Chemical Compounds for Treating Hepatitis C Virus
A patent describing specific chemical structures designed to stop the Hepatitis C virus from replicating in humans.
Original patent title: “Antiviral compounds”
A patent describing specific chemical structures designed to stop the Hepatitis C virus from replicating in humans. Granted to Gilead Pharmasset LLC in 2014 with 24 claims and 11 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent defines a series of chemical structures, specifically compounds containing benzimidazolyl and heteroaryl rings, that act as antiviral agents. These molecules are engineered to interfere with the life cycle of the Hepatitis C virus (HCV). By administering these compounds, as described in claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more → 16 and 17, the patent outlines a method to inhibit the virus's ability to multiply within a human patient. The patent also covers the pharmaceutical compositions, meaning the specific mixtures of these chemicals with carriers that allow them to be safely delivered as medicine.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover general antiviral treatments for viruses other than Hepatitis C.
- Does not cover natural, non-synthetic chemical compounds found in nature.
- Does not cover methods of treating HCV using different chemical scaffolds not defined by the specific formulas in the claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →.
- Does not cover medical devices or diagnostic tools for detecting the virus.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in the specific arrangement of the benzimidazolyl and heteroaryl groups, which allows the molecule to bind precisely to viral proteins, effectively shutting down the virus's replication machinery.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Direct-acting antiviral medications for Hepatitis C
Pharmaceutical formulations for oral HCV therapy
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent is part of the intellectual property portfolio that enabled the development of highly effective direct-acting antivirals for Hepatitis C. These drugs transformed HCV from a chronic, often fatal condition into a curable disease. It represents a significant milestone in medicinal chemistry and public health.
Filed
July 31, 2013
Granted
September 2, 2014
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Gilead Sciences continues to be the primary entity building on this technology, having utilized these types of chemical scaffolds to develop blockbuster HCV treatments. Other major pharmaceutical companies in the antiviral space also reference these structural motifs when researching next-generation treatments.
Market impact
This patent helped secure the market dominance of direct-acting antivirals, which effectively cured a massive global patient population. It triggered intense competition in the pharmaceutical sector and led to a significant shift in how chronic viral infections are managed and treated globally.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent defines a series of chemical structures, specifically compounds containing benzimidazolyl and heteroaryl rings, that act as antiviral agents. These molecules are engineered to interfere with the life cycle of the Hepatitis C virus (HCV). By administering these compounds, as described in claims 16 and 17, the patent outlines a method to inhibit the virus's ability to multiply within a human patient. The patent also covers the pharmaceutical compositions, meaning the specific mixtures of these chemicals with carriers that allow them to be safely delivered as medicine.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in the specific arrangement of the benzimidazolyl and heteroaryl groups, which allows the molecule to bind precisely to viral proteins, effectively shutting down the virus's replication machinery.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover general antiviral treatments for viruses other than Hepatitis C.
- Does not cover natural, non-synthetic chemical compounds found in nature.
- Does not cover methods of treating HCV using different chemical scaffolds not defined by the specific formulas in the claims.
- Does not cover medical devices or diagnostic tools for detecting the virus.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
22/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
16/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
5/20
Granted 10–20 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$234K – $749K
Midpoint $468K · 7.1 yr remaining · industry ×3.0
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
24 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Liu, Q., Liu, H., Parrish, J. P., Halcomb, R. L., Cho, A., Bacon, E. M., Schroeder, S. D., Desai, M. C., Guo, H., Watkins, W. J., Lazerwith, S. E., Trenkle, J. D., Cottell, J. J., Krygowski, E. S., Saugier, J. H., Sun, J., Mackman, R. L., Canales, E., Xu, L., ..., & Kato, D. (2014). Chemical Compounds for Treating Hepatitis C Virus (U.S. Patent No. 8,822,430). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8822430/epclusa-sofosbuvir-velpatasvir
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Chemical Compounds for Treating Hepatitis C Virus cover?
A patent describing specific chemical structures designed to stop the Hepatitis C virus from replicating in humans.
Who owns patent US 8822430?
Gilead Pharmasset LLC owns this patent, granted in 2014.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on September 2, 2034, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 8822430 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 11 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent is part of the intellectual property portfolio that enabled the development of highly effective direct-acting antivirals for Hepatitis C. These drugs transformed HCV from a chronic, often fatal condition into a curable disease. It represents a significant milestone in medicinal chemistry and public health.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover general antiviral treatments for viruses other than Hepatitis C.
Same assignee
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