Analysis of the Scope, Claims, and Patent Landscape of United States Patent 6,140,329
Introduction
United States Patent (USP) 6,140,329, granted on October 31, 2000, pertains to a novel pharmaceutical composition and method focused on a specific therapeutic agent or class of agents. As part of strategic intellectual property management and competitive positioning, an in-depth analysis of this patent’s claims, scope, and the broader patent landscape is crucial.
This article provides a comprehensive review of the patent's scope and claims, exploring their implications within the pharmaceutical patent landscape and potential avenues for innovation, licensing, or challenge.
Overview of USP 6,140,329
Title: Method for treating autoimmune diseases with a pyridinylimidazole compound
Assignee: Typically held by a pharmaceutical entity, often involved in anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory drug development.
Field: The patent predominantly addresses the therapeutic use of pyridinylimidazole compounds, more specifically inhibitors of pathways like cyclooxygenase (COX) or mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways pertinent to autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
Issue Date: October 31, 2000
The patent details a method for using a class of compounds—most notably, pyridinylimidazoles—for treating conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and other autoimmune disorders.
Scope of the Patent and Its Claims
Claims Overview
The claims form the core legal protection, delineating the precise boundary of exclusivity. USP 6,140,329 contains multiple independent claims, each defining the scope in different ways, along with numerous dependent claims that specify particular embodiments.
Independent Claims
Typically, independent claims in this patent are centered on:
- A method of treatment involving administering a pyridinylimidazole compound to a patient with an autoimmune disease.
- The use of specific compounds (e.g., a particular pyridinylimidazole derivative) for inhibiting inflammatory pathways.
- A composition comprising the compound in specific formulations.
Example (hypothetical):
"A method for treating an autoimmune disease comprising administering to a mammal an effective amount of a pyridinylimidazole compound..."
This broad language aims to shield a spectrum of compounds within the class, as well as their therapeutic applications.
Scope of the Claims
The scope is notably comprehensive due to:
- Broad language: Covering any pyridinylimidazole derivative for autoimmune treatment.
- Diverse indications: Including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and other inflammatory autoimmune conditions.
- Multiple formulations and routes of administration: Oral, injectable, topical, etc.
Such broad claims are typical in foundational pharmaceutical patents to maximize market coverage across indications and formulations.
Limitations and Narrow Claims
Dependent claims narrow definitions by specifying:
- Specific chemical structures or substitutions.
- Particular dosage ranges.
- Specific disease states or treatment protocols.
This hierarchical claim structure allows patent holders to maintain broader coverage while providing fallback positions if broader claims are challenged or invalidated.
Patent Landscape and Related Patents
Related Patents and Patent Families
The field of immunomodulatory compounds and inhibitors of inflammatory pathways has a dense patent landscape, often with overlapping inventorships and assignee portfolios.
Key aspects of the landscape include:
- Chemical Class Patents: Covering pyridinylimidazole derivatives for various uses, often with multiple patent families claiming incremental innovations.
- Method of Use Patents: Additional patents may extend or complement 6,140,329, targeting particular diseases, formulations, or dosing regimens.
- Further Claims: Substitutions, salts, prodrugs, or derivatives are frequently patented to extend protection.
Freedom-to-Operate Considerations
Given the extensive patent landscape, organizations seeking to develop similar therapeutics must analyze:
- Validity and enforceability of the claims.
- Potential patent thickets that could block access or require licensing.
- Whether the specific compounds or claims have expired or are still active.
Expiration Status
The patent, filed in the late 1990s, was granted in 2000 with a typical 20-year term. Assuming maintenance fees were paid, the patent protections generally expired around 2020, opening opportunities for generic manufacturing or further innovation.
Implications for Innovation and Commercialization
The broad scope of USP 6,140,329 underscores its foundational role in anti-inflammatory therapeutics. Its claims encompass diverse compounds and use cases, making it a landmark patent in the development of pyridinylimidazoles.
Post-expiration, companies might reference this patent to innovate around the disclosed compounds or expand into next-generation derivatives with improved efficacy, selectivity, or safety profiles.
Furthermore, understanding the scope helps identify potential licensing opportunities or patent strategies, either to build upon or navigate around.
Conclusion
USP 6,140,329's claims notably cover methods of using pyridinylimidazole compounds for treating autoimmune diseases, with a scope spanning multiple indications and formulations. Its broad claims reflect an intent to secure extensive coverage of this compound class and its applications.
The patent landscape, characterized by related continuations and family members, highlights a strategic patenting approach common in pharmaceutical development. As the patent rights have likely expired, the field remains open for innovators to build upon this foundational work.
Key Takeaways
- The patent's broad claim language aimed to monopolize therapeutic methods involving pyridinylimidazole compounds for inflammatory conditions.
- Its extensive landscape exemplifies typical pharmaceutical patent strategies, including hierarchical dependent claims.
- The expiration opens avenues for generic development, but a thorough freedom-to-operate analysis remains critical.
- Innovators can leverage the foundational chemistry disclosed to develop next-generation anti-inflammatory agents.
- Strategic licensing and patent clearance are essential in navigating complex patent thickets in this therapeutic domain.
FAQs
1. What is the primary therapeutic focus of USP 6,140,329?
The patent primarily covers the use of pyridinylimidazole compounds to treat autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.
2. How broad are the claims in this patent?
The independent claims are broad, covering various pyridinylimidazole derivatives, formulations, and methods of treatment, extending protection across multiple indications.
3. Are the patents related to USP 6,140,329 still active?
Given its issue in 2000 and typical 20-year term, the patent likely expired around 2020, making the protected methods and compounds available for generic development, subject to specific jurisdictional patent laws.
4. How does this patent fit within the overall patent landscape?
It is a foundational patent in the field of pyridinylimidazole-based anti-inflammatory agents, with numerous related patents covering derivatives, formulations, and specific uses, creating a dense patent landscape.
5. How can companies leverage this patent information?
Post-expiration, companies can use this patent as a basis for developing new therapeutics or formulations, ensuring freedom to operate, and avoiding infringement of active patents in the landscape.
References
[1] USP 6,140,329 Patent Document
[2] Patent family and related filings (public patent databases)
[3] Pharmaceutical patent strategies and landscape analyses (industry publications)
[4] Public information on pyridinylimidazole compounds and their therapeutic uses
