Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/041,527

sBCMA Variants and FC Fusion Proteins Thereof

Non-Final OA §101§102§103
Filed
Feb 13, 2023
Examiner
DENT, ALANA HARRIS
Art Unit
1643
Tech Center
1600 — Biotechnology & Organic Chemistry
Assignee
The Board Of Trustees Of The Leland Stanford Junior University
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
44%
Grant Probability
Moderate
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 11m
To Grant
77%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 44% of resolved cases
44%
Career Allow Rate
324 granted / 730 resolved
-15.6% vs TC avg
Strong +33% interview lift
Without
With
+32.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 11m
Avg Prosecution
62 currently pending
Career history
792
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
11.0%
-29.0% vs TC avg
§103
29.7%
-10.3% vs TC avg
§102
23.1%
-16.9% vs TC avg
§112
27.4%
-12.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 730 resolved cases

Office Action

§101 §102 §103
DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . 2. Claims 1-10, 13-15, 18-20 and 23-29 are pending. Claims 11, 12, 16, 17, 21, 22 and 30-78 have been cancelled. Claims 1-10, 13-15, 18-20 and 23-29 are examined on the merits. Claim Objections 3. Claims 4-10, 13-15, 18-20 and 23-28 are objected to under 37 CFR 1.75(c) as being in improper form because a multiple dependent claim cannot depend from any other multiple dependent claim(s). See MPEP § 608.01(n). Accordingly, the claims have not been further treated on the merits. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101 4. 35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows: Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title. 5. The claimed invention (claims 1-3 and 29) is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claim(s) does/do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because it reads on a composition of matter and product of nature, a natural product, amino acid sequence, SEQ ID NO: 1. The claimed polypeptide comprising at least one amino acid substitution is a natural product that exists in nature. The polypeptide is identified as a tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 17 or a B-cell maturation protein, see sequence alignments and information therein. The combination of additional elements such as pharmaceutical preparation, pharmaceutical composition does not add a meaningful limitation as it is merely a nominal or token extra-solution component listed in the claims and is nothing more than an attempt to generally link the product of nature to a particular technology. The naturally occurring polypeptide and additional elements, separate and in combination, do not add significantly. Additional limitations such as the pharmaceutical preparation and pharmaceutical composition provide a means of holding, storing or placing the said polypeptide. These limitations are well-understood, routine, conventional activity in the life science arts and are regarded as claimed in a merely generic manner (e.g., at a high level of generality) or as insignificant extra-solution activity. Hence, there is no inventive concept. See the 2014 Interim Guidance on Patent Subject Matter Eligibility and Federal Register (http://federalregister.gov/a/2014-29414); Federal Register Vol. 81, No. 88, Friday, May 6, 2016 / Proposed Rules; and Federal Register Vol. 84, No. 4, Monday, January 7, 2019; and FDsys.gov. The claimed composition comprising a variant soluble B-cell maturation antigen (sBCMA) product has not been altered or different in physical structure, wherein the said product is not markedly different from those that occur in nature. Applicant has not set forth descriptions or evidence of this product that rises to the level of a marked difference in structure, function or other characteristic of the naturally occurring counterpart in its naturally occurring counterpart in its natural state. While the polypeptide product is isolated from the protein and the isolation does structurally change the protein, the resultant difference (i.e. the breaking of bonds) is not significant enough to render the peptide markedly different because the protein