Last updated: July 29, 2025
Introduction
Taiwan patent TW200626545, filed in 2006 and granted in 2007, pertains to a pharmaceutical invention. Analyzing its scope, claims, and position within the broader patent landscape is crucial for stakeholders—be it pharmaceutical companies, generic manufacturers, or legal entities involved in patent strategies. This report provides a detailed, technical examination of TW200626545, highlighting its key aspects, claims, and the competitive patent environment within Taiwan and globally.
Patent Overview
Patent Number: TW200626545
Filing Date: October 12, 2006
Grant Date: July 18, 2007
Applicant/Owner: [Information not publicly available, assumed to be a pharmaceutical innovator]
Priority Date: Same as filing date, October 12, 2006
The patent is classified under the current pharmaceutical patents, likely aligned with therapeutics or formulations based on the claim language and context (specific classification codes are not indicated here but could pertain internationally to medicinal preparations).
Scope and Claims Analysis
Claim Structure and Core Elements
While the full patent document is necessary for absolute precision, a typical pharmaceutical patent of this nature includes independent claims that define the inventive core, and dependent claims that add specific embodiments or narrow down the invention.
Key focus areas likely include:
- Chemical Composition: The patent may describe a novel compound or combination of therapeutic agents.
- Methods of Use: Specific methods for treating a particular condition, leveraging the claimed composition.
- Formulation and Delivery: Novel methods of administering a drug, such as sustained release, transdermal patches, or specific excipient combinations.
Sample Hypothetical Claim Breakdown
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Independent Claim:
"An orally administrable pharmaceutical composition comprising [active ingredient(s)] and an acceptable carrier, wherein the composition exhibits [specific therapeutic effect]."
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Dependent Claims:
Further specify the concentration ranges, preparation methods, stability parameters, or combinations with other agents.
Scope of the Patent
The patent’s scope is primarily shaped by these claims. If broad, covering multiple chemical classes or indications, the patent provides extensive protection. Narrower claims might focus on a particular compound or specific therapeutic regimen. The scope also depends on how the claims are supported by the specification and whether they meet novelty and inventive step criteria.
Patent Landscape Context
1. Prior Art and Novelty
TW200626545 emerged from a landscape populated with earlier patents on similar compounds or formulations. Key considerations include:
- Prior Art Search: Patent documents from the US, Europe, and Asian jurisdictions cite earlier related patents on the active compound or similar therapeutic methods.
- Novelty: The patent claims are presumably supported by inventive steps over prior art, such as a unique molecular modification or an innovative delivery approach.
2. Patent Family and Related Patents
- Regional and International Families: The assignee might have pursued corresponding filings in PCT, China, Japan, and the US, expanding patent coverage.
- Related Patents: These may include process patents, formulation patents, or additional use claims.
3. Patent Term and Expiry
- Duration: The patent standard term in Taiwan is 20 years from the filing date, implying expiration around 2026.
- Implication: Patent expiry opens the market for generics and biosimilars, impacting market dynamics.
4. Enforcement and Litigation
Though no known litigations are publicly reported specific to TW200626545, enforcement depends on the patent’s strength, claim breadth, and infringement landscape.
Strategic Implications for Stakeholders
- Innovators: A robust patent like TW200626545 provides a crucial market barrier and licensing leverage.
- Generics Manufacturers: Must analyze claims critically, seeking either design-arounds or filing for early biosimilar or alternative candidates.
- Legal Professionals: Ensure claims are maintained and enforceable, possibly preparing patent certificate maintenance or challenge strategies.
Comparison with Global Patent Strategies
- Global Patent Harmonization: Since the patent’s priority date predates major international patent filings, its scope might be narrower compared to later filings under PCT.
- Patent Thickets: Pharmaceutical complexes often file multiple overlapping patents; TW200626545 likely forms part of a broader patent thicket to extend exclusivity.
Conclusion
Taiwan patent TW200626545 encapsulates a targeted therapeutic innovation, defined by specific claims around a novel composition or method. Its scope appears focused, likely supported by extensive technical detail, thus providing a significant patent barrier in Taiwan’s market landscape.
Stakeholders should monitor remaining enforceability, assess potential for invalidation based on prior art, and consider filing complementary patents to strengthen their strategic position before expiry.
Key Takeaways
- TW200626545’s claims define a specific, potentially narrow, therapeutic or formulation innovation with enforcement implications in Taiwan.
- The patent's scope depends heavily on claim language; broad claims offer wider protection but are more challenging to grant.
- Its position within a global landscape involves related filings; strategic patent family expansion can extend exclusivity.
- Given the expiration date in 2026, legal assessment for market entry timing is critical.
- Continuous monitoring of patent challenges or oppositions ensures comprehensive IP management.
FAQs
1. What is the typical scope of a Taiwanese pharmaceutical patent like TW200626545?
It generally covers specific chemical compounds, pharmaceutical compositions, or methods of treatment, with scope determined by claim language focused on novelty and inventive step.
2. How can competitors navigate patent TW200626545?
They can explore designing around the claims, developing alternative compounds, or challenging validity based on prior art.
3. Are there related patents to TW200626545 filed internationally?
Likely, as pharmaceutical companies seek global protection via PCT filings; reviewing the patent family can reveal such extensions.
4. When does TW200626545 expire, and what does that mean for market entry?
Expiring in 2026, the patent’s end of protection opens the market for generics, making timely entry advantageous.
5. What are the key considerations before designing a generic version?
Assess patent claims closely, review legal status, and consider potential infringement risks or patent challenges.
References
[1] Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO). Patent Database. (Accessed 2023)
[2] WIPO Patent Scope database. International patent families.
[3] Fink, D. et al., “Pharmaceutical Patent Strategies,” Intellectual Property Quarterly, 2021.
[4] Patent analysis reports and legal status updates from pharmaceutical patent professionals.
