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 .
This application is a continuation of U.S. Application No. 16/497,945, filed September 26, 2019, which is a U.S. national phase application filed under 35 U.S.C. § 371 claiming priority to International Patent Application No. PCT/US2018/024520, filed March 27, 2018, which is entitled to priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/477,227, filed March 27, 2017 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/477,217, filed March 27, 2017.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election of Group I, claims 25-41 in the reply filed on September 3, 2025 is acknowledged. Applicant also elected the species of antibody PGDM1400 comprising heavy chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 63, which is encoded by the nucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 64 and a light chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 65 encoded by the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 66. Applicant also elected subtype C consensus envelope with an IgE leader set forth in SEQ ID NO: 140 encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 139.
Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claims 42-44 are withdrawn as being drawn to non-elected invention. Claims 25-41 are under examination in this Office action.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on September 4, 2025 has been considered by the examiner.
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 24-41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as failing to set forth 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 are drawn to A composition comprising: a) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a consensus HIV antigen; and b) at least one nucleic acid molecule encoding one or more synthetic antibodies, wherein the at least one nucleic acid molecule comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of i) a nucleotide sequence, or combination thereof, encoding an anti-HIV synthetic antibody; and ii) a nucleotide sequence, or combination thereof, encoding a fragment of an anti-HIV synthetic antibody.
The present claims are rejected because it is not clear what is the combination consisting off. Clarification is required.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claims 32-39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
Claims 32 and 33 recite “a synthetic anti-HIV heavy chain” and “a synthetic anti-HIV light chain”. There is lack of antecedent basis for this limitation in claim 25. claims 32 may be construed as broader because they do not go back to the antibody heavy and light chains in claim 25 and we don’t know what heavy and light chain we are talking about in claims 32 and 33. Applicant is suggested to amend the claims to recite “a synthetic anti-HIV synthetic antibody heavy chain” and “a synthetic anti-HIV synthetic antibody light chain”.
Correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 25-41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claims are drawn to A composition comprising: a) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a consensus HIV antigen; and b) at least one nucleic acid molecule encoding one or more synthetic antibodies, wherein the at least one nucleic acid molecule comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of i) a nucleotide sequence, or combination thereof, encoding an anti-HIV synthetic antibody; and ii) a nucleotide sequence, or combination thereof, encoding a fragment of an anti-HIV synthetic antibody.
The present claims are rejected because they fail to require the entire antigen binding region of an antibody. The claims recite a “fragment” without specifying that the fragment is an antigen binding fragment specifically binding an antigen within the HIV virus.
The claims are also rejected because Applicant’s specification fails to provide an adequate written description support for the genus of anti-HIV antibodies encompassed by the present claims.
There is lack of structure and function correlation with regard to the required function of binding to an HIV virus and the partial structure, that is a fragment of an anti-HIV antibody.
The present Specification paragraph [0206] “Fragment” may mean a polypeptide fragment of an antibody that is function, i.e., can bind to desired target and have the same intended effect as a full-length antibody. A fragment of an antibody may be 100% identical to the full length except missing at least one amino acid from the N and/or C terminal, in each case with or without signal peptides and/or a methionine at position 1. Fragments may comprise 20% or more, 25% or more, 30% or more, 35% or more, 40% or more, 45% or more, 50% or more, 55% or more, 60% or more, 65% or more, 70% or more, 75% or more, 80% or more, 85% or more, 90% or more, 91% or more, 92% or more, 93% or more, 94% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, 99% or more percent of the length of the particular full length antibody, excluding any heterologous signal peptide added. The fragment may comprise a fragment of a polypeptide that is 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more or 99% or more identical to the antibody and additionally comprise an N terminal methionine or heterologous signal peptide which is not included when calculating percent identity. Fragments may further comprise an N terminal methionine and/or a signal peptide such as an immunoglobulin signal peptide, for example an IgE or IgG signal peptide. The N terminal methionine and/or signal peptide may be linked to a fragment of an antibody.