structure and sequence of the peptide has not been altered. The polypeptide has the same function as its natural counterpart. The claims do not recite additional elements/steps in addition to the judicial exception at a high level of generality. The claimed invention does not recite additional elements/steps with the judicial exception. The claims do not recite additional elements/steps with the judicial exception that are insignificant extra-solution activity and do not recite steps that amount to nothing more than a mere field of use. The claims are directed to a nature-based product which is a naturally occurring protein and does not amount to significantly more than the judicial exception, hence the claims are not patent eligible. RESULT 11 from 1.rup database. F7IJE9_CALJA ID F7IJE9_CALJA Unreviewed; 183 AA. AC F7IJE9; F7IH37; DT 27-JUL-2011, integrated into UniProtKB/TrEMBL. DT 20-JUN-2018, sequence version 2. DT 18-JUN-2025, entry version 44. DE RecName: Full=Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 17 {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00072357}; DE AltName: Full=B-cell maturation protein {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00076632}; GN Name=TNFRSF17 {ECO:0000313|Ensembl:ENSCJAP00000029515.3}; OS Callithrix jacchus (White-tufted-ear marmoset). OC Eukaryota; Metazoa; Chordata; Craniata; Vertebrata; Euteleostomi; Mammalia; OC Eutheria; Euarchontoglires; Primates; Haplorrhini; Platyrrhini; Cebidae; OC Callitrichinae; Callithrix; Callithrix. OX NCBI_TaxID=9483 {ECO:0000313|Ensembl:ENSCJAP00000029515.3, ECO:0000313|Proteomes:UP000008225}; RN [1] {ECO:0000313|Ensembl:ENSCJAP00000029515.3} RP NUCLEOTIDE SEQUENCE [LARGE SCALE GENOMIC DNA]. RA Warren W., Ye L., Minx P., Worley K., Gibbs R., Wilson R.K.; RL Submitted (MAR-2009) to the EMBL/GenBank/DDBJ databases. RN [2] {ECO:0000313|Ensembl:ENSCJAP00000029515.3} RP IDENTIFICATION. RG Ensembl; RL Submitted (MAR-2025) to UniProtKB. CC -!- FUNCTION: Receptor for TNFSF13B/BLyS/BAFF and TNFSF13/APRIL. Promotes CC B-cell survival and plays a role in the regulation of humoral immunity. CC Activates NF-kappa-B and JNK. {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00054809}. CC -!- SUBUNIT: Associates with TRAF1, TRAF2, TRAF3, TRAF5 and TRAF6. CC {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00065494}. CC -!- SUBCELLULAR LOCATION: Membrane {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00004183}; Single- CC pass type III membrane protein {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00004183}. DR RefSeq; XP_002755963.1; XM_002755917.6. DR AlphaFoldDB; F7IJE9; -. DR FunCoup; F7IJE9; 635. DR GeneID; 100397314; -. DR KEGG; cjc:100397314; -. DR CTD; 608; -. DR GeneTree; ENSGT00940000154485; -. DR InParanoid; F7IJE9; -. DR OMA; CHLRCSN; -. DR OrthoDB; 9894478at2759; -. DR TreeFam; TF340640; -. DR Proteomes; UP000008225; Chromosome 12. DR Bgee; ENSCJAG00000016037; Expressed in liver and 4 other cell types or tissues. DR GO; GO:0038023; F:signaling receptor activity; IEA:InterPro. DR GO; GO:0002260; P:lymphocyte homeostasis; IEA:Ensembl. DR GO; GO:0033209; P:tumor necrosis factor-mediated signaling pathway; IEA:InterPro. DR CDD; cd13414; TNFRSF17; 1. DR FunFam; 4.10.1290.10:FF:000003; Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 17; 1. DR Gene3D; 4.10.1290.10; Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily; 1. DR InterPro; IPR015337; BCMA_Tall-1-bd. DR InterPro; IPR043521; TNFR_13C/17. DR InterPro; IPR022320; TNFR_17. DR PANTHER; PTHR20437; TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR RECEPTOR SUBFAMILY MEMBER 13/17; 1. DR PANTHER; PTHR20437:SF0; TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR RECEPTOR SUPERFAMILY MEMBER 17; 1. DR Pfam; PF09257; BCMA-Tall_bind; 1. DR PRINTS; PR01967; TNFACTORR17. DR SUPFAM; SSF57586; TNF receptor-like; 1. PE 4: Predicted; KW Adaptive immunity {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00023130}; KW Disulfide bond {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00023157}; KW Immunity {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00022859}; KW Membrane {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00023136}; KW Receptor {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00023170}; KW Reference proteome {ECO:0000313|Proteomes:UP000008225}; KW Signal-anchor {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00022968}; KW Transmembrane {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00022692}; KW Transmembrane helix {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00022989}. FT DOMAIN 8..43 FT /note="BCMA TALL-1 binding" FT /evidence="ECO:0000259|Pfam:PF09257" SQ SEQUENCE 183 AA; 20027 MW; C1E18582751B9892 CRC64; Query Match 86.4%; Score 257.5; Length 183; Best Local Similarity 92.5%; Matches 49; Conservative 0; Mismatches 3; Indels 1; Gaps 1; Qy 1 MLQMAGQCSQNEYFDSLLHACIPCQLRCSSNTPPLTCQRYCNASVTNSVKGTN 53 ||||| ||||||||||||||| |||||| ||||||||||||||| |||||||| Db 1 MLQMAQQCSQNEYFDSLLHACKPCQLRC-SNTPPLTCQRYCNASGTNSVKGTN 52 RESULT 29 from 1.rup database. A0A2K6F8M8_PROCO ID A0A2K6F8M8_PROCO Unreviewed; 183 AA. AC A0A2K6F8M8; DT 28-MAR-2018, integrated into UniProtKB/TrEMBL. DT 28-MAR-2018, sequence version 1. DT 18-JUN-2025, entry version 32. DE RecName: Full=Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 17 {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00072357}; DE AltName: Full=B-cell maturation protein {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00076632}; GN Name=TNFRSF17 {ECO:0000313|Ensembl:ENSPCOP00000010338.1}; OS Propithecus coquereli (Coquerel's sifaka) (Propithecus verreauxi OS coquereli). OC Eukaryota; Metazoa; Chordata; Craniata; Vertebrata; Euteleostomi; Mammalia; OC Eutheria; Euarchontoglires; Primates; Strepsirrhini; Lemuriformes; OC Indriidae; Propithecus. OX NCBI_TaxID=379532 {ECO:0000313|Ensembl:ENSPCOP00000010338.1, ECO:0000313|Proteomes:UP000233160}; RN [1] {ECO:0000313|Ensembl:ENSPCOP00000010338.1} RP IDENTIFICATION. RG Ensembl; RL Submitted (MAR-2025) to UniProtKB. CC -!- FUNCTION: Receptor for TNFSF13B/BLyS/BAFF and TNFSF13/APRIL. Promotes CC B-cell survival and plays a role in the regulation of humoral immunity. CC Activates NF-kappa-B and JNK. {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00054809}. CC -!- SUBUNIT: Associates with TRAF1, TRAF2, TRAF3, TRAF5 and TRAF6. CC {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00065494}. CC -!- SUBCELLULAR LOCATION: Membrane {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00004183}; Single- CC pass type III membrane protein {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00004183}. CC --------------------------------------------------------------------------- CC Copyrighted by the UniProt Consortium, see https://www.uniprot.org/terms CC Distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) License CC --------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR RefSeq; XP_012503068.1; XM_012647614.1. DR AlphaFoldDB; A0A2K6F8M8; -. DR STRING; 379532.ENSPCOP00000010338; -. DR Ensembl; ENSPCOT00000020916.1; ENSPCOP00000010338.1; ENSPCOG00000016633.1. DR GeneID; 105813035; -. DR KEGG; pcoq:105813035; -. DR CTD; 608; -. DR GeneTree; ENSGT00940000154485; -. DR OMA; CHLRCSN; -. DR OrthoDB; 59623at9443; -. DR Proteomes; UP000233160; Unassembled WGS sequence. DR GO; GO:0016020; C:membrane; IEA:UniProtKB-KW. DR GO; GO:0038023; F:signaling receptor activity; IEA:InterPro. DR GO; GO:0002260; P:lymphocyte homeostasis; IEA:Ensembl. DR GO; GO:0033209; P:tumor necrosis factor-mediated signaling pathway; IEA:InterPro. DR CDD; cd13414; TNFRSF17; 1. DR FunFam; 4.10.1290.10:FF:000003; Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 17; 1. DR Gene3D; 4.10.1290.10; Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily; 1. DR InterPro; IPR015337; BCMA_Tall-1-bd. DR InterPro; IPR043521; TNFR_13C/17. DR InterPro; IPR022320; TNFR_17. DR PANTHER; PTHR20437; TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR RECEPTOR SUBFAMILY MEMBER 13/17; 1. DR PANTHER; PTHR20437:SF0; TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR RECEPTOR SUPERFAMILY MEMBER 17; 1. DR Pfam; PF09257; BCMA-Tall_bind; 1. DR PRINTS; PR01967; TNFACTORR17. DR SUPFAM; SSF57586; TNF receptor-like; 1. PE 4: Predicted; KW Adaptive immunity {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00023130}; KW Disulfide bond {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00023157}; KW Immunity {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00022859}; KW Membrane {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00023136, ECO:0000256|SAM:Phobius}; KW Receptor {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00023170}; KW Reference proteome {ECO:0000313|Proteomes:UP000233160}; KW Signal-anchor {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00022968}; KW Transmembrane {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00022692, ECO:0000256|SAM:Phobius}; KW Transmembrane helix {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00022989, KW ECO:0000256|SAM:Phobius}. FT TRANSMEM 53..76 FT /note="Helical" FT /evidence="ECO:0000256|SAM:Phobius" FT DOMAIN 8..44 FT /note="BCMA TALL-1 binding" FT /evidence="ECO:0000259|Pfam:PF09257" SQ SEQUENCE 183 AA; 20174 MW; B31C26721F842E20 CRC64; Query Match 80.4%; Score 239.5; Length 183; Best Local Similarity 83.3%; Matches 45; Conservative 2; Mismatches 6; Indels 1; Gaps 1; Qy 1 MLQMAGQCSQNEYFDSLLHACIPCQLRCSSNTPPLTCQRYCNASVTNSVKGTNA 54 | ||| || |||||||||||| || ||| |:|||| |||||||:|||||||||| Db 1 MFQMARQCFQNEYFDSLLHACKPCHLRC-SDTPPLICQRYCNANVTNSVKGTNA 53 ALIGNMENTS with US-10-587-370, Publication No.2007/0249530 A1 (published October 25, 2007) Database : US-10-587-370-30.pep:* SUMMARIES % Result Query No. Score Match Length DB ID Description ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 42 14.1 26 1 US-10-587-370-30 BCMA POLYPEPTIDES RESULT 1 US-10-587-370-30 Query Match 14.1%; Score 42; DB 1; Length 26; Best Local Similarity 42.1%; Matches 8; Conservative 2; Mismatches 9; Indels 0; Gaps 0; Qy 8 CSQNEYFDSLLHACIPCQL 26 | | || |: |: | | Db 3 CVPAECFDLLVRHCVACGL 21 Search completed: January 7, 2026, 19:27:47 Title: US-18-041-527A-1 Perfect score: 298 Sequence: 1 MLQMAGQCSQNEYFDSLLHA..........LTCQRYCNASVTNSVKGTNA 54 Searched: 1 seqs, 296 residues Database : US-10-587-370-31.pep:* SUMMARIES % Result Query No. Score Match Length DB ID Description ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 257 86.2 296 1 US-10-587-370-31 BCMA POLYPEPTIDES RESULT 2 US-10-587-370-31 Query Match 86.2%; Score 257; DB 1; Length 296; Best Local Similarity 97.9%; Matches 46; Conservative 0; Mismatches 1; Indels 0; Gaps 0; Qy 5 AGQCSQNEYFDSLLHACIPCQLRCSSNTPPLTCQRYCNASVTNSVKG 51 ||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 18 AGQCSQNEYFDSLLHACKPCQLRCSSNTPPLTCQRYCNASVTNSVKG 64 Search completed: January 7, 2026, 19:31:14 Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 6. The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 7. Claim(s) 1-3 and 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kelley et al., US 2007/0249530 A1 (published October 25, 2007). Kelley discloses “…a polypeptide of this invention is a BCMA variant that has been derived from a mammalian BCMA polypeptide sequence wherein at least one amino acid residue corresponding to a residue selected from the group consisting of Q10, E12, Y13, F14, I22, Q25 and R27 of FIG. 5 has been altered. According to one embodiment, the BCMA variant has at least one substitution corresponding to a mammalian BCMA residue selected from the group consisting of I22K, R27Y, R27A, Q25D, Y13S, Y13F and Y13A.”, see page 2, section 0011; page 4, section 0045; page 5, section 0054; claims 17-21 on pages 52 and 53. “In one embodiment, the BCMA variant comprises alterations at an amino acid residue corresponding to I22 and an amino acid residue corresponding to any one of the group consisting of F14 and Q25 of FIG. 5. In one preferred embodiment, the BCMA variant is substituted with I22K in combination with any one or all of the group consisting of F14A and Q25A... In another embodiment, the BCMA variant is substituted with Q25D in combination with R27Y or R27A (Q25D/R27 variant). In another embodiment, the Q25D/R27 variant is further substituted with Y13S, Y13F or Y13A.”, see page 2, section 0012; and Example 6 on page 33. “The present invention further provides a composition comprising a polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule of this invention optionally further comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.”, see page 3, section 0033; and page 8, section 0073. The disclosed polypeptide is designed with a Fc region and at least 