[Incheon] RudaCure (CEO Yong Ho Kim), a biotech specializing in membrane-protein and ion-channel targeted therapeutics, announced on August 13 that the Japan Patent Office (JPO) has granted a patent (Patent No. 7904628) for its next-generation TRPV1-targeted non-opioid analgesic peptide technology.
The granted patent, titled "Novel Peptides and Uses Thereof" (新規ペプチドおよびその用途, Application No. JP 2024-513214), secures exclusive intellectual property rights in Japan for the substance and therapeutic applications of RCI002, RudaCure’s core pipeline candidate for acute, chronic, and neuropathic pain.
Patent Overview
| Title of Invention | Novel Peptides and Uses Thereof (新規ペプチドおよびその用途) |
| Patent Number | Japan Patent No. 7904628 (JP 7904628 B2) |
| Application Number | JP 2024-513214 (PCT/KR2023/016946) |
| Priority Claim | 10-2023-0026404 (Republic of Korea, Feb 28, 2023) |
| Registration / Issue Date | Registered Aug 4, 2026 / Gazette Published Aug 13, 2026 |
| Patentee | RudaCure Corporation (ルダキュア コーポレーション) |
| Inventors | Yong Ho Kim, Seung Hoon Kim, Ha Won Jeon, Ye Won Chang |
| Target Pipeline | RCI002 (TRPV1-targeted non-opioid first-in-class analgesic) |
Strengthening Global IP and Accelerating Commercialization
A RudaCure representative stated, "The grant of this Japanese patent is formal recognition by a premier global patent authority of RCI002’s differentiated mechanism of action and robust analgesic efficacy. We will continue advancing patent prosecutions in the United States, Europe, China, and other major markets to reinforce our global licensing-out (L/O) and clinical development partnerships."
▶ Download Official Japan Patent Certificate (PDF)
[Correction notice · 15 September 2026] The mechanism of action described for RCI002 (RC-0165) in this article reflects the company's position at the time of publication. Naloxone was subsequently shown to fully block analgesia in the MIA osteoarthritis model, and the company has corrected the description: RCI002 is not a TRPV1-MOR dual-target non-opioid analgesic but a mu-opioid receptor (MOR) agonist administered by intra-articular injection. The current description is on the pipeline page.
[Data provenance] The earlier TRPV1 inhibition data for RC-0165 were generated by Professor Yong Ho Kim’s team at Gachon University.