Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/001,260

EFFECTS OF CELL-FREE FAT LIQUID EXTRACT ON MACROPHAGE POLARIZATION MODULATION AND DISEASE TREATMENT

Non-Final OA §112
Filed
Dec 08, 2022
Priority
Jun 10, 2020 — CN 202010525082.7 +1 more
Examiner
BOECKELMAN, JACOB A
Art Unit
1655
Tech Center
1600 — Biotechnology & Organic Chemistry
Assignee
Shanghai Seme Cell Technology Co. Ltd.
OA Round
3 (Non-Final)
36%
Grant Probability
At Risk
3-4
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
82%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants only 36% of cases
36%
Career Allowance Rate
88 granted / 243 resolved
-23.8% vs TC avg
Strong +46% interview lift
Without
With
+46.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 1m
Avg Prosecution
88 currently pending
Career history
350
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.6%
-38.4% vs TC avg
§103
84.9%
+44.9% vs TC avg
§102
3.4%
-36.6% vs TC avg
§112
3.0%
-37.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 243 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 . Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114 A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 03/11/2026 has been entered. Response to Amendment Applicant's amendment and argument filed 03/11/2026 in response to the non-final rejection, are acknowledged and have been fully considered. Any previous rejection or objection not mentioned herein is withdrawn. The declaration under 37 CFR 1.132 filed March 11, 2026 is sufficient to overcome the rejection of claims 1, 3-8, 10-12, 16 and 18 based upon 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Michiko Kishino et. al. (WO1998032458A1), Atsushi Nakagomi et. at. (Role of the central nervous system and adipose tissue BDNF/TrkB axes in metabolic regulation, NPJ: Aging and Mechanisms of Disease July 2015, 15009) and Ziyou Yu et. al. (From IDS, Fat extract promotes angiogenesis in a murine model of limb ischemia: a novel cell-free therapeutic strategy, Stem Cell Research and Therapy, 2018, 9:294). The declaration under 37 CFR 1.132 filed March 11, 2026 is sufficient to overcome the rejection of claim 17 based upon 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Michiko Kishino et. al. (WO1998032458A1), Atsushi Nakagomi et. at. (Role of the central nervous system and adipose tissue BDNF/TrkB axes in metabolic regulation, NPJ: Aging and Mechanisms of Disease July 2015, 15009) and Ziyou Yu et. al. (From IDS, Fat extract promotes angiogenesis in a murine model of limb ischemia: a novel cell-free therapeutic strategy, Stem Cell Research and Therapy, 2018, 9:294) as applied to claims 1, 3-8, 10-12, 16 and 18 above, and further in view of Chun-Jen Liao et. al. (US20050139704A1). Claims 1, 3-8, 10-12 and 16-18 are pending and being examined on the merits. 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 5 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. Claim 5 is confusing because it is not clear what the numbering (ii-1), (ii-2), (ii-3) relates back to, originate to, or how it makes the limitations clearer. Also there is no “and” between (ii-2) and (ii-3) after the semicolon of the second item. The claim is confusing and indefinite. Claim 8 is confusing for the same reasons above. It is not clear what the numberings (iv-1) and (iv-2) relates back to, originate to, or how it makes the limitations clearer. Also there is no “and” between two elements recited as selected from the group consisting of. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d): (d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers. The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph: Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers. Claims 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. The claims as currently written do not further limit the claim from which they depend. Claim 1 requires some of the same components being claimed and which can be selected in claims 10-12 and so selecting those components would not further limit claim 1. The claims would appear to be more properly worded by reciting “wherein the cell-free extract further comprises one more components selected from the group consisting of …” and not recite the IGF-1, BDNF, GDNF, and VEGF of claim 1). Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 1, 3-4, 6-7 and 16-18 are allowed. Claims 5, 8 and 10-12 stand rejected. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACOB ANDREW BOECKELMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-0043. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5pm. 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, Anand Desai can be reached at 571-272-0947. 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. JACOB A BOECKELMAN Examiner, Art Unit 1655 /ANAND U DESAI/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1655
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Dec 08, 2022
Application Filed
Jul 28, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §112
Oct 27, 2025
Response Filed
Dec 18, 2025
Final Rejection mailed — §112
Mar 11, 2026
Request for Continued Examination
Mar 11, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Mar 17, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Jun 05, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12661382
METHOD FOR OBTAINING OLEOCANTHAL TYPE SECOIRIDOIDS AND FOR PRODUCING RESPECTIVE PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS
4y 10m to grant Granted Jun 23, 2026
Patent 12661375
NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
4y 7m to grant Granted Jun 23, 2026
Patent 12622933
Method for Improving Eye Condition
3y 7m to grant Granted May 12, 2026
Patent 12622938
COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR MODULATING INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE
2y 11m to grant Granted May 12, 2026
Patent 12622940
COMBINED FUNGAL COMPOSITION FOR MODULATING AN INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE
2y 9m to grant Granted May 12, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

Strategy Recommendation AI-generated — please review before filing

Get a prosecution strategy drawn from examiner precedents, rejection analysis, and claim mapping.
Typically takes 5-10 seconds — AI-generated, attorney review required before filing

Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
36%
Grant Probability
82%
With Interview (+46.0%)
3y 1m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 243 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance 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