Last updated: August 4, 2025
Introduction
Patent application WO2005023257, filed under the auspices of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), pertains to a novel pharmaceutical invention. As a patent stemming from an international patent application (PCT), it embodies the preliminary protection scope that can later be nationalized in various jurisdictions. This analysis dissects the patent's scope, claims, and broader patent landscape to provide strategic insights into its technological domain and competitive positioning.
Patent Overview
WO2005023257 was published on March 3, 2005, with inventors and assignees largely associated with innovations in medicinal chemistry. The patent claims to novel compounds or molecular entities with therapeutic potential, alongside specific pharmaceutical compositions and potentially innovative mechanisms of action.
Scope of the Patent
1. Scope Based on the Abstract and Specifications
The patent primarily discloses a class of compounds characterized by specific chemical scaffold structures. The application emphasizes their utility as therapeutics, potentially targeting diseases such as cancer, infectious diseases, or metabolic disorders. The scope encompasses both the chemical entities themselves and their compositions, methods of synthesis, and therapeutic uses.
2. Broadness and Limitations
The scope is expected to be broad, covering:
- Chemical class variants: Multiple derivatives, substitutions, and functional groups inherently included within the claimed chemical framework.
- Methods of synthesis: Encompassing various synthetic pathways for the compounds.
- Pharmaceutical applications: Treatment methods, dosages, and formulations.
However, the patent likely includes specific structural motifs with defined substituents, thus providing boundaries that prevent overly broad claims.
Claims Analysis
1. Core Claim Structures
The claims of WO2005023257 are structured to encompass:
- Compound claims: Typically, dependent on the core structure, defining specific substitutions and features that confer desirable pharmacological properties.
- Composition claims: Covering pharmaceutical preparations incorporating the compounds with carriers or excipients.
- Method claims: Pertaining to the use of the compounds in treating particular diseases or conditions.
2. Claim Scope and Hierarchy
- Independent Claims: Usually, these define the broadest compound classes. For instance, a claim might define a general chemical scaffold with variable substituents within a predefined range.
- Dependent Claims: Narrow down to specific substituents, stereochemistry, or particular synthesis techniques.
3. Limitations and Patentability
Given the typical structure, the patent is likely to emphasize the novelty of the chemical entities in terms of their structural features or therapeutic efficacy. The scope must be sufficiently novel and inventive over prior art, including existing drugs or known chemical families.
Key points:
- Structural features: Specific heterocyclic cores, side chains, or functional groups conferring activity.
- Therapeutic use: Uses for particular diseases, which are often claimed to enhance patent scope.
- Synthesis pathways: If included, broaden the scope for manufacturing.
Patent Landscape
1. Technological Environment
The patent landscape around WO2005023257 revolves around pharmaceutical compounds targeting Major Pharmaceutical Classes such as kinase inhibitors, receptor antagonists, or enzyme modulators, depending on the specific chemical class.
2. Similar Patents and Key Players
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Prior art considerations: Similar compounds and therapeutic approaches in patent literature, including those from major patent holders like Pfizer, Novartis, and Merck, exist. WO2005023257 likely navigates around these by claiming specific structural variants.
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Patent families: Multiple families may have resulted from national phase entries, expanding protection to major markets, including the US, Europe, and China.
3. Freedom to Operate (FTO)
Given the prevalent patenting in pharmaceuticals, any commercial development based on WO2005023257’s scope would require careful FTO analysis due to overlapping claims. Competitors may have filed for compounds with similar structural motifs or therapeutic claims.
4. Patent Lifecycle and Strategic Positioning
- Patent expiry: As a 2005 publication, key claims could expire by 2025 or later, depending on filing and priority dates.
- Supplementary filings: Subsequent patents might refine or expand the scope, including method of use, dosage forms, or combination therapies.
Implications for Stakeholders
- Innovators: The broad chemical and therapeutic scope offers opportunities for developing derivative compounds or novel formulations.
- Patentholders: They could leverage this patent to secure territory rights, enforce exclusivity, or license to third parties.
- Competitors: Need to analyze overlapping patents and establish clear FTO or design around strategies to avoid infringement.
Key Takeaways
- The scope of WO2005023257 is centered on a specific class of therapeutic compounds, with claims covering the compounds, their compositions, and uses.
- The strength of patent protection hinges on the novelty of chemical structures and their demonstrated therapeutic utility.
- The patent landscape around this technology is competitive, requiring diligent landscape analysis for any commercial or R&D activities related to the claimed inventions.
- Given the age of the patent, much of the coverage may be nearing expiry or have been supplemented by newer patents, which could either broaden or restrict scope.
- Strategic patent management—including prophylactic filings and defensive publication—remains essential for entities operating within this domain.
FAQs
1. What are the main chemical features claimed in WO2005023257?
The patent claims cover a specific chemical scaffold with particular substituents designed to confer therapeutic activity, especially targeting certain diseases. The claims usually specify variable regions within a core structure, allowing for derivative compounds with similar activity.
2. How does WO2005023257 compare with existing drugs in its therapeutic class?
While the application describes novel compounds, similar molecules are likely described in prior art. The novelty and inventive step depend on structural differences and unique therapeutic mechanisms, distinguishing these compounds from existing drugs.
3. What is the strategic significance of patent WO2005023257 for pharmaceutical companies?
For innovator companies, this patent can secure exclusive rights to a promising chemical class, enabling market exclusivity, licensing opportunities, and R&D advantages in drug development pipelines.
4. How does the patent landscape look for this chemical class?
The landscape is highly competitive with multiple patents from large pharma entities. Overlap with existing patents could impact development, requiring detailed freedom-to-operate analysis.
5. When are the main patent rights from WO2005023257 likely to expire?
If the priority and filing dates comply with standard patent terms, expiry could be around 2025-2027, although extensions or national filings might alter this timeline.
References
[1] WIPO Patent Application WO2005023257.
[2] Patent family documents and national phase entries (assumed to be available at national patent offices).
[3] Public patent databases such as Espacenet, Patentscope, and others for landscape mapping.
