Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/554,737

ENGINEERING PEPTIDES FOR A A VB6 INTEGRIN BINDING AND RELATED METHODS OF USE AND SYNTHESIS

Non-Final OA §102§112
Filed
Oct 10, 2023
Examiner
COFFA, SERGIO
Art Unit
1658
Tech Center
1600 — Biotechnology & Organic Chemistry
Assignee
Seattle Children'S Hospital D/B/A Seattle Children'S Research Institute
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
61%
Grant Probability
Moderate
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 11m
To Grant
94%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 61% of resolved cases
61%
Career Allow Rate
436 granted / 719 resolved
+0.6% vs TC avg
Strong +34% interview lift
Without
With
+33.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 11m
Avg Prosecution
61 currently pending
Career history
780
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.5%
-36.5% vs TC avg
§103
32.1%
-7.9% vs TC avg
§102
20.5%
-19.5% vs TC avg
§112
27.0%
-13.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 719 resolved cases

Office Action

§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. DETAILED ACTION Status of the Claims Claims 1-9, 11-13, 15-17, 19-21, 24 and 30 are pending in this application. Claims 1-9, 11-13, 15-17, 19-21, 24 and 30 are presently under consideration. Claim Objections Claim 30 is objected to because of the following informalities: In claim av b 6 is misspelled twice (lines 2 and 4). Appropriate 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. Claim 30 is 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. The claim is drawn to a method of inhibiting growth of a cancer cell overexpressing integrin av b 6 , the method comprising administering to a patient in need thereof a composition comprising a synthetic peptide that specifically binds a v b 6 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, the synthetic peptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group of X 1 X 2 VX 3 NLRGDLQVLX 4 QKVCX 5 T (SEQ ID NO:18), X 1 X 2 VX 3 NLRGDLQVLX 4 QKVCX 5 TX 6 (SEQ ID NO:19), and X 1 X 2 VX 3 NLRGDLQVLX 4 QKVCX 5 TX 6 X 7 (SEQ ID NO:20), wherein at least one of X 1 , X 2 , or both X 1 and X 2 is a cysteine. . It is noted that the language “comprising an amino acid sequence” encompasses any 2 or more consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 1 9 or SEQ ID NO: 20. When referring to the synthetic peptide, the specification does not provide any other structural attributes associated with it . Without a correlation between structure and function, the claims do little more than define the claimed invention by function. That is not sufficient to satisfy the written description requirement. See Eli Lilly, 119 F.3d at 1568, 43 USPQ2d at 1406 (“A definition by function alone “does not suffice” to sufficiently describe a coding sequence because it is only an indication of what the gene does, rather than what it is”).” Here, the specification fails to describe wh ich 2 or more consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 19 or SEQ ID NO: 20 correlates with the required activity (i.e. to inhibit growth of a cancer cell overexpressing integrin a v b 6 ). The MPEP states that a broad genus can be described by a showing of representative number of examples. The claims in the instant application are broad. Based on the teachings of the specification, the synthetic peptide can be any 2 or more consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 19 or SEQ ID NO: 20 , which encompasses an enormous number of possible peptides. However, the specification fails to provide a representative number of examples for the claimed peptide (SEQ ID NOs: 2-20) . The description requirement of the patent statute requires a description of an invention, not an indication of a result that one might achieve if one made that invention. See In re Wilder, 736 F.2d 1516, 1521, 222 USPQ 369, 372-73 (Fed. Cir. 1984) (affirming a rejection for lack of written description because the specification does “little more than outline goals appellants hope the claimed invention achieves and the problems the invention will hopefully ameliorate”). Therefore, since the specification fails to identify any relevant structural characteristics that can be attributed to the claimed function and activity, the claimed invention lacks written description. 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 appl icant regards as his invention. Claim s 1-9, 11-13, 15-17, 19-21 and 30 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 1 is drawn to a synthetic peptide comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 18. It is noted that the variables X 3 -X 5 are not defined, thus making the claim indefinite. I t is also noted that in the case where only one of X 1 or X 2 is cysteine, the other one (i.e. X 1 or X 2 ) is not defined . Similarly, claim s 2- 30 fails to define the variables X 1 -X 7 . In order to advance prosecution, variables X 1 -X 7 have been interpreted as being any amino acid. Claims 2-9, 11-13, 15-17 and 19-21, which depend from claim 1, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as these claims incorporate by dependency the indefiniteness of claim 1 . 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. Claims 1-3 , 24 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Howard et al. (WO 2007/039728) . First of all, it is noted that the language “comprising an amino acid sequence” encompasses any 2 or more consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 18. Applicant should strike out the phrase “an amino acid sequence of”. With respect to claims 1-3 , Howard et al. teach the peptide eykCP NLRDLQVLAQKVCRT K (page 53; Table 4), which comprises an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 18 (highlighted and bolded above). With respect to claim 24 , the peptide of Howard et al. comprises several 2 or more consecutive amino acids of instant SEQ ID NOs: 2-7. With respect to claim 30 , Howard et al. teach treating an a v b 6 mediated disease (claim 25), wherein the disease is cancer (claim 26). Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT SERGIO COFFA whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)270-3022 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT M-F: 6AM-4PM . 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, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT MELISSA FISHER can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT 571-270-7430 . 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. FILLIN "Examiner Stamp" \* MERGEFORMAT /SERGIO COFFA Ph.D./ Primary Examiner Art Unit 1658 /SERGIO COFFA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1658
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Oct 10, 2023
Application Filed
Feb 26, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12595283
POLYPEPTIDE TAG AND APPLICATION THEREOF IN IN VITRO PROTEIN SYNTHESIS
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 07, 2026
Patent 12590119
PEPTIDE SYNTHESIS AND SYSTEM THEREOF
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 31, 2026
Patent 12582924
METHODS FOR OBTAINING LIQUID FROM A SOLID PHASE
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
Patent 12569574
PROTEINS WITH CARDIOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 10, 2026
Patent 12569435
Ocular Compositions and Methods Thereof
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 10, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

AI Strategy Recommendation

Get an AI-powered prosecution strategy using examiner precedents, rejection analysis, and claim mapping.
Powered by AI — typically takes 5-10 seconds

Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
61%
Grant Probability
94%
With Interview (+33.6%)
2y 11m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 719 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

Sign in with your work email

Enter your email to receive a magic link. No password needed.

Personal email addresses (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) are not accepted.

Free tier: 3 strategy analyses per month