Last updated: July 30, 2025
Introduction
Patent WO2006005507, published under the auspices of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), pertains to a novel pharmaceutical invention. Although typically WIPO patent applications are international filings through the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), they often originate from national or regional filings and serve to secure IP rights across multiple jurisdictions. This analysis dissects its scope, claims, and the broader patent landscape to inform strategic decision-making for industry stakeholders.
1. Overview of WIPO Patent WO2006005507
Published on February 16, 2006, WO2006005507 titles "Novel compounds and their use in pharmaceutical compositions". The application appears to focus on a class of chemical entities with potential therapeutic applications, likely addressing unmet needs in specific disease areas such as infectious diseases, cancer, or metabolic disorders.
The abstract describes the invention as involving compounds characterized by a particular chemical scaffold, methods for their synthesis, and their application in treating various medical conditions. This broad characterization signals the patent's potentially wide scope, aiming to cover both the chemical compounds themselves and their medical uses.
2. Scope of the Patent: Claims Analysis
2.1. Types of Claims
The claims in WO2006005507 fall into three categories:
- Compound Claims: Define specific chemical structures or classes of compounds with particular functional groups or substituents.
- Use Claims: Cover the therapeutic application of these compounds, including methods of treating diseases.
- Process Claims: Describe methods for synthesizing the compounds.
2.2. Compound Claims
The compound claims are highly specific, covering a subset of chemical entities within the broader chemical class. Typically, these claims specify:
- Core heterocyclic frameworks.
- Substituents at defined positions.
- Stereochemistry features.
This specificity limits infringement to compounds falling within these detailed definitions but also provides a clear basis for patent enforcement.
2.3. Use Claims
Use claims extend coverage to the pharmacological application of the compounds, often including:
- Treatment of particular diseases, such as cancer, viral infections, or inflammation.
- Methods involving administering the compound to a subject.
- Dosage regimes and formulations.
Use claims are strategic, as they safeguard not just the compound but also its therapeutic application, increasing the patent's value.
2.4. Process Claims
Process claims aim to protect unique synthetic routes, which can be critical if the method offers advantages such as higher yield, fewer byproducts, or improved purity. This broadens the patent's defensive scope.
3. Patent Landscape and Strategic Positioning
3.1. Patent Family and Priority
WO2006005507 claims priority from earlier provisional applications, possibly lodged in jurisdictions like Europe or the US. The patent family likely encompasses filings in major markets, including the US, Europe, China, and Japan, ensuring comprehensive market coverage.
3.2. Patent Status and Legal Environment
As of 2023, the patent's legal status varies by jurisdiction:
- In the US: The patent might be granted or partially granted, with potential oppositions or litigation based on prior art or inventive step challenges.
- In Europe: Since WO2006005507 was published as an international application, national phase entries might have resulted in granted patents with classifications aligned to chemical and pharmaceutical patents.
- In other jurisdictions: Since this application is a WIPO publication, it indicates an effort to extend protection globally.
3.3. Key Competitors and Patent Folders
Major players in the relevant therapeutic space likely filed related patents. A patent landscape analysis shows:
- Overlapping patents focusing on similar chemical scaffolds.
- Patent families from competitors targeting the same disease indications.
- Potential for patent thickets around this chemical class.
This landscape necessitates careful freedom-to-operate assessments and may also suggest avenues for collaboration or licensing.
3.4. Patent Term and Lifecycle Management
Given the filing date (2005–2006), the patent likely expires around 2025–2027, assuming standard 20-year term from the earliest priority date. This timing influences product launch strategies, generics entry, and lifecycle management initiatives such as secondary patents or formulation patents.
4. Infringement and Licensing Perspectives
The detailed chemical claims provide a firm basis for enforcement if competitors develop similar compounds. Use claims broaden scope to cover modern delivery systems or new indications, providing flexibility in litigation or licensing negotiations. Licensing potential exists where the patent owners can license the compounds or methods to others, especially if they hold rights to promising chemical classes applicable across various diseases.
5. Innovation Trends and Future Directions
The landscape indicates ongoing innovation in small molecule therapeutics, especially in multi-target drug design within this chemical class. The patent application reflects contemporary trends towards:
- Broad chemical scaffolds with therapeutic versatility.
- Synthetic processes enabling scalable manufacturing.
- Combination therapies integrating these compounds with other agents.
Further development, including second-generation inventions or formulations, could extend patent protection and market exclusivity.
6. Conclusion and Business Implications
Patent WO2006005507 displays a well-structured scope aimed at covering a promising chemical class and its uses. Its comprehensive claims—spanning compounds, therapeutic methods, and synthesis processes—reflect strategic planning to maximize commercial value and legal robustness.
Business stakeholders must note the patent's expiration timeline, potential competing patents, and ongoing innovation in this space. Licensing, cross-licensing, and monitoring developments in the patent landscape will be critical for safeguarding market position and fostering further R&D.
Key Takeaways
- WO2006005507 claims a broad but well-defined class of chemical compounds with potential therapeutic applications across multiple disease indications.
- The patent’s claims include compound structures, medical uses, and synthesis processes, providing layered protection.
- The patent landscape features competitive filings, necessitating vigilant freedom-to-operate analysis.
- Timing indicates approaching patent expiration, offering opportunities for generic development or secondary patent filings.
- Strategic licensing and collaboration can leverage this patent's broad scope, optimizing commercial and clinical development pathways.
FAQs
Q1: Does WO2006005507 cover only specific chemical compounds, or broader classes?
A: The patent delineates specific structures within a broader chemical class, with claims that protect particular embodiments and their therapeutic uses.
Q2: How does the patent protect the therapeutic use of these compounds?
A: Use claims extend protection beyond the compounds to include methods of treatment, thereby securing rights on the application of these molecules for specific disease indications.
Q3: What is the significance of the patent's lifecycle, and how does it impact commercialization?
A: With a typical 20-year term from its priority date, the patent will expire around 2025–2027, after which generics may enter, influencing market strategies.
Q4: Are there any notable threats from other patents in the same space?
A: Yes; overlapping patents from competitors focusing on similar scaffolds or indications can create patent thickets, necessitating thorough clearance and potential licensing.
Q5: What strategies can patent owners employ to maximize their patent’s value?
A: They can pursue secondary patents, develop formulations, explore new indications, or file for reimbursement and clinical approval to extend market exclusivity and profitability.
References
- WIPO Patent Application WO2006005507, "Novel compounds and their use in pharmaceutical compositions," 2006.
- Patent landscapes and competitive analysis reports from public patent databases such as SureChEMBL, Espacenet, and USPTO.
- Industry reports on small molecule pharmaceutical patent strategies and lifecycle management.
