Pharmaceutical patent listings 10%↑…MNCs↑· domestic↓

[2025 Biopharma Patent Summary] ③The number of patent listing 10%↑ within a year

4 out of 5 newly listed patents are those from multinational companies…Pfizer has the highest with 49 cases

Patent listing by domestic Korean companies 54 cases→49 cases…Hanmi·CKD·Daewoong·Jeil are noteworthy

The number of new pharmaceutical and biological patents listed this year totaled 264, up 10% from last year.​

A stark contrast has seen between multinational companies and domestic Korean firms. New patent listings by multinational pharmaceutical companie rose from 187 to 215 within a year, driven largely by Pfizer Korea's various patent registrations related to its COVID-19 vaccine, Comirnaty.

In contrast, listings by domestic pharmaceutical companies decreased from 54 last year to 49 this year. Hanmi Pharm, Chong Kun Dang, Daewoong Pharmaceutical, and Jeil Pharmaceutical registered five or more new patents.

264 new patents in 2025…4 out of 5 registered by multinational companies

According to the MFDS on December 26, 264 new patents have been added to the official patent list this year.

This is a 10% increase from last year’s 241. With less than five days remaining in the year, the number has already surpassed last year's total. 

Aside from 2022, this year has seen the highest level of patent activity in the last decade. In 2022, research and development for new drugs and drug repurposing spiked due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a record 278 new patent listings.

Yearly new patent listing counts (unit: KRW 100 million, source: MFDS): GREEN-multinational companies, SKY BLUE-Domestic Korean companies.

While patent listings by Korean subsidiaries of multinational companies increased, those by domestic companies declined.

Multinational companies accounted for 215 (81%) of the patents listed this year. A total of 31 multinational companies registered at least one new patent, with the group's total volume increasing by 15% compared to 187 listings in 2023.

Meanwhile, 17 domestic companies registered 49 patents, a 9% decrease from 54 registered last year. This marks the third-lowest annual patent count for domestic firms in the past decade.

Attention drawn to patent listings of Pfizer's 'Comirnaty'·Lilly's 'Mounjaro' 

Pfizer Korea recorded the highest number of listings among multinational companies, registering 49 new patents this year alone.

Pfizer focused on protecting its COVID-19 vaccine, Comirnaty, registering 36 related patents this year. Pfizer listed 13 cases the previous year.

Additionally, the company added eight patents for Prevenar 20, its next-generation pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, which expands serotype coverage from 13 to 20. Other Pfizer listings included three patents for the migraine treatment Nurtec, one for the prostate cancer drug Talzenna, and one for the COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid.

2025 New Patent Listings by Multinational Pharmaceutical Companies: (from top) Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Korea-Prevenar 20, Comirnaty, Nurtec; Eli Lilly Korea-Mounjaro, Trulicity, Taltz; Alvogen Korea-Adlarity, Vazkepa; Roche Korea- Itovebi, Evrysdi, Phesgo; Astellas Pharma Korea-Vyloy, Xtandi; Janssen Korea-Balversa; MSD Korea-Winrevair, Capvaxive; Recordati Korea-Isturisa; Handok Teva-Uzedy; BMS Korea-Augtyro; Novartis Korea-not specified; Sanofi-Aventis-not specified; Ipsen Korea-Bylvay; Takeda Pharmaceuticals Korea-Fruzaqla; Korea Otsuka Pharmaceutical-Abilify Asimtufii; Medison Pharma Korea-Amvuttra, and more.

Eli Lilly Korea followed with 18 listings, primarily focusing on its GLP-1 portfolio for obesity and diabetes. This included 12 patents for the obesity treatment Mounjaro, which was launched this year, and four for the diabetes treatment Trulicity. One patent was also listed for the severe psoriasis treatment Taltz.

Alvogen Korea registered 17 new patents, including 14 for Adlarity, a long-acting patch for Alzheimer's disease. Roche Korea also registered 17 patents, including six for the targeted breast cancer therapy Itovebi, four for the spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) treatment Evrysdi, and four for Phesgo (a subcutaneous formulation combining Herceptin + Perjeta).

Astellas Pharma Korea and Janssen Korea each listed 13 cases; AbbVie Korea has 12; MSD Korea has 8; Recordati Korea and Teva-Handok each have 7; and BMS and Novartis each have 6.

Domestic companies listed series of patents for flagship follow-on products...Hanmi>CKD>Daewoong/Jeil

Among domestic pharmaceutical companies, patent listings by Hanmi Pharm, Chong Kun Dang, Daewoong Pharmaceutical, and Jeil Pharmaceutical were noteworthy.

Hanmi Pharm registered seven new patents, including two for Sildapa (a sitagliptin·dapagliflozin combination for diabetes), three for a sitagliptin·dapagliflozin·metformin triple combination, one for the anti-inflammatory Rheuma Gel (ketoprofen), and one for Hanmi Tams ODT (tamsulosin), an orally disintegrating formulation for prostatic hyperplasia.

Chong Kun Dang registered six patents, five of which were related to Cantabell-A, a triple combination therapy (candesartan·amlodipine·atorvastatin) for hypertension and hyperlipidemia.

2025 New Patent Listings by Domestic Korean Companies: Hanmi Pharm-Sildapa M, Sildapa, Rheuma Gel, Hanmi Tams OD; Chong Kun Dang Pharm-Cantabell A, GTEC; Daewoong Pharmaceutical-Fexuclue; Jeil Pharmaceutical-Fetroja, Lonsurf; JW Pharmaceutical-Tavalisse; Taejoon Pharmaceutical-Diqua, Suprep; SAMOH Pharm-Voxzogo; Korea United Pharm-Cilo Duo, Rabeduo; HK inno.N-K-CAB; DuChemBio-ProstaSeek; LG Chem-Zemidapa; Vivozon Pharma-Unafra; Synex-Ledaga Gel; Shinpoong Pharm-Hyal Plus; Hankook Korus Pharm-Hyalos; Pharmbio Korea-Orafang; Handok-Vyxeos; Hyundai Pharm-DM Duo.

Daewoong Pharmaceutical listed five patents for its internally developed novel drug, Fexuclue. Jeil Pharmaceutical registered five patents: three for the cephalosporin antibiotic Fetroja and two for the metastatic colorectal·gastric cancer treatment Lonsurf. Fetroja, developed by Japan's Shionogi, is a cefiderocol antibiotic effective against multidrug-resistant bacteria; Jeil introduced it to the Korean market, obtaining approval in February and listing the patents in June.

Additionally, JW Pharmaceutical and Taejoon Pharmaceutical each listed 4, SAMOH Pharm and Korea United Pharm each listed 3, and HK inno.N and DuChemBio each listed 2. Companies including LG Chem, Vivozon Pharma, Synex, Shinpoong, Hankook Korus Pharm, Pharmbio Korea, Handok, and Hyundai Pharm each registered one patent.