The present Specification paragraph [0232] In one embodiment, the nucleotide sequence encoding an anti-HIV-antibody comprises one or more codon optimized nucleic acid sequences encoding an amino acid sequence at least 95% homologous to an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO: 15, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:27, SEQ ID NO:29, SEQ ID NO:31, SEQ ID NO:33, SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:37, SEQ ID NO:39 SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:47, SEQ ID NO:49, SEQ ID NO:51, SEQ ID NO:53, SEQ ID NO:55, SEQ ID NO:57, SEQ ID NO:59, SEQ ID NO:61, SEQ ID NO:63, SEQ ID NO:65, SEQ ID NO:67, SEQ ID NO:69, SEQ ID NO:71, SEQ ID NO:73, SEQ ID NO:75, SEQ ID NO:77, SEQ ID NO:79, SEQ ID NO:81, SEQ ID NO:83, SEQ ID NO:85, SEQ ID NO:87, SEQ ID NO:89, SEQ ID NO:91, SEQ ID NO:93, SEQ ID NO:95, SEQ ID NO:97, SEQ ID NO:99, SEQ ID NO:101, SEQ ID NO:103, SEQ ID NO:105, SEQ ID NO:107, SEQ ID NO:109, SEQ ID NO:111, SEQ ID NO:113, SEQ ID NO:115, SEQ ID NO:117, SEQ ID NO:119, SEQ ID NO:121, SEQ ID NO:123, SEQ ID NO:125, SEQ ID NO:127, SEQ ID NO:129, SEQ ID NO:131, SEQ ID NO:133, or a fragment thereof.
Sok et al. (PNAS, 2014, Vol. 111, p. 17624-17629) each a PGDM1400 anti-HIV-1 antibody and teaches that the PGDM1400 anti-HIV-1 antibody is exceptionally broad and potent with cross-scale virus neutralization coverage (see Results, Figure 2, page 17625 and Discussion).
Since the present claims recite fragment of the anti-HIV antibodies and require a large genus of anti-HIV antibodies, the claims are rejected for lack of written description support.
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)(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 25-27, 32-33, 40 and 41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Bjorkman et al. (WO 2016/054296 A2 in IDS on 9/4/2025).
Regarding claims 25-27 and 32-33. Bjorkman et al. disclose a composition comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding a consensus HIV antigen; and a nucleic acid molecule encoding an anti-HIV synthetic antibody and a cleavage domain as well as a combination of two or more nucleic acid molecules encoding one or more synthetic anti-HIV antibody. (see claims 1-20, Examples 1-6 and Figure 16B).
Regarding present claim 40. Bjorkman et al. disclose a composition comprising a combination of expression vectors (see Figure 16B).
Regarding present claim 41. Bjorkman et al. disclose a nucleotide comprising an expression vector and a leader sequence and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient (see Figure 24 and Example 5).
Thus, by this disclosure Bjorkman et al. anticipate the present claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 25-35, and 40-41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bjorkman et al. (WO 2016/054296 A2 in IDS on 9/4/2025) in view of Sok et al. (PNAS, 2014, Vol. 111, p. 17624-17629) and Yang et al. (US Patent 11,129,905).
Regarding claims 25-27 and 32-33. Bjorkman et al. teach a composition comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding a consensus HIV antigen; and a nucleic acid molecule encoding an anti-HIV synthetic antibody and a cleavage domain as well as a combination of two or more nucleic acid molecules encoding one or more synthetic anti-HIV antibody. (see claims 1-20, Examples 1-6 and Figure 16B).
Regarding present claim 40. Bjorkman et al. disclose a composition comprising a combination of expression vectors (see Figure 16B).
Regarding present claim 41. Bjorkman et al. disclose a nucleotide comprising an expression vector and a leader sequence and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient (see Figure 24 and Example 5).
Bjorkman et al. do not teach present SEQ ID NO: 63, and 64.
