DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-14 are currently pending in the instant application. Claim 1 is allowed. Claims 2-10 are objected. Claims 7 and 8 are rejected. Claims 11-14 are withdrawn from consideration as being for non-elected subject matter.
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 I, claims 1-10 in the reply filed on 22 September 2025 is acknowledged.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1 is allowed. The closest prior art of record is US2004/0167176. US 2004/0167176 provides processes for preparing the formula I:
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, such as seen in example 1, wherein the compound
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is prepared, see steps (f) and (g) on page 11 wherein 3-(4-imidazol-1-ylmethylphenyl)-5-isobutylthiophene-2-sulfonamide:
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from step (f) was dissolved in pyridine followed by addition of pyrrolidineopyridine and butyl chloroformate. However, the closest prior art does not utilize an acid addition salt of the compound of 3-(4-imidazol-1-ylmethylphenyl)-5-isobutylthiophene-2-sulfonamide, nor does the prior art reference provide any direction or motivation to add an additional step of forming an acid addition salt of the compound 3-(4-imidazol-1-ylmethylphenyl)-5-isobutylthiophene-2-sulfonamide before reaction with the formula III.
Claim Objections
Claims 2-10 are objected to because of the following informalities: Dependent claims 2-10 begin with an “A” and should instead begin with a “The” in reference back to the original “A process” in claim 1. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 7 and 8 are 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 the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Specifically, claims 7 and 8 recite the limitation “wherein the weak base is” in reference to claim 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim as there is no “a weak base” in claim 1. Claim 6 is the first claim to introduce the limitation of “a weak base” in the removal of Z. It is suggested that claims 7 and 8 be amended to be dependent upon claim 6.
Conclusion
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/REBECCA L ANDERSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1626 ____________________ 9 January 2026
Rebecca Anderson
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1626, Group 1620
Technology Center 1600