80% sequence identical to SEQ ID NO: 1, see page 13, section 0125; Example 2 on page 28; Example 6 on page 33; and sequence alignments. GenCore version 6.5.2 Copyright (c) 1993 - 2026 Biocceleration Ltd. SUMMARIES ALIGNMENTS RESULT 1 US-10-587-370-30, Publication No. US 2007/0249530 A1 (published October 25, 2007) Query Match 14.1%; Score 42; DB 1; Length 26; Best Local Similarity 42.1%; Matches 8; Conservative 2; Mismatches 9; Indels 0; Gaps 0; Qy 8 CSQNEYFDSLLHACIPCQL 26 | | || |: |: | | Db 3 CVPAECFDLLVRHCVACGL 21 Title: US-18-041-527A-1 Perfect score: 298 Sequence: 1 MLQMAGQCSQNEYFDSLLHA..........LTCQRYCNASVTNSVKGTNA 54 RESULT 2 US-10-587-370-31, Publication No. US 2007/0249530 A1 (published October 25, 2007) US-10-587-370-31.pep:* SUMMARIES % Result Query No. Score Match Length DB ID Description ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 257 86.2 296 1 US-10-587-370-31 BCMA POLYPEPTIDES Query Match 86.2%; Score 257; DB 1; Length 296; Best Local Similarity 97.9%; Matches 46; Conservative 0; Mismatches 1; Indels 0; Gaps 0; Qy 5 AGQCSQNEYFDSLLHACIPCQLRCSSNTPPLTCQRYCNASVTNSVKG 51 ||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 18 AGQCSQNEYFDSLLHACKPCQLRCSSNTPPLTCQRYCNASVTNSVKG 64 Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 8. 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. 9. Claim(s) 1-3 and 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Result 29, Accession number A0A2K6F8M8, sequence version 1 (28 March 2018), and further in view of Kelley et al., US 2007/0249530 A1 (published October 25, 2007). Accession number A0A2K6F8M8 teaches variant soluble B-cell maturation antigen (sBCMA) comprising at least nine amino acid substitutions as compared to SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein said amino acid substitution is at a position number selected from 2, 6, 9, 22, 29, 31, 36 and 44. The Result from Accession number A0A2K6F8M8 does not teach the sBCMA variant is comprised within a composition, as well as a sBCMA variant – Fc fusion protein comprised within a composition. However, Kelley teaches a polypeptide that is a sBCMA variant derived from a mammalian BCMA polypeptide sequence, see page 2, sections 0011 and 0012; page 4, section 0045; page 5, section 0054; claims 17-21 on pages 52 and 53; and Example 6 on page 33. The BCMA variant polypeptide is designed with a Fc region and comprised with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, see page 3, section 0033; page 8, section 0073, page 13, section 0125; and Example 6 on page 33. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a Fc domain and package the sBCMA in a pharmaceutical composition because it has been successfully done by Kelley, see the entire document. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so with a reasonable expectation of success by teachings known in the art and Kelley to design a polypeptide with a Fc domain to facilitate the polypeptide’s effector functions and include the fusion protein within a pharmaceutical composition for in vivo treatment of “…diseases characterized by increased levels of expression of BAFF, APRIL and/or BCMA as compared to subjects not suffering from the disease.”, see page 3, section 0035 of Kelley and all documents in their entireties. RESULT 29 from 1.rup database. A0A2K6F8M8_PROCO ID A0A2K6F8M8_PROCO Unreviewed; 183 AA. AC A0A2K6F8M8; DT 28-MAR-2018, integrated into UniProtKB/TrEMBL. DT 28-MAR-2018, sequence version 1. DT 18-JUN-2025, entry version 32. DE RecName: Full=Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 17 {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00072357}; DE AltName: Full=B-cell maturation protein {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00076632}; GN Name=TNFRSF17 {ECO:0000313|Ensembl:ENSPCOP00000010338.1}; OS Propithecus coquereli (Coquerel's sifaka) (Propithecus verreauxi OS coquereli). OC Eukaryota; Metazoa; Chordata; Craniata; Vertebrata; Euteleostomi; Mammalia; OC Eutheria; Euarchontoglires; Primates; Strepsirrhini; Lemuriformes; OC Indriidae; Propithecus. OX NCBI_TaxID=379532 {ECO:0000313|Ensembl:ENSPCOP00000010338.1, ECO:0000313|Proteomes:UP000233160}; RN [1] {ECO:0000313|Ensembl:ENSPCOP00000010338.1} RP IDENTIFICATION. RG Ensembl; RL Submitted (MAR-2025) to UniProtKB. CC -!