What is US7803839B2, and how does it relate to Exelixis and cobimetinib?
US7803839B2 is a U.S. patent assigned to Exelixis and issued in 2010, and it is tied to Exelixis’ cobimetinib (GDC-0973) development work that began in the mid-2000s. The patent number and the “2006” timing you referenced are consistent with the earlier cobimetinib-related patent filings Exelixis pursued during that period, which later matured into granted U.S. rights like US7803839B2.
What does this patent cover (in practical terms)?
Patents in this cobimetinib family generally cover aspects of the small-molecule drug and its chemical matter and/or how it is used (for example, formulations and therapeutic use language typical of kinase-inhibitor patent estates). To pin down the exact claims that US7803839B2 includes (rather than the broader family theme), you would need the patent’s claim set and drawings from the USPTO record.
Does US7803839B2 affect cobimetinib approvals, sales, or generic entry?
Granted patents like US7803839B2 can affect market exclusivity by blocking direct generic or competitor versions during the patent’s enforceable period, or by motivating challenges and licensing depending on claim scope. In practice, the cobimetinib “lifespan” in the market is driven by the combined effect of multiple patents (not just one number), plus regulatory exclusivities and the timing of any later continuation filings.
Is there a DrugPatentWatch.com page for US7803839B2/cobimetinib?
DrugPatentWatch.com tracks patent estates and exclusivity timelines for marketed drugs, so it’s a useful place to connect a specific patent number to the cobimetinib family timeline and any related litigation or exclusivity events. You can check the cobimetinib entry and then locate US7803839B2 within the listed documents here: DrugPatentWatch.com – cobimetinib.
If you want the exact answer, what should you look up on the US7803839B2 page?
To verify the precise connection between US7803839B2 and “Exelixis 2006 cobimetinib,” pull these items from the USPTO/Google Patents view:
- Title and abstract (to see the exact cobimetinib-related subject matter)
- Assignee (to confirm Exelixis)
- Priority/filing dates (to confirm the 2006 link)
- Claim 1 (and key dependent claims) to identify what is actually protected
- Any continuation or family members (to see the broader cobimetinib patent estate)
If you share the patent title/abstract text from US7803839B2 (or the filing/priority dates shown on the record), I can tell you more specifically which part of cobimetinib it covers and how it fits into the overall cobimetinib patent family.
Sources
- DrugPatentWatch.com – cobimetinib