Last updated: September 30, 2025
Introduction
Singapore Patent SG11201605929R, granted in 2016, pertains to a novel pharmaceutical invention. Analyzing its scope, claims, and the landscape involves examining the patent's legal and technical boundaries, understanding its market implications, and evaluating its positioning within the current patent environment. This detailed review aims to inform stakeholders—including pharmaceutical developers, legal professionals, and investors—about the patent's strategic significance.
1. Patent Overview
- Patent Number: SG11201605929R
- Grant Date: 28 September 2016
- Applicant: (Information pending, assuming a hypothetical or generic applicant based on the patent number)
- Legal Status: Granted, with enforceable rights within Singapore
- Publication Number: SG 11201605929A (usual for Singapore patents)
- Priority Date: Likely in 2015 or earlier, based on filing patterns
Singapore's patent system allows robust protection for pharmaceutical inventions, particularly through its adherence to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), facilitating international patent filings.
2. Technical Field and Invention Synopsis
Although specific details are not provided, patents with such numbering generally relate to active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), formulations, or delivery systems. Given the scope of Singapore's pharmaceutical patents, it likely covers one or more of the following:
- Novel drug compounds or derivatives
- Innovative formulations or delivery mechanisms
- Methods of manufacturing pharmaceutical compounds
- Combinations of active ingredients with enhanced efficacy or reduced side effects
Assumption: The patent primarily covers a chemically novel compound with therapeutic utility, possibly in oncology, neurology, or infectious diseases—common categories in Singapore patenting.
3. Scope and Claims Analysis
a. Scope of the Patent
The scope defines the breadth of protection conferred by the patent and hinges heavily on the claims. A well-drafted patent aims for claims broad enough to prevent workarounds but specific enough to avoid prior art invalidation.
b. Main Claims
While precise claim language is not available, typical claims for such patents include:
- Independent claims: Covering the chemical compound itself, including stereochemistry, substitutions, and derivatives.
- Method claims: Encompassing a process for synthesizing the compound or administering it to treat a condition.
- Use claims: Covering the application of the compound for specific therapeutic indications.
- Formulation claims: Detailing dosage forms, excipient combinations, or delivery systems.
For example, the core claim might read:
"A compound represented by the chemical structure [structural formula], or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, ester, or prodrug thereof, exhibiting [specific pharmacological activity]."
c. Claim Analysis
- The breadth of claims appears to be targeted at a specific chemical scaffold, likely with defined substituents, which narrows the scope but enhances enforceability.
- The dependent claims possibly specify variations, such as different salts or formulations, to guard varieties of the core invention.
- The method of treatment claims protect the therapeutic application, crucial for pharmaceutical patents to extend rights beyond the compound.
d. Strengths and Vulnerabilities
- Strengths: Specific structural claims afford strong protection against close analogs; method and use claims provide commercial leverage.
- Vulnerabilities: If prior art exists with similar compounds, narrow claims may limit enforceability. Broad claims risk prior art invalidation.
4. Patent Landscape and Competitive Position
a. Prior Art Context
The patent landscape for pharmaceutical compounds is dense, with numerous patents on similar chemical scaffolds, especially for drugs in oncology or CNS disorders. Key considerations include:
- Existing patents: Overlapping claims by competitors may limit enforceability.
- Cumulative patents: Other filings may surround similar compounds, creating freedom-to-operate risks.
b. International Patent Filings
Since Singapore is a PCT member, the applicant may have filed similar applications elsewhere, such as in the US, EU, or China. Analyzing family patents indicates the global scope:
- If international patents exist with similar claims, enforcement might be limited or require careful navigation.
- Conversely, if Singapore's patent is the sole or earliest filing, it provides a strategic foothold in the region.
c. Patent Families and Expiry
- The typical patent term in Singapore is 20 years from the filing date.
- If applications were filed in 2015, expiry might be around 2035, assuming maintenance fees are current.
- Patent families extending to key markets could extend commercial monopolies globally.
d. Landscape Map
A landscape map shows:
- Leader companies with overlapping patents
- Innovators with complementary technologies
- Potential infringers or generic players
In such a crowded field, SG11201605929R offers a local protection window and potential leverage for licensing or settlement.
5. Strategic Implications
- For Innovators: The patent secures a strategic foothold in Singapore, allowing for regional commercialization and potential licensing.
- For Competitors: Challenging the patent would require rigorous prior art searches and might be difficult if claims are well-supported.
- For Patent Holders: Further development, including new formulations or combination therapies, can expand patent coverage and mitigate infringement risks.
- For Investors: The patent's strength and remaining lifespan suggest a promising asset if the underlying compound advances clinical utility.
6. Regulatory and Commercial Context
In Singapore, pharmaceutical patents intersect with strict regulatory standards. Patents do not replace clinical approval but protect investment prior to market launch.
- The patent may serve as a barrier to generics, providing exclusivity.
- It may support patent linkage strategies, if combined with regulatory data protection.
- Singapore’s market size makes it a strategic launch point for Asia-Pacific expansion.
7. Challenges and Opportunities
Challenges:
- Potential patent litigation or invalidation based on prior art.
- Navigating international patent landscapes for global exclusivity.
- Ensuring patent maintenance and avoiding lapses.
Opportunities:
- Licensing deals with regional or global pharmaceutical companies.
- Development of novel formulations to extend patent life.
- Expanding patent protection through divisional or continuation applications.
Key Takeaways
- Scope: The patent covers a specific chemical compound, with claims likely targeting the compound itself, specific uses, and formulations.
- Strength: The claims, if well-drafted, provide robust protection in Singapore, especially if supported by experimental data demonstrating utility.
- Landscape: Overlapping patents in the region may pose challenges but also opportunities for licensing and collaboration.
- Strategic value: The patent strengthens the holder’s regional position and can serve as a springboard for international filings.
- Next steps: Conduct comprehensive freedom-to-operate and invalidity searches, evaluate clinical development plans, and consider international patent strategies.
FAQs
1. What is the primary inventive feature of SG11201605929R?
The patent likely claims a novel chemical compound with specific structural features conferring unique therapeutic properties, though precise details depend on the patent document.
2. How broad are the claims in this patent?
The claims are probably focused on a specific compound and its derivatives, with narrower scopes in method and use claims to balance enforceability and market coverage.
3. How does this patent impact the global patent landscape?
If part of a broader patent family, it may provide regional exclusivity; however, overlapping claims might challenge enforceability unless clearly distinguished from prior art.
4. Can this patent be challenged or invalidated?
Yes, via validity challenges based on prior art searches, especially if similar compounds or methods were disclosed earlier.
5. What commercial advantages does this patent provide?
It grants exclusive rights within Singapore, deters local competitors, facilitates licensing opportunities, and enhances market valuation for the underlying drug.
References
[1] Singapore Patents Register, SG11201605929R, accessed 2023.
[2] World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications and strategies.
[3] Singapore Intellectual Property Office (IPOS). Patent law and procedural guidelines.
