DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. The Amendment filed on February 17, 2026, has been received and entered.
Claim Disposition
3. Claims 2-3 and 6 have been cancelled. Claims 1, 4-5 and 7-15 are pending and are under examination.
Claim objection
4. Claims 1, 4-5 and 7-15 are objected to for the following informalities:
For clarity and precision of claim language it is suggested that claim 1 and 4, are amended to recite “a hydrogel comprising …” and “a composition comprising….”, because open language is better suited in reflecting the claimed embodiments. The dependent claims hereto are also included.
For clarity it is suggested that claim 11 is amended to delete “involves”, because there is no description (i.e.,…….nerve injury is from a traumatic accident….). The dependent claims hereto are also included.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
5. Claims 1, 4-5 and 7-15 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 1, 4 and the dependent claims hereto are indefinite for the recitation of “consisting of” which is closed language and the recitation of additional/further embodiments which reads instead on “comprising”. The dependent claims hereto are also included.
Response to Arguments
6. Applicant’s comments have been considered in full. Withdrawn objections/rejections will not be discussed herein as applicant’s comments are moot. Note that new rejections and have been instituted based on amendments made to the claims for the reasons set forth above.
Conclusion
7. No claims are presently allowable.
8. Applicant’s amendment necessitated the new/modified ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOPE A ROBINSON whose telephone number is (571) 272-0957. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5pm on Monday to Friday.
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/HOPE A ROBINSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1652