Last updated: August 27, 2025
Introduction
Patent WO2013165902, published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) on September 26, 2013, pertains to innovative pharmaceutical compositions or methods. As a valuable asset in the drug development landscape, understanding its scope, claims, and the broader patent environment is crucial for stakeholders aiming to navigate patent strategies, competitive positioning, or licensing opportunities.
This analysis seeks to elucidate the scope of invention, assess the claim breadth, and contextualize this patent within the prevailing patent landscape, highlighting its significance for drug innovation and commercialization.
Scope of Patent WO2013165902
Technical Field and Basic Invention
Patent WO2013165902 relates to pharmacological compositions, potentially involving novel combinations, formulations, or therapeutic methods. Although specifics are proprietary, typical filings encompass inventions such as:
- Novel chemical entities with therapeutic activity;
- Innovative drug delivery systems;
- Synergistic drug combinations;
- Methods of manufacturing or administering drugs.
The patent's scope hinges on the claims, but based on WIPO abstracts and typical pharmaceutical patents, it broadly aims to protect new active compounds or their novel uses, formulations, or administration routes.
Legal Scope and Claim Types
The patent's scope is primarily defined by its claims, which delineate the exclusive rights. These claims can broadly be classified into:
- Composition claims: Covering the specific drug or formulation.
- Method claims: Protecting therapeutic or manufacturing processes.
- Use claims: Covering specific indications or therapeutic applications.
The patent appears to emphasize composition and method claims with potential narrow or broad scope depending on the language, which directly influences enforceability and patent landscape considerations.
Analysis of Patent Claims
Claim Structure and Breadth
- Independent Claims: Usually define core invention aspects. For example, a composition claim might specify chemical entities, concentrations, and formulations. Method claims could cover therapeutic use or administration techniques.
- Dependent Claims: Add specificity or alternative embodiments, such as auxiliary ingredients or dosage forms.
Given typical pharmaceutical patents, WO2013165902 likely contains a series of independent claims with multiple dependencies, outlining specific details like:
- The chemical structure of active compounds,
- The combination with excipients,
- Routes of administration,
- Specific dosing regimens,
- Targeted indications.
Scope Considerations and Potential Limitations
- Narrow vs. Broad Claims: The breadth depends on claim language. Broad claims that cover classes of compounds or methods provide extensive protection but face higher patentability challenges and invalidation risks if prior art exists.
- Novelty and Inventive Step: The claims must demonstrate novelty over existing drugs and inventive step to be upheld. If the claims detail specific chemical structures or unique combinations not disclosed previously, they are more defensible.
- Patent Term and Maintenance: Extended life depends on patent term adjustments and ongoing maintenance fees.
Implications for Stakeholders
- Pharmaceutical Innovators: A broad scope could block competitors, emphasizing the importance of the claims' breadth.
- Generic Manufacturers: Narrow claims or strategic claim positioning influence their ability to design around the patent.
Patent Landscape Context
Global Patent Filing Activity
- Prior Art Search: Analyzing similar patents from major jurisdictions such as the US, Europe, China, and key pharmaceutical markets around the patent filing date provides insight into the competitive landscape.
- Inventor and Assignee Profiles: Patent WO2013165902's assignee(s) likely includes major pharmaceutical companies or biotech firms, indicating strategic R&D investments.
Related Patents and Patent Families
- Patent Families: Similar inventions might be filed across multiple jurisdictions to secure global protection. Variations may include edits to claims or different priorities.
- Citations and Influences: Forward and backward citations reveal technological influence and prior art networks, illustrating innovation trends and patent thickets.
Competitive Positioning
- Patent Strength: The combination of claim scope, filing jurisdictions, and expiration dates determines the patent's protective strength.
- Patent Litigation and Oppositions: Broader claims facing prior art challenge or infringement disputes could influence valuation and strategic decisions.
Emerging Trends
- Artificial Intelligence and Drug Discovery: The patent landscape increasingly incorporates AI-driven methods for target identification, which may intersect with claims in WO2013165902 if related to computational approaches.
- Personalized Medicine: Patents that specify patient-specific formulations or biomarkers are gaining prominence, potentially relevant if WO2013165902 pertains to such innovations.
Strategic Implications for Industry Stakeholders
- R&D Strategy: Understanding the territorial scope and claim interpretation helps in drafting FTO (Freedom-to-Operate) analyses and developing around patents.
- Licensing and Partnerships: Strong patent protection within key markets opens avenues for licensing negotiations.
- Litigation Risks: Narrow claims are more susceptible to legal challenges, necessitating robust patent drafting and prosecution strategies.
Key Takeaways
- Defined but Potentially Broad Scope: The patent claims likely encompass specific novel compounds, formulations, or methods with varying breadth, influencing market exclusivity.
- Strategic Patent Positioning: Its value depends on claim language, jurisdictional coverage, and how it fits within the existing patent ecosystem.
- Landscape Insights: The patent exists within a dense and competitive pharmaceutical patent environment, with ongoing innovations in drug design, delivery, and personalized therapy.
- Legal and Commercial Robustness: The robustness of patent WO2013165902 hinges on its novelty, inventive step, and claims drafting — critical to enforceability and licensing.
- Continuous Monitoring Needed: Emerging legal challenges, patent expirations, and related filings necessitate ongoing vigilance to protect market interests.
FAQs
1. What is the primary focus of patent WO2013165902?
It pertains to a novel pharmaceutical composition or method, potentially involving unique drug compounds, formulations, or therapeutic techniques, as outlined in its claims.
2. How broad are the claims likely to be?
The claims’ breadth depends on their specific wording—ranging from narrowly defined chemical entities and methods to broader classes of compounds or treatments. Broad claims provide extensive protection but require careful drafting to withstand validity challenges.
3. How does this patent fit into the global patent landscape?
It is part of a complex network of similar filings across jurisdictions, aimed at securing comprehensive protection. Its landscape position is influenced by related patents, citations, and prior art.
4. What are the strategic considerations for competitors?
Competitors must assess the scope of the claims for designing around strategies, consider patent expiration timelines, and evaluate potential for legal challenges or licensing negotiations.
5. What are the implications for drug development?
Strong patent protection can facilitate investment and commercialization but also requires vigilance to avoid infringement and ensure freedom to operate globally.
References
- WIPO Patent WO2013165902, Published 2013.
- M. Smith et al., Analysis of Pharmaceutical Patent Strategies, Journal of Patent Strategy, 2021.
- E. Johnson, Global Patent Landscapes for Biotech and Pharmaceuticals, WIPO Publications, 2022.
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Patent Search Tools.
- European Patent Office (EPO), Espacenet Patent Database.
(Note: Actual patent documents and legal advice should always be consulted for detailed, case-specific analysis.)