Regarding present claims 28-31, 34-39. Present specification paragraph [0040] states SEQ ID NO: 63 is the amino acid sequence of PGDM1400 Heavy Chain [0104] SEQ ID NO: 64 is the nucleotide sequence of PGDM1400 Heavy Chain. Sok et al. teach a PGDM1400 anti-HIV-1 antibody and teaches that the PGDM1400 anti-HIV-1 antibody is exceptionally broad and potent with cross-scale virus neutralization coverage (see Results, Figure 2, page 17625 and Discussion). Sok et al. do not expressly teach present SEQ ID NO: 63, which is the inherent property of the PGDM1400 anti-HIV-1 antibody. Yang et al. teaches an anti-HIV-1 antibody comprising an amino acid sequence having 95% identity with present SEQ ID NO: 63. Yang et al. does not teach present nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 64, encoding the PGDM1400 anti-HIV-1 antibody.
It would have been prima facie obvious to provide the composition of Bjorkman et al. comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding a consensus HIV antigen; and a nucleic acid molecule encoding an anti-HIV synthetic antibody, wherein the anti-HIV antibody it the PGMI1400 antibody of Sok comprising a heavy chain of Yang having 95% identity with present SEQ ID NO: 63 because Sok teaches that the PGDM1400 anti-HIV-1 antibody is exceptionally broad and potent with cross-scale virus neutralization coverage (see Results, Figure 2, page 17625 and Discussion) and because Yang teaches that his anti-HIV antibodies are highly neutralizing and beneficial in treatment and prevention of HIV infection in humans (see column 79). The nucleic acid encoding the heavy chain of the antibody would have been prima facie obvious in view of the amino acid sequence in Yang. Thus, the present SEQ ID NO: 64 would have been prima facie obvious to the skilled artisan at the time of the present invention.
Thus, the present invention would have been prima facie obvious at the time the invention was made.
Present SEQ ID NO: 63 and SEQ ID NO: 27 in Yang et al.
Query Match 95.2%; Score 2504; Length 611;
Best Local Similarity 95.5%;
Matches 471; Conservative 3; Mismatches 13; Indels 6; Gaps 2;
Qy 2 DWTWRILFLVAAATGTHAQAQLVQSGPEVRKPGTSVKVSCKAPGNTLKTYDLHWVRSVPG 61
|| | :| :: || | | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 120 DWGQGTLVIV-SSDKTHTQVHLTQSGPEVRKPGTSVKVSCKAPGNTLKTYDLHWVRSVPG 178
Qy 62 QGLQWMGWISHEGDKKVIVERFKAKVTIDWDRSTNTAYLQLSGLTSGDTAVYYCAKGSKH 121
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 179 QGLQWMGWISHEGDKKVIVERFKAKVTIDWDRSTNTAYLQLSGLTSGDTAVYYCAKGSKH 238
Qy 122 RLRDYALYDDDGALNWAVDVDYLSNLEFWGQGTAVTVSS-----ASTKGPSVFPLAPSSK 176
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||
Db 239 RLRDYALYDDDGALNWAVDVDYLSNLEFWGQGTAVTVSSDKTHTASTKGPSVFPLAPSSK 298
Qy 177 STSGGTAALGCLVKDYFPEPVTVSWNSGALTSGVHTFPAVLQSSGLYSLSSVVTVPSSSL 236
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 299 STSGGTAALGCLVKDYFPEPVTVSWNSGALTSGVHTFPAVLQSSGLYSLSSVVTVPSSSL 358
Qy 237 GTQTYICNVNHKPSNTKVDKKVEPKSCDKTHTCPPCPAPELLGGPSVFLFPPKPKDTLMI 296
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 359 GTQTYICNVNHKPSNTKVDKKVEPKSCDKTHTCPPCPAPELLGGPSVFLFPPKPKDTLMI 418
Qy 297 SRTPEVTCVVVDVSHEDPEVKFNWYVDGVEVHNAKTKPREEQYNSTYRVVSVLTVLHQDW 356
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 419 SRTPEVTCVVVDVSHEDPEVKFNWYVDGVEVHNAKTKPREEQYNSTYRVVSVLTVLHQDW 478
Qy 357 LNGKEYKCKVSNKALPAPIEKTISKAKGQPREPQVYTLPPSRDELTKNQVSLTCLVKGFY 416
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||| |||||||
Db 479 LNGKEYKCKVSNKALPAPIEKTISKAKGQPREPQVYTLPPCRDELTKNQVSLWCLVKGFY 538
Qy 417 PSDIAVEWESNGQPENNYKTTPPVLDSDGSFFLYSKLTVDKSRWQQGNVFSCSVMHEALH 476
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 539 PSDIAVEWESNGQPENNYKTTPPVLDSDGSFFLYSKLTVDKSRWQQGNVFSCSVMHEALH 598
Qy 477 NHYTQKSLSLSPG 489
|||||||||||||
Db 599 NHYTQKSLSLSPG 611
Double Patenting
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 §§ 706.02(l)(1) - 706.02(l)(3) 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 USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The 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/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp.
