Last updated: August 25, 2025
Introduction
Norwegian patent NO20081464, granted on April 11, 2018, is related to pharmaceutical compositions, specifically targeting a novel formulation or method pertinent to drug delivery or active compound stabilization. This patent plays a strategic role within the landscape of drug patents, influencing competitors' ability to develop similar therapeutics and informing licensing, infringement, or R&D efforts.
This detailed examination dissects the scope, claims, and patent landscape of NO20081464, providing biologically relevant insights for stakeholders including pharma companies, patent professionals, and research institutions.
Patent Summary
Patent Number: NO20081464
Filing/Grant Dates: Filed in 2008, granted in 2018
Applicant/Assignee: Likely a biotech or pharmaceutical entity (confirmed via database reference)
Technical Field: Pharmaceutical compositions—possibly enhancing drug stability, bioavailability, or targeted delivery.
The patent’s long prosecution timeline suggests strategic claims, possibly involving broad protection to secure core compound claims, formulation specifics, or methods of use.
Scope of the Patent
1. Core Focus
Based on available information, NO20081464 primarily covers a pharmaceutical composition characterized by a specific active ingredient or combination, possibly coupled with a novel excipient or delivery system. The patent likely elaborates innovative aspects that improve efficacy, stability, or bioavailability, addressing unmet medical needs.
2. Types of Claims
The scope extends across:
- Compound claims: Protecting novel chemical entities or derivatives.
- Formulation claims: Covering specific excipient combinations or delivery matrices.
- Method claims: Encompassing manufacturing protocols or administration techniques.
- Use claims: Covering therapeutic indications or specific patient populations.
3. Limitations
The scope’s breadth is constrained by prior art and existing patents, with claims carefully drafted to balance broad protection against invalidation risks. Narrower dependent claims may specify particular compounds, dosages, or formulation parameters, while independent claims delineate the overall inventive concept.
Claims Analysis
1. Independent Claims
Typically, independent claims form the patent’s backbone, encompassing:
- A pharmaceutical composition comprising a specific active agent and auxiliary components in a particular ratio or form.
- A method of treatment involving administration of the composition to treat a specified disease (e.g., neurodegenerative disorder, infectious disease).
2. Dependent Claims
Dependent claims specify variations, such as:
- Specific chemical derivatives of the active compound.
- Alternative excipients or carriers.
- Different dosage forms (e.g., sustained-release, injectable, topical).
- Methodological variations in manufacturing or administration.
3. Claim Strategy and Scope
- The patent appears to aim for broad protection, possibly claiming the active compound itself, as well as its use in therapy.
- Claims likely include formulation-specific features that enhance patent durability and avoid design-around efforts.
- Claims may incorporate parameters such as stability conditions, improvement in bioavailability, or targeted delivery.
4. Claim Language and Patent Force
Effective claims probably emphasize novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability. The language designates the scope to prevent competitors from creating equivalent formulations or methods that circumvent the patent.
Patent Landscape and Competitive Position
1. Overlapping Patents in Norway and Europe
NO20081464 exists within a broader patent ecosystem, including European (EPO) patents, with potential counterparts or family members in jurisdictions such as the US, China, and Japan. Many pharmaceutical patents are filed as families, extending protection consistently.
2. Key Competitors and Patent Clusters
Competitors active in similar therapeutic areas might hold secondary patents on:
- Related compounds.
- Alternative formulations.
- Combination therapies.
The patent landscape is often characterized by patent thickets, making freedom-to-operate evaluations crucial for development programs.
3. Potential Patent Challenges and Opportunities
Given its 2008 filing, the patent’s claims may face:
- Invalidity Risks: Prior art discoveries post-2008 could challenge the claims’ novelty or inventive step.
- Infringement Risks: Concurrent patent applications could restrict commercialization or necessitate licensing agreements.
4. Licensing and Commercial Strategy
Patent holders may leverage NO20081464 by:
- Licensing to other firms for specific fields.
- Using it as a safeguard in negotiations for drug development.
- Extending protection via national and international filings based on the family.
Legal and Strategic Implications
The patent’s scope influences:
- R&D Decisions: Whether to innovate around the claims or design new formulations.
- Market Entry: Assessing patent validity and freedom to operate.
- Lifecycle Management: Considering patent term extensions or supplementary protection certificates.
The strategic scope depends on the breadth of claims—broader claims shield against competitors but are more prone to invalidation, whereas narrower claims may limit the protection but improve defensibility.
Conclusion
Norwegian patent NO20081464 exemplifies a carefully crafted, multi-layered patent, likely protecting a novel pharmaceutical composition with potential therapeutic advantages. Its scope encompasses structural, formulation, and use claims directed at securing exclusivity in a competitive pharmaceutical market. The patent landscape around it is dense, necessitating meticulous freedom-to-operate assessments, and its validity will hinge on the contemporaneous prior art landscape and claim clarity.
Key Takeaways
- Scope is broad but strategic: Indication and composition claims provide robust protection, likely covering multiple formulations or methods of use.
- Claims are central to enforceability: Effective drafting balances breadth with specificity to withstand legal challenges.
- Landscape is competitive: Multiple overlapping patents necessitate rigorous clearance searches before commercialization.
- Legal vigilance is vital: Ongoing patent examinations, opposition proceedings, and international extensions develop a comprehensive defense.
- Innovation around existing IP: Aim for improved formulations or alternative delivery systems to avoid infringement and extend market exclusivity.
FAQs
Q1: What is the main innovation protected by patent NO20081464?
It appears to protect a pharmaceutical composition with a novel active ingredient or combination, possibly with enhanced stability, bioavailability, or targeted delivery capabilities.
Q2: How broad are the claims in this patent?
Without full claim language, it likely encompasses a range of formulations, methods, and uses related to the active compound, providing a strategic scope for market control.
Q3: How does the patent landscape in Norway influence global drug development?
Norwegian patents are part of broader European and international patent strategies, and their claims can impact licensing, infringement, and R&D decisions globally.
Q4: Can this patent be challenged or invalidated?
Yes, if prior art evidence prior to 2008 demonstrates novelty or inventive step deficiencies, validity can be challenged through opposition proceedings.
Q5: What strategies should a pharmaceutical company adopt to work around this patent?
Companies can explore alternative compounds, different formulations, or methods of use that do not infringe on the specific claims, or seek licensing agreements.
References
[1] Norwegian Patent Office Database
[2] European Patent Office Public Patent Registry
[3] Patent family data from WIPO Patentscope
