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 .
Response to Amendment
2. Applicant’s amendment and accompanying remarks filed 4/1/26 have been fully considered and entered. Claim 1 has been amended. Claims 80-98 have been added. Applicant’s amendment to claim 1 is found sufficient to overcome the anticipation rejection made over D’Agostino et al., U.S. Pre Grant Publication 2020/0315672 as set forth in the Non-Final Action dated 10/1/25. Specifically, the cited prior art does not teach the newly added claim limitations. As such, this rejection is hereby withdrawn. Applicant’s amendments are also found sufficient to overcome the provisional statutory double patenting rejection set forth in the Non-Final Action dated 10/1/25. Specifically, instant claim 1 and claim 1 of co-pending Application No. 18/389114 no longer claim the same invention. As such, the provisional statutory double patenting rejection set forth in the Non-Final Action dated 10/1/25 is withdrawn. However, upon further consideration the following new ground of obviousness double patenting is set forth below.
Double Patenting
3. The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1 and 80-98 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 and 67-83 of co-pending Application No. 18/389,114 (reference application). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the subject matter sought overlaps in scope and is encompassed by the subject matter of co-pending Application No. 18/389,114. Specifically, the claims of the instant application and the claims of co-pending Application No. 18/389,114 (reference application) claim a degradable and bioabsorbable polymeric matrix material; a plurality of fiber bundles dispersed in the polymeric matrix material; the plurality of fiber bundles including a plurality of degradable fibers; wherein the polymeric matrix material, the degradable fibers, or both are configured to be degradable according to a predetermined degradation profile.
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
4. Please note that U.S. Patent Application 18/389,114 corresponds to U.S. Pre Grant Application US 20250001046 A1.
Conclusion
5. THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LYNDA SALVATORE whose telephone number is (571)272-1482. The examiner can normally be reached M-F.
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, Marla McConnell can be reached at 571-270-9672. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LYNDA SALVATORE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1789
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