# Gilead's Chemical Compounds for Treating HIV Infections

> This patent covers specific chemical structures designed to block HIV from replicating in human cells, providing a foundation for new antiviral medications.

- **Patent:** US 9216996
- **Original title:** Substituted 2,3,4,5,7,9,13,13a-octahydropyrido[1′,2′:4,5]pyrazino[2,1-b][1,3]oxazepines and methods for treating viral infections
- **Owner:** Gilead Sciences Inc
- **Granted:** 2015
- **Status:** Active
- **Times cited:** 35
- **Field:** biotech, pharmaceutical

## What it does

This patent claims specific chemical structures known as substituted octahydropyrido-pyrazino-oxazepines. These molecules act as inhibitors, which means they are designed to bind to viral proteins to stop the HIV virus from completing its life cycle. By preventing the virus from integrating its genetic material into the host cell, these compounds help reduce the viral load in a patient. The patent also covers the pharmaceutical formulations, such as pills or liquids, that combine these active chemical compounds with carriers or diluents for safe delivery into the body.

## What it does NOT cover

- Does not cover general classes of HIV drugs like protease inhibitors or reverse transcriptase inhibitors.
- Does not cover the biological process of HIV infection itself.
- Does not cover other chemical structures that fall outside the specific formula defined in the claims.
- Does not cover methods of manufacturing the chemical precursors used to synthesize these compounds.

## The clever bit

The innovation lies in the specific tricyclic scaffold—the octahydropyrido[1',2':4,5]pyrazino[2,1-b][1,3]oxazepine core—which provides a rigid, three-dimensional shape that fits precisely into the viral enzyme's active site, blocking its function more effectively than previous, more flexible molecules.

## Real-world examples

1. Experimental HIV antiviral drug candidates
2. Pre-clinical pharmaceutical research compounds

## Why it matters

Gilead Sciences is a leader in HIV therapy, and this patent represents the intellectual property protecting specific candidates in their drug development pipeline. These compounds are part of the ongoing effort to create more effective, better-tolerated, or longer-lasting treatments for HIV patients. Such patents are essential for pharmaceutical companies to justify the massive costs of clinical trials and regulatory approval.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does Gilead's Chemical Compounds for Treating HIV Infections cover?

This patent covers specific chemical structures designed to block HIV from replicating in human cells, providing a foundation for new antiviral medications.

### Who owns patent US 9216996?

Gilead Sciences Inc owns this patent, granted in 2015.

### When does this patent expire?

This patent is expected to expire on December 22, 2035, when the invention enters the public domain.

### What is patent US 9216996 cited by?

This patent has been cited by 35 later patents that build on its ideas.

### What problem does this patent solve?

Gilead Sciences is a leader in HIV therapy, and this patent represents the intellectual property protecting specific candidates in their drug development pipeline. These compounds are part of the ongoing effort to create more effective, better-tolerated, or longer-lasting treatments for HIV patients. Such patents are essential for pharmaceutical companies to justify the massive costs of clinical trials and regulatory approval.

### What does this patent NOT cover?

Does not cover general classes of HIV drugs like protease inhibitors or reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

**Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9216996/genvoya-elvitegravir-cobicistat-taf-ftc

**Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US9216996

---

_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._