Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Application No. 16/611,998

LIVER ORGANOID COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING SAME

Final Rejection §112
Filed
Nov 08, 2019
Priority
Jun 09, 2017 — provisional 62/517,414 +2 more
Examiner
MONTANARI, DAVID A
Art Unit
1632
Tech Center
1600 — Biotechnology & Organic Chemistry
Assignee
Japan Science And Technology Agency
OA Round
6 (Final)
65%
Grant Probability
Favorable
7-8
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 65% — above average
65%
Career Allowance Rate
494 granted / 759 resolved
+5.1% vs TC avg
Strong +50% interview lift
Without
With
+49.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 9m
Avg Prosecution
32 currently pending
Career history
805
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.7%
-38.3% vs TC avg
§103
53.7%
+13.7% vs TC avg
§102
10.0%
-30.0% vs TC avg
§112
28.2%
-11.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 759 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Applicant’s arguments and amendments filed on 11/5/2025 have been entered. Claim 1 has been amended. In view of Applicant’s amendments to claim 1 the 112 written desc. rejection, 112(b) and 103 rejections are withdrawn. Claims 1-5, 24-27 and 29-41 are examined in the instant application. There are multiple IDSs that have not been considered …please consider all the IDSs Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a): (a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention. The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112: The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Claims 1-5, 24-27 and 29-41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Applicants have amended claim 1 to recite that the “organoid self-assembles”. Applicants cite the teachings of Asai et al. as providing support for this amendment via incorporation by reference. However, a review of the teachings in Asai et al. do not provide support for the claimed organoid that self organizes as claimed. Asai et al. produces an organoid by a materially distinct process which does not use a FGF pathway activator, does not use retinoic acid and does not produce posterior gut spheroids as instantly claimed. Thus, the teaching of Asai et al. cannot be relied upon for providing support for the new claim limitation. A search of the instant specification and originally filed claims also does not provide support for the new amendment. Accordingly, the claims are rejected under new matter. Conclusion No claims are allowed. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID A MONTANARI whose telephone number is (571)272-3108. The examiner can normally be reached M-Tr 8-6. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Peter Paras can be reached at 571-272-4517. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. DAVID A. MONTANARI Examiner Art Unit 1632 /ANOOP K SINGH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1632
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Prosecution Timeline

Show 9 earlier events
Mar 25, 2025
Final Rejection mailed — §112
May 12, 2025
Interview Requested
Jun 13, 2025
Examiner Interview Summary
Jun 25, 2025
Request for Continued Examination
Jun 27, 2025
Response after Non-Final Action
Aug 08, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §112
Nov 05, 2025
Response Filed
Mar 06, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §112 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

7-8
Expected OA Rounds
65%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+49.6%)
3y 9m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 759 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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