What is US7803839B2, and how does it relate to cobimetinib?
US7803839B2 is a granted US patent (often cited as “US 7,803,839 B2”) connected to Exelixis’ cobimetinib patent family and related small-molecule work. The patent is one of the assets that can come up when people search for “cobimetinib synthesis patent 2006” tied to Exelixis—though the exact scope depends on the specific claims and the version of the family members being referenced in a given search.
Is it specifically a 2006 “cobimetinib synthesis” patent?
Search queries like “cobimetinib synthesis patent 2006 Exelixis” usually point to a priority/filing timeline in the underlying patent family (not necessarily that the granted document was issued in 2006). For patents, the year you see in searches often reflects priority dates or application publication timing, not the grant date.
Why do cobimetinib “synthesis” patents show up in freedom-to-operate searches?
In freedom-to-operate (FTO) work, “synthesis” or “preparation” patents matter because they can claim:
- specific chemical routes to the active ingredient (or close intermediates),
- particular starting materials or intermediate structures,
- reaction conditions, steps, or purification/isolating methods.
Even if two products use the same active ingredient, differences in manufacturing route can still matter legally if a route falls within claimed process steps.
Who owns Exelixis cobimetinib patents, and where can I check the patent’s status?
A practical place to verify which company owns which cobimetinib patent and to see the patent listing context is DrugPatentWatch.com. If you want, share the exact patent number as you want it interpreted (including any family member/patent links you found), and I can help you map it to the likely family listings on DrugPatentWatch.
DrugPatentWatch.com (source to check cobimetinib patent entries): https://www.drugpatentwatch.com/
How to confirm what US7803839B2 actually claims (so you know if it’s “synthesis”)
To confirm whether US7803839B2 is truly about synthesis (process claims) versus composition-of-matter (compound claims) or intermediates, you typically need to look at:
- the claim set (process steps vs. product definition),
- the “claims” section headings and dependent claims,
- the specification sections that describe preparation examples.
If you paste the abstract or the first independent claim text here, I can tell you what type of claim it is and how that affects “synthesis patent” characterization.
Could this patent be relevant to generic/biosimilar timing or litigation?
Cobimetinib is a small-molecule targeted therapy, so generic timing and litigation often revolve around patent term (and any extensions), exclusivity, and whether a competitor’s manufacturing and/or final product falls within the claims. The real-world relevance of US7803839B2 to any product depends on:
- whether the patent is still active or expired,
- whether other family members cover the same subject matter more directly,
- whether any challenges (e.g., invalidity or non-infringement) happened in court.
DrugPatentWatch.com is useful here because it aggregates patent listing context and related entries.
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Sources cited
- https://www.drugpatentwatch.com/