Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Application No. 18/609,391

PYRROLOPYRIMIDINE NUCLEOSIDES AND ANALOGS THEREOF

Non-Final OA §102§DOUBLEPATENT
Filed
Mar 19, 2024
Priority
Aug 06, 2015 — provisional 62/202,010 +6 more
Examiner
LEWIS, PATRICK T
Art Unit
1691
Tech Center
1600 — Biotechnology & Organic Chemistry
Assignee
The Regents of the University of Michigan
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
74%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
88%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 74% — above average
74%
Career Allowance Rate
862 granted / 1162 resolved
+14.2% vs TC avg
Moderate +14% lift
Without
With
+14.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 3m
Avg Prosecution
17 currently pending
Career history
1181
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
6.2%
-33.8% vs TC avg
§103
31.7%
-8.3% vs TC avg
§102
19.7%
-20.3% vs TC avg
§112
22.4%
-17.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1162 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §DOUBLEPATENT
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 . 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 § 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 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-30 of U.S. Patent No. 9,701,706 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the instant claims are generic to all that is recited in claims 1-30 of U.S. Patent No. 9,701,706 B2. That is, claims 1-30 of U.S. Patent No. 9,701,706 B2 fall entirely within the scope of claims 1-20 or, in other words, claims 1-20 are anticipated by claims 1-30 of U.S. Patent No. 9,701,706 B2. Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-22 of U.S. Patent No. 9,708,359 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the instant claims are generic to all that is recited in claims 1-22 of U.S. Patent No. 9,708,359 B2. That is, claims 1-22 of U.S. Patent No. 9,708,359 B2 fall entirely within the scope of claims 1-20 or, in other words, claims 1-20 are anticipated by claims 1-22 of U.S. Patent No. 9,708,359 B2. Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-15 of U.S. Patent No. 10,407,457 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the instant claims are generic to all that is recited in claims 1-15 of U.S. Patent No. 10,407,457 B2. That is, claims 1-15 of U.S. Patent No. 10,407,457 B2 fall entirely within the scope of claims 1-20 or, in other words, claims 1-20 are anticipated by claims 1-15 of U.S. Patent No. 10,407,457 B2. Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-16 of U.S. Patent No. 10,941,175 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the instant claims are generic to all that is recited in claims 1-16 of U.S. Patent No. 10,941,175 B2. That is, claims 1-16 of U.S. Patent No. 10,941,175 B2 fall entirely within the scope of claims 1-20 or, in other words, claims 1-20 are anticipated by claims 1-16 of U.S. Patent No. 10,941,175 B2. Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-16 of U.S. Patent No. 10,941,175 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the instant claims are generic to all that is recited in claims 1-16 of U.S. Patent No. 10,941,175 B2. That is, claims 1-16 of U.S. Patent No. 10,941,175 B2 fall entirely within the scope of claims 1-20 or, in other words, claims 1-20 are anticipated by claims 1-16 of U.S. Patent No. 10,941,175 B2. Claims 1-19 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No. 11,981,700 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the instant claims are generic to all that is recited in claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No. 11,981,700 B2. That is, claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No. 11,981,700 B2 fall entirely within the scope of claims 1-19 or, in other words, claims 1-19 are anticipated by claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No. 11,981,700 B2. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. 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. Claim(s) 1-2, 4-14, 16-17, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Naus et al. J. Med. Chem. (2014), Vol. 57, pages 1097-1110 (Naus). Naus discloses previously reported cytostatic nucleosides 1 and the design of derivatives employed in the study (page 1098, Chart 1). Compounds 9a-f are embraced by instant formula (IA). PNG media_image1.png 664 564 media_image1.png Greyscale Naus teaches all of the instantly claimed elements. Thus, claims 1-2, 4-14, 16-17, and 19 are anticipated. Conclusion Claims 1-20 are pending. Claims 1-20 are rejected. No claims are allowed. Contacts Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICK T LEWIS whose telephone number is (571)272-0655. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday, 10 AM to 4 PM EST (Maxi Flex). 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, Renee Claytor can be reached at (571) 272-8394. 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. /PATRICK T LEWIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1691 /PL/
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Mar 19, 2024
Application Filed
May 05, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §DOUBLEPATENT (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
74%
Grant Probability
88%
With Interview (+14.2%)
2y 3m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1162 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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