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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 23 is objected to under 37 CFR 1.75(c) as being in improper form because a multiple dependent claim cannot reference to two sets of claims having different features. See MPEP § 608.01(n)(I)(B)(3). Accordingly, the claim 23 is not been further treated on the merits.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) as being explicitly anticipated by Zhou et al (CN115043930, publication date 9/13/2022).
Zhou sets forth modified collagen, photocrosslinked biomaterials and their preparation methods and applications—see description and abstract.
Regarding claim 1: Zhou sets forth said modified collagen is grafted with a group represented by formula (A):
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, wherein R1 and R2 may be the same or different and are each selected from hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, C6-C10 aryl or halogen, and
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represents the position where the group shown in formula (A) is attached to the collagen—see [0005].
Regarding claim 2: The collagen is taught to be modified/grafted onto a free amino group on said collagen—see [009].
Regarding claim 3: The grafting rate of said collagen is 40% or more—see [0010].
Regarding claim 4: Zhou sets forth the method of modifying/grafting the collagen comprises reacting a raw material solution containing collagen with a raw material solution II containing a compound comprising formula (B), wherein formula (B) is represented and defined by the formula:
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, wherein R1 and R2 may be the same or different and each is selected from hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, C6-C8 aryl or halogen—see [0012]- [0013].
Regarding claims 5-8: The collagen is extracted from animal tissue, such as cowhide or tendon and recombinant collagen, such as collagen prepared using yeast as a genetic engineering vector (carrier) in liquid state—see [0015]- [0017].
Zhou sets forth raw material solution 1 is obtained by dissolving/diluting collagen into a solvent selected from at least one of an organic acid or inorganic acid, wherein said organic acid is at least one of acetic acid and citric acid and said inorganic acid is at least one of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid or nitric acid. Raw material I comprises a collagen concentration of 2-20 mg/g in said solvent—see [0015- [0019].
Zhou teaches raw material II comprises a concentration of 0.1 to 5 M of compound (B) (maleic anhydride). And good grafting rate is obtained with the weight ratio of formula (B) to collagen in the raw material solution I is (10-30):100.—see [0020]- [0021].
Regarding claim 9-10: Said raw material I may further comprise an organic solvent selected from a C2-C6 ketone compound, wherein Zhou sets forth acetone is preferable—see [0018].
Regarding claims 10-12: Zhou sets forth the reaction conditions of reacting raw material solution I with raw material solution II comprises a reaction temperature of 0 to 25 deg. C, preferably 4 to 8 deg. C for at a time of at least 8 to 24 hours, preferably at least 8 hours—see [0022]- [0023].
Regarding claims 13: Zhou sets forth the preparation method includes solid-liquid separation and/or purifications of the obtain reaction products—see [0024]. Zhou sets forth the preferred method of solid-liquid separation is filtration or centrifugation—see [0025].
Regarding claim 14: Zhou sets forth said preparation method includes a purification process can be performed by washing or dialysis—see [0026].
Regarding claim 15-17: Zhou sets forth a photocrosslinked biomaterial comprising a hydrogel formed by curing the above described modified-collagen. Said photocrosslinked hydrogel has a Young’s modulus from 0.15 to 0.5 kPa, preferably from 0.3 to 0.5 kPa; a bulk modulus of 2-20 kPa, preferably from 5 to 10 kPa; and a yield strength from 25-200 kPa, preferably 90-150 kPa—see [0027] – [0030].
Regarding claim 18-22: Zhou sets forth the method for obtaining said photocrosslinked biomaterial hydrogel comprises photocrosslinking and curing in the presences of a photoinitiator using ultraviolet light, wherein said photoinitiator the photoinitiator is selected from 2-hydroxy-4'-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-2- methylphenyl acetone (Irgacrue2959) and/or lithium phenyl (2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl) phosphate (LAP)—see [0031]- [0032] and [0036]. The concentration of 2-hydroxy-4'-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-2- methylphenylacetone is from 0.01 to 1 % (w/v) and the concentration of the lithium phenyl (2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl) phosphate is from 0.01-2$ (w/v) in the composition to lower the cytotoxicity—see [0032]- [0035]. Said ultraviolet light used in the method for photocrosslinking has a wavelength in the range from 365-405 nm. The exposure time for photocrosslinking set forth by Zhou is 15 seconds or more—see [0038].
Claim(s) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Potrac et al (Mat. Sci and Eng C, 2012).
Potorac sets forth hydrogels based on maleilated collagen—see title. Said maleilated collagen is obtained by grafting a free amino group on collagen using maleic anhydride --
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, wherein the obtained product is deemed to anticipate formula (A), wherein R1 and R2 are both hydrogen—see figure 1 (claims 1-2).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANZA L MCCLENDON whose telephone number is (571)272-1074. The examiner can normally be reached 8-5.
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/SANZA L. McCLENDON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1765
SMc
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