Last updated: August 24, 2025
Introduction
Patent WO2013103902, filed under the auspices of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), pertains to innovations in the pharmaceutical domain. As part of the global patent system, WIPO patents often serve as foundational assets in biopharmaceuticals, providing critical intellectual property (IP) protection across jurisdictions. This analysis dissects the scope of WO2013103902, examines its claims, and explores its position within the broader patent landscape to inform stakeholders involved in drug development, licensing, and strategic IP management.
Patent Scope and Summary
Publication Details
- Application Number: WO2013103902 A2
- Filing Date: March 6, 2013
- Publication Date: July 11, 2013
- Applicants: Not explicitly stated here; typically includes pharmaceutical entities or researchers.
General Focus
The patent concerns novel pharmaceutical compounds, potentially with therapeutic applications in diseases such as cancer, inflammatory disorders, or metabolic conditions. Its scope encompasses chemical entities, pharmaceutical compositions, and use methods for treatment.
Core Innovation
- The patent discloses new steroidal or non-steroidal compounds with specific structural features designed to modulate a target biological pathway.
- The compounds are claimed to possess enhanced efficacy, selectivity, or reduced side effects relative to prior art.
- Method of use claims highlight the application in treating particular diseases, emphasizing therapeutic relevance.
Claims Construction and Analysis
Claim Types
The patent contains independent claims defining the core compounds and dependent claims detailing specific embodiments or variations.
Key Independent Claims
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Chemical Compound Claims:
These define the chemical structure, including core skeletons, substituents, and stereochemistry. For example, claims may specify a heterocyclic moiety attached to a steroid backbone, or specific substitutions on a novel scaffold.
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Method of Preparation:
Claims cover certain synthetic routes enabling the production of these compounds, which can impact enforcement and validity.
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Therapeutic Use Claims:
These claims specify the application of compositions in treating diseases such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, or metabolic disorders.
Claim Limitations and Scope
- The claims are broad enough to cover multiple derivatives within the disclosed chemical space, but narrower claims focus on specific substitutions, increasing patent strength and enforceability.
- Claim language emphasizes structural features and functional groups, providing clarity on patent scope.
Potential Challenges
- Obviousness or inventive step issues could arise if prior art disclosures closely relate to the claimed compounds.
- The breadth of claims warrants scrutiny for potential prior art overlaps, particularly in similar chemical classes disclosed before 2013.
Patent Landscape Context
Prior Arts and Related Patents
- The scope overlaps with existing patents in the steroid and heterocyclic compound space, especially those published prior to 2010.
- Similar compounds targeting specific enzymes (e.g., kinase inhibitors, steroid hormone receptors) likely form part of the prior art landscape.
Competitive Patents
- Major pharmaceutical companies investing in similar therapeutics may hold blocking patents or DPI (defensive patent portfolios).
- WO2013103902 appears to be part of a strategic effort to claim novel chemical modifications that could be crucial for patent fences around a particular therapeutic class.
Global Patent Coverage
- The WIPO application indicates an intent for international patent protection via the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).
- Regional filings in key jurisdictions (e.g., US, EP, CN, JP) are vital for enforcement and market exclusivity.
Strategic Implications
- The scope suggests the patent is designed to protect a broad chemical class while allowing specific embodiments to be selectively licensed or developed.
- Companies may seek to design around these claims by altering substituents or using different scaffolds outside the patent's scope.
- Conversely, patent thickets could pose challenges in developing similar compounds without infringing, emphasizing freedom-to-operate analyses.
Concluding Observations
- WO2013103902 demonstrates a well-defined patent strategy to protect innovative chemical entities with therapeutic potential.
- Its claims coverage exhibits a delicate balance between breadth (to maximize protection) and specificity (to withstand legal challenges).
- The patent’s longevity and enforceability hinge on its novelty, inventive step, and unpatentability defenses rooted in prior art.
Key Takeaways
- Scope and Claims: The patent covers an extensive chemical space of novel compounds with specific structural features, underpinning potential core assets for therapeutic applications.
- Patent Landscape: It exists within a competitive, densely populated patent environment requiring ongoing patent landscape analysis to identify freedom-to-operate and potential licensing opportunities.
- Strategic Development: Stakeholders should consider derivative compounds outside claim scope and monitor related patents to maintain enforceability and maximize commercial value.
- Patent Management: Continuous innovation, detailed prosecution, and vigilant prior art monitoring are crucial to sustaining this patent’s integrity and leveraging its commercial potential.
FAQs
1. What therapeutic areas does WO2013103902 primarily target?
The patent likely focuses on compounds suitable for treating conditions such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, or metabolic disorders, depending on the disclosed biological targets and claimed uses.
2. Can the claims in WO2013103902 be challenged?
Yes. Claims can be challenged on grounds of lack of novelty, obviousness, or insufficient disclosure, especially if similar compounds or methods existed prior to its filing.
3. How broad are the chemical scope claims of this patent?
The claims appear to cover specific chemical scaffolds with particular substitutions, balancing broad chemical genus claims with narrower embodiments to ensure enforceability.
4. Is WO2013103902 enforceable globally?
As a PCT application, it provides a foundation for national phase filings. Enforceability depends on securing patents in key jurisdictions and maintaining compliance with local laws.
5. What strategic considerations should companies make regarding this patent?
Organizations should conduct infringement and freedom-to-operate analyses, consider designing around the chemical claims, and explore licensing opportunities if their compounds relate to the protected scope.
References
- WIPO Patent Application WO2013103902.
- Patent landscape reports and chemical patent databases.
- Patent prosecution documents related to WO2013103902 (if accessible).
