Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/286,654

FUNGICIDAL PYRIDONES

Non-Final OA §102§112
Filed
Oct 12, 2023
Examiner
JARRELL, NOBLE E
Art Unit
1699
Tech Center
1600 — Biotechnology & Organic Chemistry
Assignee
Fmc Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
81%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 2m
To Grant
90%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 81% — above average
81%
Career Allow Rate
824 granted / 1014 resolved
+21.3% vs TC avg
Moderate +9% lift
Without
With
+8.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 2m
Avg Prosecution
56 currently pending
Career history
1070
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.1%
-38.9% vs TC avg
§103
16.0%
-24.0% vs TC avg
§102
20.9%
-19.1% vs TC avg
§112
41.9%
+1.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1014 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §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 . Election/Restrictions Applicant’s election without traverse of group I and compound in which examined variable R1 is an alkyl group in the reply filed on 2025 December 22 is acknowledged. Claims 2-9 are examined on the merits to a compound of formula 1 in which examined variable R1 is an unsubstituted alkyl group. Claim 10 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 2025 December 22. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 2-24 January 17 was submitted in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Claim Objections Claims 2-9 are objected to because of the following informalities: the language “Formula 1, tautomers, N-oxides, and salts thereof” should be written as --Formula 1, or a tautomer, N-oxide, or a salt thereof-- because claim 1 recites the word “compound” and the other words appear to be alternative forms of a compound of formula 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 5-7 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 recites the limitation that examined variables Q1 and Q2 are each 1-A. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim because there is no recitation in claim 1 that variables Q1 and Q2 can be 1-A. Claim 6-7 recites the limitation that examined variables Q1 is A-1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim because claim 5 recites variables Q1 and Q2 can be 1-A. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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 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) 2-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by RIPKA (WO 2009/158393, published 2009 December 30, cited in IDS). Ripka describes the following compounds: 386, 391-393, 396, and 397 (page 167); 404-406, 409-410 (page 168); 497, 502-504, 507, and 508 (page 175); 521 (page 176); 601 (page 182); 606-608, 611, 612, and 614 (page 183); 619-621, 624, and 625 (page 184); 712 (page 190); 717-719, 722, and 723 (page 191); 725, 730-732, 735, and 736 (page 192). In these compounds the following examined definitions apply: R1 is Me; R2 and R3 are each H; one of Q1 and Q2 is a phenyl ring substituted with an O-CH2-quinoline ring and Cl and the other is selected from 4-OMe-phenyl, 4-cyanophenyl, methoxy-substituted pyridine, 3-cyano-4-methoxy-phenyl, or 4-Cl-phenyl. PNG media_image1.png 218 610 media_image1.png Greyscale PNG media_image2.png 128 88 media_image2.png Greyscale PNG media_image3.png 120 94 media_image3.png Greyscale Allowable Subject Matter Claims 2-9 are not allowed. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Ripka (WO 2009/158393, published 2009 December 30, cited in IDS) does not describe compounds in which each instance of variable n is 2 or a combination of variable described in a compound of claim 8 in which R1 is an alkyl group. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NOBLE E JARRELL whose telephone number is (571)272-9077. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. 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, Fereydoun Sajjadi can be reached at 571-272-3311. 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. /NOBLE E JARRELL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1699
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Oct 12, 2023
Application Filed
Feb 19, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12595235
PROCESS FOR PRODUCING 4,5-DIHYDRO-1H-PYRAZOLES AND INTERMEDIATES
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 07, 2026
Patent 12595265
INHIBITORS OF ACTIVIN RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 07, 2026
Patent 12588410
ORGANIC ELECTROLUMINESCENT MATERIAL AND METHOD PREPARING THE SAME
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
Patent 12570660
PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF A PYRIMIDINO-DIAZEPINE DERIVATIVE
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 10, 2026
Patent 12570626
DEGRADERS AND DEGRONS FOR TARGETED PROTEIN DEGRADATION
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 10, 2026
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
81%
Grant Probability
90%
With Interview (+8.7%)
3y 2m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1014 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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