KIPO to Disclose Detailed Information on 296 Substance Patents Expiring Next Year

Cover photo of the information book on substance patents nearing expiration. Provided by the Korean Intellectual Property Office

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) announced on the 13th that it will publish the "2021 Information Book on Substance Patents Scheduled to Expire" containing detailed information on some substance patents whose duration will expire next year.

Substance patents are core and foundational technologies granted to new substances themselves, including not only general chemical substances but also genes, DNA fragments, proteins, and microorganisms.

KIPO emphasized that considering the potential for new value creation through improved substances or new applications, and the fact that patent fees increase proportionally with the registration maintenance period, the utilization value of substance patents whose duration expires without early abandonment is very high.

The information book focuses on substance patents scheduled to expire next year that, as of October 10, have not been registered as expired and have high utilization value.

In fact, the information book includes many pharmaceutical substances such as sunitinib malate, the main ingredient of the anti-cancer drug "Sutent Capsule," ticagrelor, the main ingredient of the antiplatelet drug "Brilinta Tablet," and dexlansoprazole, the main ingredient of the peptic ulcer treatment "Dexilant DR Capsule."

Additionally, the information book contains basic information such as abstracts, representative claims, whether the duration has been extended, expiration dates, and changes in patent rights. KIPO explains that the embedded QR codes allow users to check detailed information for each patent, changes in rights, and even the patent registration gazette.

A total of 296 substance patents are scheduled to expire next year. By technical field, pharmaceuticals account for the largest share with 124 cases (42.0%), followed by bio with 80 cases (27.0%), chemical materials (21.6%), pesticides (6.4%), and cosmetics (3.0%).

The disclosed substance patent information can be accessed through the KIPO website (Books·Statistics, Publications, Other Information) or the KIPRIS website.

Previously, since 2007 when the expiration of substance patents began in earnest, KIPO has been regularly providing information on substance patents nearing expiration to the private sector.

Baek Young-ran, Head of the Organic Chemistry Examination Division at KIPO, said, "We hope that the disclosed substance patent information will promote research and development in the private sector and serve as a foundation for creating new value."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.