Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 17/594,474

Bifunctional chimeric heterocyclic compounds for targeted degradation of androgen receptors and use thereof

Final Rejection §112§DP
Filed
Oct 18, 2021
Examiner
COLEMAN, BRENDA LIBBY
Art Unit
1624
Tech Center
1600 — Biotechnology & Organic Chemistry
Assignee
Hinova Pharmaceuticals Inc.
OA Round
4 (Final)
75%
Grant Probability
Favorable
5-6
OA Rounds
2y 7m
To Grant
90%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 75% — above average
75%
Career Allow Rate
1201 granted / 1604 resolved
+14.9% vs TC avg
Strong +15% interview lift
Without
With
+15.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 7m
Avg Prosecution
46 currently pending
Career history
1650
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.5%
-38.5% vs TC avg
§103
5.8%
-34.2% vs TC avg
§102
16.9%
-23.1% vs TC avg
§112
52.3%
+12.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1604 resolved cases

Office Action

§112 §DP
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 . Claims 1, 17-19, 21, 24, 25 and 27 are pending in the application. This action is in response to applicants' amendment dated December 11, 2025. Claims 17, 25 and 27 have been amended and claims 20 and 22 have been canceled. Response to Amendment Applicant's arguments filed December 11, 2025 have been fully considered with the following effect: With regards to the 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph rejection, labeled paragraph 1) maintained in the last office action, the applicant’s amendments and remarks have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicants stated that claim 16 was previously cancelled and replaced by claim 27 with essentially the same scope, which it is herein acknowledge that the reference to claim 16 was a cut and paste error, however claim 16 was not part of the rejection nor was newly added claim 27. Pointing to the claims with respect to the rejection, i.e. claims 17-20 and 22, it is acknowledged that claims 20 and 22 have been canceled thus the rejection is herein maintained with respect to claims 17-19. The applicants stated that Claim 17 is amended to recite only those compounds of claim 27 and further, the diseases are only limited to “prostate cancer, breast cancer, and Kennedy’s disease”. However, this is not so. Only claim 21 is limited to prostate cancer, breast cancer, and Kennedy’s disease and thus as stated in the last office action is enable and thus is not included in the enablement rejection. Claims 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, because the specification, while being enabling for prostate cancer, breast cancer, and Kennedy’s disease, does not reasonably provide enablement for targeting chimeras regulated by androgen receptors. The specification does not enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention commensurate in scope with these claims, for reasons of record and stated above. The applicant's amendments and arguments are sufficient to overcome the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph rejections, labeled paragraph 2eee) in the last office action, which is hereby withdrawn. With regards to the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph rejections, labeled paragraph 7a) maintained in the last office action, the applicant’s amendments and remarks have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. a) The applicants’ failed to comment on this rejection which is herein reiterated. Claim 1 and claims dependent thereon are vague and indefinite in that it is not known what is meant by the definition of X0 where the definition includes the moiety NHCH3 which is a monovalent moiety, however, X0 is a divalent variable. Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which applicant regards as the invention, for reasons of record and stated above. The applicant's amendments and arguments are sufficient to overcome the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph rejections, labeled paragraph 8a), b), c), d), e), f), g) and h) in the last office action, which are hereby withdrawn. With regards to the provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection as being unpatentable over claims 1-8 of copending Application No. 18/950,929 of the last office action, the applicants request that the Examiner hold the rejection over the 18/950,929 Application in abeyance until there is allowable subject matter. Claims 1, 7-19, 21, 24, 25 and 27 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-8 of copending Application No. 18/950,929, for reasons of record and stated above. With regards to the provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection as being unpatentable over claims 1-18 of copending Application No. 18/950,818 of the last office action, the applicants request that the Examiner hold the rejection over the 18/950,818 Application in abeyance until there is allowable subject matter. Claims 1, 7-19, 21, 24, 25 and 27 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-18 of copending Application No. 18/950,818, for reasons of record and stated above. Conclusion THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 BRENDA L COLEMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-0665. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10-6 (flex). 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 H. 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. /BRENDA L COLEMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1624
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Oct 18, 2021
Application Filed
Aug 07, 2024
Non-Final Rejection — §112, §DP
Dec 12, 2024
Response Filed
Feb 18, 2025
Final Rejection — §112, §DP
Jul 07, 2025
Interview Requested
Jul 17, 2025
Examiner Interview Summary
Jul 17, 2025
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
Jul 21, 2025
Request for Continued Examination
Jul 22, 2025
Response after Non-Final Action
Aug 11, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §112, §DP
Nov 13, 2025
Response Filed
Dec 11, 2025
Response Filed
Jan 26, 2026
Final Rejection — §112, §DP
Apr 05, 2026
Interview Requested
Apr 14, 2026
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
Apr 15, 2026
Examiner Interview Summary

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12595228
PROCESS FOR SYNTHESIZING TRIARYLMETHANE SULFONE COMPOUNDS
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 07, 2026
Patent 12595259
AMINOPYRIDINE COMPOUND
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 07, 2026
Patent 12590081
FUSED IMIDAZOLE DERIVATIVES, PREPARATION METHOD AND MEDICINAL USE THEREOF
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 31, 2026
Patent 12575569
METHODS OF CONTROLLING OR PREVENTING INFESTATION OF RICE PLANTS BY THE PHYTOPATHOGENIC MICROORGANISM GIBBERELLA FUJIKUROI
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 17, 2026
Patent 12577262
FUNCTIONALIZED GOLD CARBENE NAPTHAQUINONE COMPLEXES FOR USE IN THE TREATMENT OF CANCER
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 17, 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
75%
Grant Probability
90%
With Interview (+15.4%)
2y 7m
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 1604 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