DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 1/19/2026 with respect to the rejection(s) of claims 1-5 under 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made as detailed below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gharib (US 2017/0333505) in view of Schou (US 2020/0000767).
Regarding claims 1 and 3, Gharib teaches a method of preparing a liquid cannabinoid formulation comprising: (a) introducing a suitable organic solvent to a cannabis plant or part thereof to form a neat mixture comprising a cannabinoid extract [0136], (b) purging the organic solvent out of the neat mixture to form a purged cannabinoid extract) [0137] (interpreted as taking place at ambient temperature), and (c) combining the purged cannabinoid extract with a carrier known in the art [0071]. Gharib teaches does not specify the claimed carriers. Schou teaches a cannabinoid composition wherein a carrier comprises 80% propylene glycol and 20% vegetable glycerin providing an optimal ratio that achieves a stable homogenous mixture to give the best mixture [0208-0210]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use this combination and ratio for the carrier of Gharib for the reasons above suggested by Schou.
Regarding claim 2, Gharib teaches residual solvents are purged from the extract [0132], i.e. the organic solvent is completely purged from the cannabinoid extract, prior to diluting with the carrier mixture.
Regarding claim 4, Gharib does not teach adding one or more exogenous flavorants to the carrier. However, this is taught by Schou [0086-0089] and would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include with the method of Gharib for flavoring the formulation.
Regarding claim 5, Gharib teaches the cannabinoid extract comprises two or more cannabinoids [Fig. 21; 0097, 0213].
Conclusion
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/ERIC YAARY/Examiner, Art Unit 1755
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