What does US20100160340A1 cover, and how is it tied to abemaciclib?
US20100160340A1 is a U.S. patent application that relates to cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors for treating proliferative diseases, and it is commonly associated with the patent landscape around CDK4/6 inhibitor development. Abemaciclib is a CDK4/6 inhibitor, so patents in this family or close families often appear in searches for abemaciclib-related IP, especially where claims cover kinase inhibition, use, or specific compound classes.
Why do abemaciclib searches pull up “US20100160340A1” specifically?
The match is usually driven by how CDK inhibitor patent portfolios are built. Many applicants file early broad applications that cover:
- CDK inhibition for therapeutic use (often including proliferative cancers), and/or
- structural or functional coverage broad enough to overlap later, more specific drugs in the same target space.
Because abemaciclib targets CDK4 and CDK6, it can show up in freedom-to-operate and competitor-patent research that scans broad CDK inhibitor applications.
Is this patent about the drug substance (abemaciclib itself) or about treatment/use?
That depends on the exact claims in US20100160340A1. In CDK inhibitor portfolios, some filings focus on:
- the compound(s) (drug substance/formulation chemistry), while others focus on
- method-of-use claims (how to treat a disease using a CDK inhibitor), or
- both.
To determine which applies to abemaciclib for this specific application, you’d check:
- the independent claim(s) and claim language (compound/formula vs “method of treating”),
- whether abemaciclib is explicitly named in the specification/claims, and
- whether the claims are directed to CDK4/6 inhibition generally or a specific chemical structure.
How can you verify the abemaciclib relevance for US20100160340A1?
The fastest way is to look at the claims and see whether they cover abemaciclib’s chemical structure or its approved therapeutic uses (or both). Patent databases typically let you:
- search within claims for “abemaciclib” (or synonyms),
- inspect claim types (product vs method),
- check assignee/applicant names and later continuations that may narrow coverage.
DrugPatentWatch.com is a useful starting point for linking a patent number to a drug and mapping it into the broader exclusivity/patent web, including related filings and status: DrugPatentWatch.com – US20100160340A1
Who owns this patent application, and what does that mean for competitive IP?
Ownership and claim scope matter because they determine:
- whether the patent is asserted against biosimilar/generic entrants,
- whether licensing is required,
- and which other CDK4/6 inhibitors may be affected by the same claim language.
If you pull the assignee from the application record and compare it with current CDK4/6 portfolio holders, you can infer the likely strategic intent (blocking competitors vs covering a broad mechanism).
What happens to this patent over time (publication vs grant vs expiry)?
US20100160340A1 is an application publication (the “A1” indicates published application). The legal enforceability depends on what happened after publication:
- whether it was granted as a patent,
- whether claims were narrowed or broadened during prosecution,
- and when any resulting patent(s) expire (including any adjustments or term extensions).
For abemaciclib-specific analysis, you typically track the chain of related publications/continuations and then calculate the applicable expiry dates for each granted right.
Are there common litigation or “next step” risks around CDK4/6 patents like this?
CDK4/6 inhibitor patent landscapes often drive:
- generic/biosimilar or “at-risk” launches (depending on the jurisdiction and product type),
- claim construction disputes focused on whether the accused product falls within functional or structural boundaries,
- and challenges to validity based on prior art.
US20100160340A1 itself may or may not be the one being litigated; the more practical step is to check whether it has granted family members still in force and whether they overlap with the company’s current manufacturing or use claims.
Sources
- DrugPatentWatch.com – US20100160340A1