Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 17/497,633

HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS AS INHIBITORS OF MONOACYLGLYCEROL LIPASE (MAGL)

Final Rejection §102
Filed
Oct 08, 2021
Examiner
BURKETT, DANIEL JOHN
Art Unit
1624
Tech Center
1600 — Biotechnology & Organic Chemistry
Assignee
Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc.
OA Round
4 (Final)
68%
Grant Probability
Favorable
5-6
OA Rounds
3y 5m
To Grant
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 68% — above average
68%
Career Allow Rate
51 granted / 75 resolved
+8.0% vs TC avg
Strong +28% interview lift
Without
With
+28.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 5m
Avg Prosecution
49 currently pending
Career history
124
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.3%
-36.7% vs TC avg
§103
20.1%
-19.9% vs TC avg
§102
17.1%
-22.9% vs TC avg
§112
39.2%
-0.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 75 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . Status of Claims Claims 33-39, 41-54, and 57-58 are pending in the instant application. Claims 1-32, 40, and 55-56 have been canceled. Withdrawn Rejections/Objections Applicant’s amendment is sufficient to overcome the rejection of Claims 33-48 and 51-54 under 35 U.S.C. 112(a). Applicant’s cancellation of claim 40 renders the rejection thereof moot. This rejection is hereby withdrawn. Applicant’s amendment is sufficient to overcome the rejection of Claims 33-37, 40-43, 46, and 51-52 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1). Applicant’s cancellation of Claim 40 renders the rejection thereof moot. These rejections are hereby withdrawn. The following rejections are necessitated by amendment: Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action. Claims 33-37, 41-43, 46, and 51-52 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CAS Registry File (1110985-63-1, entered into STN February 24th, 2009; obtained from the internet February 2nd, 2026; hereinafter referred to as CAS Registry File 1). CAS Registry File teaches a compound of the following formula: PNG media_image1.png 245 548 media_image1.png Greyscale This compound reads on a compound of formula (I) as recited at instant Claim 33 when the variables are defined as follows: R1, R2, R6, and R7 are each hydrogen. R3 is hydrogen. R4 is hydrogen. R5 is hydrogen. L1 is a covalent bond. A is phenyl. RA1 is the group PNG media_image2.png 72 109 media_image2.png Greyscale , wherein L2 is a covalent bond, B is C2-heteroaryl, wherein C2-heteroaryl is oxadiazolyl, wherein RB1 is the group PNG media_image3.png 82 99 media_image3.png Greyscale , wherein L4 is a covalent bond, D is C3 cycloalkyl, and RD1, RD2, and RD3 are each hydrogen. RA2 is hydrogen. RA3 is hydrogen. Claims 33-39, 41-43, 46, and 51-52 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CAS Registry File (1111141-31-1; entered into STN February 24th, 2009; obtained from the internet February 2nd, 2026; hereinafter referred to as CAS Registry File 2). CAS Registry File 2 teaches a compound of the following structure: PNG media_image4.png 230 578 media_image4.png Greyscale This compound reads on a compound of formula (I) as recited at instant Claim 33 when the variables are defined as follows: R1, R2, R6, and R7 are each hydrogen. R3 is methyl. R4 is hydrogen. R5 is hydrogen. L1 is a covalent bond. A is phenyl. RA1 is the group PNG media_image2.png 72 109 media_image2.png Greyscale , wherein L2 is a covalent bond, B is C2-heteroaryl, wherein C2-heteroaryl is oxadiazolyl, wherein RB1 is the group PNG media_image3.png 82 99 media_image3.png Greyscale , wherein L4 is a covalent bond, D is C3 cycloalkyl, and RD1, RD2, and RD3 are each hydrogen. RA2 is hydrogen. RA3 is hydrogen. Claims 33-37, 41-44, 46-47, and 51-52 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CAS Registry File 1110985-61-9 (entered into STN February 24th, 2009; obtained from the internet February 2nd, 2026; hereinafter referred to as CAS Registry File 3). CAS Registry File teaches a compound of the formula: PNG media_image5.png 236 528 media_image5.png Greyscale R1, R2, R6, and R7 are each hydrogen. R3 is hydrogen. R4 is hydrogen. R5 is hydrogen. L1 is a covalent bond. A is phenyl. RA1 is the group PNG media_image2.png 72 109 media_image2.png Greyscale , wherein L2 is a covalent bond, B is C2-heteroaryl, wherein C2-heteroaryl is oxadiazolyl, wherein RB1 is C3-alkyl. RA2 is hydrogen. RA3 is hydrogen. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 49-50 and 57-58 are allowed. Claims 45, 48, and 53-54 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Conclusion Claims 33-39, 41-44, 46-47, and 51-52 are rejected. Claims 45, 48, and 53-54 are objected to. Claims 49-50 and 57-58 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 DANIEL JOHN BURKETT whose telephone number is (703)756-5390. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday. 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, Jeffrey Murray can be reached at (571) 272-9023. 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. /D.J.B./Examiner, Art Unit 1624 /JEFFREY H MURRAY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1624
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Oct 08, 2021
Application Filed
Dec 09, 2024
Non-Final Rejection — §102
Jun 09, 2025
Response Filed
Jun 30, 2025
Final Rejection — §102
Oct 03, 2025
Request for Continued Examination
Oct 07, 2025
Response after Non-Final Action
Oct 28, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §102
Jan 30, 2026
Response Filed
Feb 23, 2026
Final Rejection — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12590061
CRYSTALLINE FORM OF ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE INHIBITOR AND PREPARATION METHOD THEREFOR AND APPLICATION THEREOF
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 31, 2026
Patent 12583870
AZAHETEROARYL COMPOUND AND APPLICATION THEREOF
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
Patent 12582661
SYNTHESIS AND APPLICATION OF CLASS OF RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS INHIBITORS
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
Patent 12577252
DRUG FOR THE TREATMENT OF DISEASES CAUSED BY BACTERIA
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 17, 2026
Patent 12569485
SMARCA INHIBITORS AND USES THEREOF
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 10, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

AI Strategy Recommendation

Get an AI-powered prosecution strategy using examiner precedents, rejection analysis, and claim mapping.
Powered by AI — typically takes 5-10 seconds

Prosecution Projections

5-6
Expected OA Rounds
68%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+28.2%)
3y 5m
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 75 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

Sign in with your work email

Enter your email to receive a magic link. No password needed.

Personal email addresses (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) are not accepted.

Free tier: 3 strategy analyses per month