Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/318,947

2-PHENYLBENZOTRIAZOL-5-AMINE DERIVATIVES FOR THE TREATMENT AND PROPHYLAXIS OF HEPATITIS B VIRUS (HBV) INFECTION

Non-Final OA §101§102§112
Filed
May 17, 2023
Examiner
HAVLIN, ROBERT H
Art Unit
1626
Tech Center
1600 — Biotechnology & Organic Chemistry
Assignee
Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
53%
Grant Probability
Moderate
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 11m
To Grant
80%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 53% of resolved cases
53%
Career Allow Rate
534 granted / 1016 resolved
-7.4% vs TC avg
Strong +27% interview lift
Without
With
+27.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 11m
Avg Prosecution
99 currently pending
Career history
1115
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.0%
-39.0% vs TC avg
§103
30.8%
-9.2% vs TC avg
§102
24.8%
-15.2% vs TC avg
§112
28.2%
-11.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1016 resolved cases

Office Action

§101 §102 §112
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 . Priority This application is a CON of PCT/EP2021/082236 (11/19/2021) and claims foreign priority to PCTCN2020130577 (11/20/2020). Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101 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. Claims 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention 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 a “use” is recited without specifying any method steps. 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 15-19 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. Claims 15-19 are “use” claims that one of ordinary skill in the art would not understand the scope of the claimed invention (MPEP 2173.05(q)). 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. (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claims 1-14, 20-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wynne et al. (US20100048660). Wynne teaches Example 61 ([0297], Table 2) which has the following structure: PNG media_image1.png 200 400 media_image1.png Greyscale 2-(3-chlorophenyl)-2H-benzo[d][1,2,3]triazol-5-amine and anticipates claim 1’s Formula (I) when: R1,3,4,5,6 are H; R2 is halogen (Cl). Thus, claims 1-11 read on the prior art and are anticipated. Regarding claim 12, Wynne teaches the preparation of the same compounds that anticipate (p. 11), including where R3-L1 is H2O. Regarding claims 13 and 20, the intended use does not limit the claim in a manner that distinguishes the compound over the prior art. Regarding claim 14, Wynne teaches the compound and formulated as a pharmaceutical composition ([0245]-[0255], which one of skill in the art would at once envisage in a manner that anticipates the claim (MPEP 2131.02 III.). Regarding claim 21, the claim is interpreted as a product-by-process such that the process steps do not distinguish the claims from the prior art (MPEP 2113). Regarding claim 22, Wynne teaches administering an effective amount of a compound of formula (I) ([0244]: “administering to the patient an effective amount of a compound of formula (I)”, [0245]-[0265], claim 1). Thus, the claims are anticipated. Conclusion No claims allowed. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT H HAVLIN whose telephone number is (571)272-9066. The examiner can normally be reached 9am - 6pm. 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, Joseph McKane can be reached at 571-272-0699. 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. /ROBERT H HAVLIN/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1626
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

May 17, 2023
Application Filed
Sep 16, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §101, §102, §112 (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
53%
Grant Probability
80%
With Interview (+27.2%)
2y 11m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1016 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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