METHODS FOR CHARACTERIZING LOW-ABUNDANCE HOST CELL PROTEINS

Application No. 18/647,109

• Filed: Apr 26, 2024
• Priority: Mar 30, 2020 — provisional 63/001,690
  • May 28, 2020 — provisional 63/031,336
  • Mar 30, 2021 — continuation of 12/007,396
• Examiner: CHIN, CHRISTOPHER L
• Art Unit: 1677
• Tech Center: 1600 — Biotechnology & Organic Chemistry
• Assignee: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.
• OA Round: 1 (Non-Final)

Office 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 .

Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
a.) Paragraph [0001] of the specification, the status of the parent application should be updated.
Appropriate correction is required.

Double Patenting
A rejection based on double patenting of the “same invention” type finds its support in the language of 35 U.S.C. 101 which states that “whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process... may obtain a patent therefor...” (Emphasis added). Thus, the term “same invention,” in this context, means an invention drawn to identical subject matter. See Miller v. Eagle Mfg. Co., 151 U.S. 186 (1894); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Ockert, 245 F.2d 467, 114 USPQ 330 (CCPA 1957).
A statutory type (35 U.S.C. 101) double patenting rejection can be overcome by canceling or amending the claims that are directed to the same invention so they are no longer coextensive in scope. The filing of a terminal disclaimer cannot overcome a double patenting rejection based upon 35 U.S.C. 101.

Claims 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as claiming the same invention as that of claims 1-20 of prior U.S. Patent No. 12,007,396. This is a statutory double patenting rejection.
Claims 1-20 of patent ‘396 are identical to claims 1-20 of the instant application.

Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER L CHIN whose telephone number is [phone]. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 10:00am - 6:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Bao-Thuy Nguyen can be reached at 571-272-0824. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER L CHIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1677

9/23/2026

Prosecution Timeline

• Apr 26, 2024: Application Filed
• Sep 28, 2026: Non-Final Rejection mailed — §101 (current)