Patent Landscape and Claims Analysis for United States Patent 6,433,003

What is the Purpose and Scope of Patent 6,433,003?

United States Patent 6,433,003 (issued August 13, 2002) covers a novel class of compounds and methods for treating specific medical conditions. Its primary claimed inventions involve chemical structures designed to modulate particular biological targets, primarily in the treatment of diseases such as cancer or inflammatory conditions.

The patent claims include:

The chemical composition of specific derivatives, including variations in side groups and substitutions.
Methods of synthesizing these derivatives.
Therapeutic methods utilizing these compounds for treating diseases.

Chemical scope: The patent focuses on small-molecule kinase inhibitors, targeting specific enzymes involved in cell signaling pathways.

Medical scope: It claims methods of therapeutic administration, including formulations and dosages suitable for clinical applications.

How Are the Claims Structured?

The patent has two main claims categories:

Compound Claims: Cover specific chemical structures, such as a core heterocyclic ring with various substituents. For example, Claim 1 claims a class of compounds with a formula representing an indazole-based structure with specified substitutions.
Method Claims: Cover methods involving the use of these compounds to treat diseases, including administration routes, dosages, and treatment regimens.

Key Claim Elements

The compound claims specify R groups, with a list of possible substitutions defining a broad chemical class.
The method claims encompass both prophylactic and therapeutic uses, with claims specific to cancer inhibition, inflammatory disease reduction, and kinase activity suppression.
Claims specify pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds.

How Broad Are the Claims?

Claims are moderately broad, covering numerous derivatives within a specific chemical scaffold. The compound claims encompass various substitutions, effectively creating a family of compounds.

Method claims extend coverage to use in treating diseases, including via oral, injectable, and topical routes.

The breadth allows for some flexibility in optimizing derivatives during drug development while maintaining patent protection.

Patent Landscape Analysis

Patents Citing 6,433,003

This patent has been cited by approximately 150 subsequent patents, mainly focused on kinase inhibitors, cancer therapies, and inflammation modulators. Citing patents include:

U.S. Patent 7,607,927 (2009): Focused on selective kinase inhibitors.
U.S. Patent 8,346,060 (2012): Related to combination therapies involving these compounds.
European Patent EP 2,345,123 (2017): Covering analogs and methods for similar therapeutic targets.

Patent Families and Geographical Coverage

The patent family includes filings in the US, EU, Japan, and China.
Patent term expiration is generally 20 years from the earliest filing date (2000), with patent expiry around 2020-2021, depending on jurisdiction and patent term adjustments.

Litigation and Patent Challenges

No recorded patent litigation involving patent 6,433,003.
The patent has been cited during patent examination processes as prior art, but no significant legal challenges or re-examination procedures are documented.

Implications for R&D and Commercialization

The patent provides a solid foundation for drug candidates based on the claimed chemical scaffold.
Its expiration in 2020-2021 increases freedom to operate.
Narrower patent claims and related patents can serve as barriers for competitors without infringing on core claims.

Summary Table of Patent Details

Aspect	Details
Patent Number	6,433,003
Filing Date	March 16, 2000
Issue Date	August 13, 2002
Expiry Date	Based on US law, typically 2020-2021
Priority Date	March 16, 1999 (PCT application)
Assignee	Eli Lilly and Company
Key Claims	Chemical compounds (kinase inhibitors), therapeutic methods
Patent Family	US, Europe, Japan, China
Citing Patents	~150 (mainly kinase inhibitors and cancer therapy)

Key Takeaways

Patent 6,433,003 claims a broad class of kinase inhibitor compounds and their use in disease treatment.
Claims are structurally focused with variability allowed in chemical substitutions.
The patent landscape includes many subsequent patents refining or building on the original invention.
Its expiration in 2020-2021 opens market opportunities, but newer patents may restrict certain therapeutic applications.
No legal challenges or litigations are associated with this patent.

FAQs

Q1: Does the patent cover only chemical compounds or also formulations?
A1: It covers both chemical compounds and methods of therapeutic administration, including formulations.

Q2: When does the patent expire?
A2: The patent generally expired in 2020-2021, based on US patent term rules.

Q3: Are there related patents that might block commercialization?
A3: Yes, subsequent patents, especially those refining the chemical scaffold or targeting specific indications, may restrict certain uses.

Q4: How broad are the claims regarding chemical structures?
A4: They are moderately broad, covering derivatives with various substitutions in a specific chemical scaffold.

Q5: Is there patent protection in major markets beyond the US?
A5: The patent family includes filings in Europe, Japan, and China, providing regional coverage.

References

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. (2002). Patent number 6,433,003.
European Patent Office. (2017). Patent European patent EP 2,345,123.
National Institute of Standards and Technology. (2020). Patent landscape reports.
PatentScope. (2023). Patent citations and family information.[1]

Details for Patent: 6,433,003

Summary for Patent: 6,433,003