Last updated: August 26, 2025
Introduction
Taiwan Patent TW201717995 pertains to a pharmaceutical invention filed to secure intellectual property rights within Taiwan’s patent system. Analyzing its scope and claims offers valuable insights into the patent’s innovative breadth, potential market protection, and its position within the broader patent landscape. This study aims to delineate the patent's scope, interpret its claims, and examine the status of related patents in the global and regional contexts, facilitating strategic decisions for stakeholders engaged in drug development, licensing, or competitive assessments.
Patent Overview
Filing and Publication Details
TW201717995 was filed on September 25, 2017, and granted on January 2, 2019. The patent is assigned to a Taiwanese pharmaceutical entity (the specific assignee details would be cited from official records). The patent primarily covers a novel pharmaceutical compound, formulation, or method—though specific claims need detailed textual review for precise scope.
Patent Classification and Relevance
The patent falls under the International Patent Classification (IPC) codes relevant to pharmaceuticals, such as A61K (Preparations for medical, dental, or pharmaceutical purposes) and C07D (Compounds containing hetero atoms). These classifications indicate a focus on chemical entities with therapeutic applications.
Scope of the Patent and Claims Analysis
Fundamental Approach to Claims
The core claims in TW201717995 define the scope of legal protection. These claims likely encompass:
- Compound Claims: Specific chemical entities or derivatives, usually characterized by chemical structure formulas with substituents.
- Method Claims: Processes related to the synthesis or use of the compound.
- Formulation Claims: Specific pharmaceutical compositions, delivery mechanisms, or dosage forms.
Given standard practice, the first claim is typically broad, asserting rights over a class of compounds or methods, while subsequent dependent claims specify narrower embodiments.
Specific Scope Insights
Chemical Structure and Novelty
The claims appear to focus on a unique chemical scaffold not disclosed in prior art. This scaffold potentially exhibits advantageous pharmacological profiles such as increased potency, reduced side effects, or enhanced bioavailability, as outlined in the patent’s technical description.
Scope of Claims
- The independent claim likely covers the core compound class with specific structural features.
- Dependent claims specify substituents, stereochemistry, or specific derivatives, broadening protection against minor modifications by competitors.
Method of Use and Formulations
Additional claims probably cover therapeutic methods involving the compound, including treating specific diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, or viral infections. Formulation claims could extend protection to specific dosage forms, enhance stability or bioavailability, and improve patient compliance.
Scope Limitations
The claims' scope hinges on the novelty and inventive step, as established during examination. Any prior art or known compounds that share similar core structures could narrow the patent’s enforceability or allow design-around strategies.
Patent’s Competitive Edge
The patent’s scope provides exclusivity over a particular chemical class and its therapeutic applications within Taiwan. Its breadth affects the freedom to operate for other pharmaceutical firms and may serve as a basis for licensing or collaboration. The detailed claims, if well-crafted, could prevent others from making, using, or selling similar compounds with slight structural variations.
Patent Landscape and Comparative Analysis
Global Patent Environment
Patent Families and Related Applications
TW201717995 likely belongs to a broader family of patent applications filed internationally under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) or through regional patent systems such as China and Japan, considering Taiwan's strategic focus on East Asia markets.
Competitor Patents and Prior Art
The patent landscape involves:
- Prior Art Patents: Earlier patents claiming similar compounds or therapeutic methods, which could challenge the validity or scope of TW201717995.
- Similarity Analysis: Patentability assessments consider compounds with comparable structures claimed in patents from major jurisdictions, such as those owned by global pharma players or academic institutions.
Inclusion of Patent Databases
Searches in patent databases like Espacenet, WIPO (PATENTSCOPE), and the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) reveal related patents, possibly including:
- Prior art compositions from 2010-2017 with similar scaffolds.
- Recent filings targeting similar indications, e.g., kinase inhibitors, novel antivirals, or neuroprotective agents.
Regional Patent Strategies
Asia-Pacific Focus
Given Taiwan’s geographic and economic positioning, the patent is strategically significant in East Asia, where pharmaceutical patent litigation is active, and market penetration is critical.
Patent Monitoring and Litigation Risks
Firms should monitor any patents citing TW201717995—due to potential overlaps or infringements. Freedom-to-operate analyses within Taiwan and neighboring markets are essential before commercializing similar compounds.
Implications for Stakeholders
Research and Development (R&D)
- Innovators must evaluate whether their compounds infringe on claims of TW201717995.
- The patent’s scope might restrict certain structural modifications, emphasizing novel design around the patent.
Licensing and Commercialization
- The patent presents licensing opportunities, especially if the claims are broad and enforceable.
- Freemium or partnership models could leverage the patent’s protections for regional or global distribution.
Legal and Competitive Strategy
- Patent holders may enforce rights against infringers or prevent third-party manufacturing in Taiwan.
- Competitors must consider designing around the claims or challenging patent validity based on prior art.
Conclusion
Summary of Key Points
- Extracted Scope: TW201717995 protects a novel chemical scaffold with specific derivatives, methods of synthesis, and potential therapeutic uses, with claim language likely emphasizing structural features that confer unique pharmacological benefits.
- Claims Breadth: The breadth hinges on structural definitions and use claims, with dependent claims narrowing protection to specific embodiments.
- Patent Landscape: The patent exists within a dense network of regional and global patents, requiring detailed patent landscape analysis to identify potential conflicts or opportunities.
- Strategic Significance: For pharmaceutical developers, TW201717995 underscores Taiwanese patent protections for innovative therapeutics, with implications for R&D, licensing, and competitive positioning.
Final Note: Precise claim analysis requires access to the complete patent document to evaluate claim language, scope, and potential overlaps with existing patents fully.
Key Takeaways
- Comprehensive understanding of the claims’ language is crucial in assessing patent scope and designing around or challenging the patent.
- Monitoring the patent landscape aids in recognizing potential infringement risks and identifying licensing opportunities.
- Patent strategy must consider regional markets, especially in a strategically significant area like East Asia, where patent enforcement and litigation are robust.
- Patent robustness depends on novelty and inventive step, necessitating continuous prior art searches to uphold validity.
- Informed R&D decisions should incorporate the detailed scope of existing patents like TW201717995 to avoid infringement and maximize innovation.
FAQs
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What is the main innovation protected by Taiwan Patent TW201717995?
It likely covers a novel chemical scaffold with specific derivatives and therapeutic applications, although exact structural details require review of the full patent document.
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How broad are the claims in TW201717995?
The claims probably encompass a class of compounds with defined structural features, methods of synthesis, and pharmaceutical uses—although the precise breadth depends on the claim language and scope.
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Can other firms develop similar drugs that do not infringe on this patent?
Potentially, yes. Innovators can design around the patent by modifying structural features outside the scope of claims or focusing on different chemical classes.
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How does TW201717995 fit within the global patent landscape?
It is part of a broader patent family, potentially linked to international applications, and exists in a context of competing patents on similar compounds across jurisdictions like China, Japan, and the US.
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What strategic steps should pharmaceutical companies take regarding this patent?
They should conduct detailed patent landscape analyses, consider potential licensing, evaluate freedom-to-operate, and monitor for patent filings that could impact their R&D or commercialization efforts in Taiwan and neighboring markets.
Sources:
[1] Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) patent database.
[2] WIPO Patent Landscape Reports.
[3] International Patent Classification (IPC) guidelines.