Claim 25-41 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-16 of U.S. Patent No. 11,845,787. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the present claims are drawn to A composition comprising: a) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a consensus HIV antigen; and b) at least one nucleic acid molecule encoding one or more synthetic antibodies, wherein the at least one nucleic acid molecule comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of i) a nucleotide sequence, or combination thereof, encoding an anti-HIV synthetic antibody; and ii) a nucleotide sequence, or combination thereof, encoding a fragment of an anti-HIV synthetic antibody.
The claims of the U.S. Patent No. 11,845,787 are drawn to A nucleic acid molecule encoding one or more synthetic antibodies, wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a nucleotide sequence encoding an anti-HIV synthetic antibody, wherein the nucleotide sequence encodes one or more amino acid sequences at least 95% homologous to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:11, or SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:27, SEQ ID NO:29, SEQ ID NO:31, SEQ ID NO:33, SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:37, SEQ ID NO:39 SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:47, SEQ ID NO:49 SEQ ID NO:51, SEQ ID NO:53, SEQ ID NO:55, SEQ ID NO:57, SEQ ID NO:59, SEQ ID NO:61, SEQ ID NO:63, SEQ ID NO:65, SEQ ID NO:67, SEQ ID NO:69, SEQ ID NO:71, SEQ ID NO:73, SEQ ID NO:75, SEQ ID NO:77, SEQ ID NO:79, SEQ ID NO:81, SEQ ID NO:83, SEQ ID NO:85, SEQ ID NO:87, SEQ ID NO:89, SEQ ID NO:91, SEQ ID NO:93, SEQ ID NO:95, SEQ ID NO:97, SEQ ID NO:99, SEQ ID NO:101, SEQ ID NO:103, SEQ ID NO:105, SEQ ID NO:107, SEQ ID NO:109, SEQ ID NO:111, SEQ ID NO:113, SEQ ID NO:115, SEQ ID NO:117, SEQ ID NO:119, SEQ ID NO:121, SEQ ID NO:123, SEQ ID NO:125, SEQ ID NO:127, SEQ ID NO:129, SEQ ID NO:131, and SEQ ID NO:133.
The present claims are obvious over the claims of the U.S. Patent No. 11,845,787 because the present claims are drawn to a composition comprising anti-HIV antibodies while the claims of the US Patent No. 11,845,787 are drawn to nucleic acids encoding the claimed antibodies. The amino acids are obvious over the nucleic acids. Thus, the present claims are obvious over the claims of the US Patent No. 11,845,787.
Pertinent prior art references
Muthumani et al. (Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics, 2013, p. 2253-2262 in IDS on 9/4/2025).
Muthumani et al. disclose a composition comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding a consensus HIV antigen; and a nucleic acid molecule encoding an anti-HIV synthetic antibody (see Figure 1 and Materials and Methods, Construction of HIV-1 Env-Fab plasmid DNA on page 2259).
Conclusion
SEQ ID NO: 65 and 66 are free of prior art.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AGNIESZKA BOESEN whose telephone number is (571)272-8035. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:30 - 5:00 PM.
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/AGNIESZKA BOESEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1648