Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Application No. 18/565,598

PYRIDOPYRIMIDINE DERIVATIVES USEFUL AS WEE1 KINASE INHIBITORS

Non-Final OA §103§112
Filed
Nov 30, 2023
Priority
Jun 04, 2021 — provisional 63/196,744 +1 more
Examiner
ROBINSON, MIKHAIL O'DONNEL
Art Unit
1627
Tech Center
1600 — Biotechnology & Organic Chemistry
Assignee
Aprea Therapeutics Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
57%
Grant Probability
Moderate
1-2
OA Rounds
10m
Est. Remaining
98%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 57% of resolved cases
57%
Career Allowance Rate
63 granted / 111 resolved
-3.2% vs TC avg
Strong +42% interview lift
Without
With
+41.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 4m
Avg Prosecution
37 currently pending
Career history
156
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.1%
-38.9% vs TC avg
§103
64.3%
+24.3% vs TC avg
§102
11.2%
-28.8% vs TC avg
§112
5.9%
-34.1% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 111 resolved cases

Office Action

§103 §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 . 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 17, 25, 35 and 57 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. Regarding claim 17, the phrase "R1" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation of R1 in the compound is of the same limitation of R1 in claim1, as the claim is dependent from claim 1. Regarding claim 25, the structures of PNG media_image1.png 115 509 media_image1.png Greyscale renders the claim indefinite because the fused cyclopropyl attachment does not coincide with the limitations of claim 1 of compound PNG media_image2.png 105 251 media_image2.png Greyscale which does not have a cyclopropyl attachment. Regarding claim 35, the phrase "such as" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d). Regarding claim 57, the phrase "wherein the method is carried out in a subject" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear what applicant considered “in a subject”. Is it carried out in an organ by intravenous administration or in the digestive tract by oral administration. For prior art purposes examiner is interpreting the phrase as “in vivo” method. 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. Claims 1-2, 5, 7, 9, 11, 21, 25-26, 28, 41-45, 47-48, 50-52 and 55-57 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woods et al. (US Patent No. 9718821). Regarding claims 1-2, 5, 7, 9, 11, 21, 25-26, 28, 41-45, 47-48, 50-52 and 55-57, Woods teaches a method for inhibiting the activity of Wee-1 kinase and the treatment of cancers of the breast, colorectal, colon, lung, ovaries, pancreas, prostate, leukemia and brain by administration of a composition comprising PNG media_image3.png 115 207 media_image3.png Greyscale or a pharmaceutical acceptable salt in combination with one or more additional agents from a list which includes a chemotherapeutic agent and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient (relevant to claims 47-48, 50-52 and 55) (abstract, Pg. 57, 59-60). The administration as taught by Woods can be carried out in vitro (relevant to claim 56) (Pg. 46) or administered orally, intraarticular injection, parenterally, transdermally, vaginally and intraarterially as well as placement in the body (relevant to claim 57) (Pg. 57). Of the above compound Woods teaches PNG media_image4.png 133 200 media_image4.png Greyscale wherein PNG media_image5.png 228 327 media_image5.png Greyscale (relevant to claim 2, 5, 7, 9) (Pg. 9) and B is selected from a list of structures which includes PNG media_image6.png 98 150 media_image6.png Greyscale , PNG media_image7.png 64 148 media_image7.png Greyscale , PNG media_image8.png 86 179 media_image8.png Greyscale , wherein PNG media_image9.png 76 324 media_image9.png Greyscale (relevant to claims 11 and 21) (Pg. 9) and PNG media_image10.png 204 321 media_image10.png Greyscale (Pg. 10). In terms of claims 41-45, the claims further limits compound VII of claim 26 but does not state the “wherein the compound is of Formula VII, thus the teachings of Woods read to the limitations. Woods does not convey the exact compounds of claims 25-26 and 28, however it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to have developed compounds PNG media_image11.png 103 460 media_image11.png Greyscale PNG media_image12.png 110 485 media_image12.png Greyscale and Formula IVa wherein R4 is H from the teachings of woods. One would have been motivated to do so from the above compound of PNG media_image4.png 133 200 media_image4.png Greyscale with the limitations of R3 and structure B. There is a reasonable expectation of constructing compounds PNG media_image11.png 103 460 media_image11.png Greyscale PNG media_image12.png 110 485 media_image12.png Greyscale and Formula IVa from the teachings of Woods. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 14, 17-19, 30 and 32 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MIKHAIL O'DONNEL ROBINSON whose telephone number is (571)270-0777. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30am-5:30pm. 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, Kortney Klinkel can be reached at 571-270-5239. 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. MIKHAIL O'DONNEL. ROBINSON Examiner Art Unit 1627 /MIKHAIL O'DONNEL ROBINSON/Examiner, Art Unit 1627 /SARAH PIHONAK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1627
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Nov 30, 2023
Application Filed
Apr 20, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103, §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
57%
Grant Probability
98%
With Interview (+41.6%)
3y 4m (~10m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 111 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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