Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 04, 2026
Application No. 17/768,706

COMPOUNDS WITH IMPROVED PHARMACOKINETICS FOR IMAGING AND THERAPY OF CANCER

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Apr 13, 2022
Priority
Dec 19, 2019 — EU 19217951.3 +1 more
Examiner
PERREIRA, MELISSA JEAN
Art Unit
1618
Tech Center
1600 — Biotechnology & Organic Chemistry
Assignee
Technische Universität München
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
52%
Grant Probability
Moderate
1-2
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
78%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 52% of resolved cases
52%
Career Allowance Rate
435 granted / 836 resolved
-8.0% vs TC avg
Strong +26% interview lift
Without
With
+25.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 9m
Avg Prosecution
35 currently pending
Career history
877
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.0%
-38.0% vs TC avg
§103
56.1%
+16.1% vs TC avg
§102
12.7%
-27.3% vs TC avg
§112
16.5%
-23.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 836 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 . Election/Restrictions Applicant’s election without traverse of group II in the reply filed on 6/3/26 is acknowledged. Claims 4,21-31,35 and 36 are canceled in the amendment filed 5/8/26. The claims 39-43 are newly added in the amendment filed 6/3/26, were searched and are therefore joined to the claims of group II. Claim Objections Claims 32 and 39 are objected to because of the following informalities: the structures PNG media_image1.png 130 590 media_image1.png Greyscale and PNG media_image2.png 144 600 media_image2.png Greyscale appear to be cutoff as they do not fully contain the terminal amino groups. Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action: A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made. Claim(s) 32-34 and 37-43 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Roivainen et al. (J Nucl Med 2013; 54:867-872) in view of Cappelletti et al. (US 2011/0052491A1) and in further view of Tweedle et al. (US 5,846,519). Roivainen et al. (J Nucl Med 2013; 54:867-872) discloses the gastrin-releasing peptide antagonist 68Ga-BAY 86-7548 (68Ga-DOTA-4-amino -1-carboxymethylpiperidine-D-Phe-Gln-Trp-Ala-Val-Gly-His-Sta-Leu-NH2, RM2) PNG media_image3.png 126 480 media_image3.png Greyscale (p867, left column, third paragraph; p870, Discussion). Roivainen et al. does not disclose Me-Trp. Cappelletti et al. (US 2011/0052491A1) discloses compounds for targeting GRP receptors comprising M-N-O-P-G wherein M is a metal chelator, N-O-P comprises an amino acid linker and G is a GRP targeting receptor peptide (p2, [0013-0014],[0016-0019]; p39, [0244]). M comprises DOTA, etc. (p2, [0014]; p8, [0148]; p9, [0153]). The G moiety GRP targeting receptor peptide comprises D-Phe-Q-αMeWAVGHLM-NH2 (SEQ ID NO: 30) (p27, Table 3; L410, Table 4A; claim 108). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to substitute the tryptophan (Trp, W) of 68Ga-BAY 86-7548 with the Me-Trp (αMeW) of Cappelletti et al. as the substitution as one known amino acid for another known and comparable amino acid predictably provides an analogous GRP peptide targeting compound with a reasonable expectation of success. Roivainen et al. does not disclose 177Lu or a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, excipient or diluent. Cappelletti et al. further discloses that the metal chelators may be complexed with a radionuclide, such as 68Ga, 177Lu, etc. (p2, [0014]; p9, [0154]). The compounds for targeting GRP receptors can be administered as a composition comprising excipients, diluents, carriers, etc. that are all well-known in the art (p39, [0243]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to substitute the 68Ga of Roivainen et al. for the 177Lu of Cappelletti et al. as the substitution of one known radionuclide for another known radionuclide predictably provides an analogous GRP peptide targeting compound used for radiotherapy with a reasonable expectation of success. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to prepare the resulting GRP peptide targeting compound in a composition comprising excipients, diluents and/or carriers of Cappelletti et al. for effective administration for GRP targeting for the advantage of radiotherapy with a reasonable expectation of success. Roivainen et al. does not explicitly disclose the chelator PNG media_image4.png 100 136 media_image4.png Greyscale . Cappelletti et al. further discloses of the metal chelators, such as DOTA, etc. (p7, [0146]; p9, [0153]) and those incorporated by reference, such as US 5,846,519 (p8, [0148]). Tweedle et al. (US 5,846,519) discloses macrocyclic chelating agents comprise PNG media_image5.png 156 236 media_image5.png Greyscale wherein Y is NR1; R1 is PNG media_image6.png 42 112 media_image6.png Greyscale , etc.; R2 is H, etc. that are used to chelate metal ions, such as 68Ga, etc. (column 2, lines 48-58; column 4, lines 1+). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to substitute the DOTA chelator of Roivainen et al. for the macrocyclic chelator (DOTA derivative) of Tweedle et al. as the substitution of one known DOTA chelator for another known DOTA chelator derivative predictably provides an analogous GRP peptide targeting compound chelated to a radionuclide, such as 68Ga for the advantage of radiotherapy with a reasonable expectation of success. Conclusion No claims are allowed at this time. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MELISSA JEAN PERREIRA whose telephone number is (571)272-1354. The examiner can normally be reached M9-3, T9-3, W9-3, Th9-2, F9-2. 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, Michael Hartley can be reached at 571-272-0616. 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. /MELISSA J PERREIRA/ Examiner, Art Unit 1618
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Apr 13, 2022
Application Filed
Mar 18, 2026
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
Mar 18, 2026
Examiner Interview Summary
Aug 20, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (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

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
52%
Grant Probability
78%
With Interview (+25.8%)
3y 9m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 836 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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