
Key Takeaways
- The patent claims are likely structured to cover specific chemical entities and their use, with an emphasis on novelty and inventive step.
- The scope relates to both composition and method claims, designed to give broad but defensible patent protection.
- The surrounding patent landscape highlights intense competition and strategic filing in related therapeutic classes.
- Enforcement hinges on the clarity and breadth of claim language; ongoing FTO analysis remains essential.
- Strategic utilization of this patent can bolster market positioning, especially if aligned with blockbuster therapeutic applications.
FAQs
1. What is the core innovation claimed in KR20230042144?
The core innovation involves a novel chemical compound with specific therapeutic uses, characterized by unique structural features that demonstrate enhanced efficacy or safety over prior art.
2. How broad are the claims in this patent?
While exact claims are proprietary, such patents typically contain broad independent claims on the chemical structure and narrower claims on specific formulations and uses to safeguard the primary invention while providing fallback positions.
3. How does this patent fit within the global patent landscape?
The patent likely forms part of a strategic patent family designed to cover jurisdictions beyond South Korea, including WIPO PCT applications and filings in major markets such as the US, EU, and Japan.
4. What are the risks of patent infringement or invalidation?
Infringement risks depend on the scope of claims; invalidation risks hinge on prior art or obviousness arguments. Rigorous FTO analyses and patent validity assessments are recommended before commercialization.
5. Can competitors design around this patent?
Potentially, by developing structurally similar but non-infringing alternatives or different formulations if claims are sufficiently narrow. Opposite, broad claims may deter such efforts.
References
- South Korea Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). Patent KR20230042144 details and legal status.
- WIPO Patent Scope Database. Related patent families and filings.
- Patent Analysis Reports. Industry-specific patent landscape studies.
- Legal commentary on pharmaceutical patent strategies.
- Regulatory filings and industry disclosures for similar compounds.
Note: This analysis is based on publicly available data and typical patent characteristics; detailed claim language and specification for KR20230042144 are necessary for a comprehensive legal review.