- FUNCTION: Receptor for TNFSF13B/BLyS/BAFF and TNFSF13/APRIL. Promotes CC B-cell survival and plays a role in the regulation of humoral immunity. CC Activates NF-kappa-B and JNK. {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00054809}. CC -!- SUBUNIT: Associates with TRAF1, TRAF2, TRAF3, TRAF5 and TRAF6. CC {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00065494}. CC -!- SUBCELLULAR LOCATION: Membrane {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00004183}; Single- CC pass type III membrane protein {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00004183}. DR RefSeq; XP_012503068.1; XM_012647614.1. DR AlphaFoldDB; A0A2K6F8M8; -. DR STRING; 379532.ENSPCOP00000010338; -. DR Ensembl; ENSPCOT00000020916.1; ENSPCOP00000010338.1; ENSPCOG00000016633.1. DR GeneID; 105813035; -. DR KEGG; pcoq:105813035; -. DR CTD; 608; -. DR GeneTree; ENSGT00940000154485; -. DR OMA; CHLRCSN; -. DR OrthoDB; 59623at9443; -. DR Proteomes; UP000233160; Unassembled WGS sequence. DR GO; GO:0016020; C:membrane; IEA:UniProtKB-KW. DR GO; GO:0038023; F:signaling receptor activity; IEA:InterPro. DR GO; GO:0002260; P:lymphocyte homeostasis; IEA:Ensembl. DR GO; GO:0033209; P:tumor necrosis factor-mediated signaling pathway; IEA:InterPro. DR CDD; cd13414; TNFRSF17; 1. DR FunFam; 4.10.1290.10:FF:000003; Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 17; 1. DR Gene3D; 4.10.1290.10; Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily; 1. DR InterPro; IPR015337; BCMA_Tall-1-bd. DR InterPro; IPR043521; TNFR_13C/17. DR InterPro; IPR022320; TNFR_17. DR PANTHER; PTHR20437; TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR RECEPTOR SUBFAMILY MEMBER 13/17; 1. DR PANTHER; PTHR20437:SF0; TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR RECEPTOR SUPERFAMILY MEMBER 17; 1. DR Pfam; PF09257; BCMA-Tall_bind; 1. DR PRINTS; PR01967; TNFACTORR17. DR SUPFAM; SSF57586; TNF receptor-like; 1. PE 4: Predicted; KW Adaptive immunity {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00023130}; KW Disulfide bond {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00023157}; KW Immunity {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00022859}; KW Membrane {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00023136, ECO:0000256|SAM:Phobius}; KW Receptor {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00023170}; KW Reference proteome {ECO:0000313|Proteomes:UP000233160}; KW Signal-anchor {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00022968}; KW Transmembrane {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00022692, ECO:0000256|SAM:Phobius}; KW Transmembrane helix {ECO:0000256|ARBA:ARBA00022989, KW ECO:0000256|SAM:Phobius}. FT TRANSMEM 53..76 FT /note="Helical" FT /evidence="ECO:0000256|SAM:Phobius" FT DOMAIN 8..44 FT /note="BCMA TALL-1 binding" FT /evidence="ECO:0000259|Pfam:PF09257" SQ SEQUENCE 183 AA; 20174 MW; B31C26721F842E20 CRC64; Query Match 80.4%; Score 239.5; Length 183; Best Local Similarity 83.3%; Matches 45; Conservative 2; Mismatches 6; Indels 1; Gaps 1; Qy 1 MLQMAGQCSQNEYFDSLLHACIPCQLRCSSNTPPLTCQRYCNASVTNSVKGTNA 54 | ||| || |||||||||||| || ||| |:|||| |||||||:|||||||||| Db 1 MFQMARQCFQNEYFDSLLHACKPCHLRC-SDTPPLICQRYCNANVTNSVKGTNA 53 Conclusion 8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to ALANA HARRIS DENT whose telephone number is (571)272-0831. The Examiner works a flexible schedule, however she can generally be reached 8AM-8PM. 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, Julie Wu can be reached at 571-272-5205. 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. ALANA HARRIS DENT Primary Examiner Art Unit 1643 January 7, 2026 /Alana Harris Dent/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1643
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Prosecution Timeline

Feb 13, 2023
Application Filed
Jan 08, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §101, §102, §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
44%
Grant Probability
77%
With Interview (+32.6%)
3y 11m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 730 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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