Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/816,990

METHODS OF GENETICALLY ALTERING A PLANT NIN-GENE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO AUXIN

Non-Final OA §102§103§112
Filed
Aug 27, 2024
Priority
Aug 28, 2023 — provisional 63/579,266
Examiner
ZHONG, WAYNESHAOBIN
Art Unit
1662
Tech Center
1600 — Biotechnology & Organic Chemistry
Assignee
Niab
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
72%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 0m
Est. Remaining
94%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 72% — above average
72%
Career Allowance Rate
388 granted / 536 resolved
+12.4% vs TC avg
Strong +22% interview lift
Without
With
+21.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 11m
Avg Prosecution
29 currently pending
Career history
562
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.2%
-36.8% vs TC avg
§103
58.5%
+18.5% vs TC avg
§102
10.4%
-29.6% vs TC avg
§112
17.6%
-22.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 536 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103 §112
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 . Information Disclosure Statement The Information Disclosure Statements filed on 2/3/2025, 4/24/2025 have been entered and considered. Initialed copies of the form PTO-1449 are enclosed with this action. Restriction-Election/Status of claims On 4/24/2026, the applicant elected group I, claims 1-7, 9-15, 18-20, without traverse. The applicant also elected the combination of SEQ ID NO: 649 and 578, without traverse, and indicated that claims 1-7, 9, 13-15, 18-20 encompass the elected subject matter (page 31 of the argument). Claims 8, 16-17 had been canceled by the applicant. Upon further consideration, in view of the claim languages, SEQ ID NO: 649 and SEQ ID NO: 578 are examined individually or as a combination. In summary, claims 1-7, 9, 13-15, 18-20 are examined in this office action. Non-elected claims including claims 10-12 (that exclusively drawn to non-elected species) and species are withdrawn. Priority Instant application 18816990, filed 08/27/2024, claims Priority from Provisional Application 63579266, filed 08/28/2023. 63579266 disclosed most of the elected claimed subject matter including that of SEQ ID NO: 578. However, 63579266 did not disclose the subject matter of the elected SEQ ID NO: 649 in the specification, claims, or sequence listing. Thus, the priority is not recognized regarding claim 6. Accordingly, the priority date of 08/28/2023 is recognized, except claim 6 (8/27/2024). Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 Indefiniteness 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. Claim 4 is 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. The claim recites “TGTCTN” motif, but does not indicate what the “N” refers to. Without such an indication note, it is unclear to one skill in the art what the “N” actually refers to. Appropriate correction and clarification are required. Lacking written description 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. Claims 1, 18-20 are 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 pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. To claim a genus under the written description requirement, the applicant is required to describe a representative number of species to reflect the variation within the genus or structures sufficient to define the genus. The factors to be considered include disclosure of complete or partial structure, physical and/or chemical properties, functional characteristics, structure/function correlation, methods of making the claimed product, or any combinations thereof. By court’s statement in Regents of the Univ. of Cal. v. Eli Lilly, 119 F.3d 1559, 1566, 43 USPQ2d 1398, 1404 (Fed. Cir. 1997), a written description of an invention “requires a precise definition, such as a structure, formula, or chemical name, of the claimed subject matter sufficient to distinguish it from other materials”; further, a written description of a claimed genus requires a description of a representative number of species of the claimed genus, and one of skill in the art should be able to “visualize or recognize the identity of the members of the genus”. Claims are broadly drawn to a genus of genetically altered plants or parts thereof comprising a genus of genetic alterations. The claimed function is increasing activity of a NODULE INCEPTION (NIN) protein or a NIN-like protein (NLP protein) in response to a genus of auxin signaling. The specification describes and/or demonstrates that auxin plays an ancestral role in controlling the expression of NIN during nodule development, and using auxin response element (AuxRE) motif TGTCTC or TGTCTN to increase NIN expression level in different plants and different plant tissues (Example 1, [0081]-[0131]). However, the specification does not describe the common structure feature of the genus of the genus of genetic alterations that increases activity of NIN proteins or a NIN-like proteins in response to a genus of auxin signaling. In the art, recently, Salgado et al (The auxin phenylacetic acid induces NIN expression in the actinorhizal plant Datisca glomerata, whereas cytokinin acts antagonistically. PLOS ONE, p1-26, 2025) found that auxins induce NODULE INCEPTION (NIN) expression in a plant (p1, Abstract; p2-17, Results and Conclusions). Thus, increased NIN expression/activity in response to auxins is a recent discovery. Regarding the description of a representative number of species, the claimed genus of genetic alterations has nearly unlimited numbers, and are generic. The structures of the alterations are heterologous. They are not described by the specification or the art to be connected to the NIN expression or activity. Hence, increasing auxins or increasing expressing AuxREs does not describe the common structure feature of the genus of generic genetic alterations, and is not sufficient to represent not to mention sufficiently represent the genus of generic genetic alterations. Therefore, the application has not met either of the two elements of the written description requirement as set forth in the court’s decision in Eli Lilly, and has not shown her/his possession of the claimed genus at the time of the application. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102/103 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. 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, 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over, Geurts et al (WO2020115181, published 6/11/2020, filed 12/5/2019), viewed with evidence of Natural index, and Hu et al (A novel insight into nitrogen and auxin signaling in lateral root formation in tea plant [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze]. BMC Plant Biology. P1-17, 2020). Claim 1 is drawn to broadly drawn to a genus of genetically altered plants or parts thereof comprising a genus of genetic alterations causing increased activity of a NODULE INCEPTION (NIN) protein or a NIN-like protein (NLP protein) in response to a genus of not sufficiently described auxin signaling as compared to a control plant without the one or more genetic alterations. As analyzed above, the claimed genetic alterations are generic and can be any genetic alterations. Claims 18-20 limits the plants to particular genus or type of plants. Claims are product by process claims. Determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. See MPEP 2113. See In re Thorpe, 227 USPQ 964, 966 (Fed. Cir. 1985), which teaches that a product-by-process claim may be properly rejectable over prior art teaching the same product produced by a different process, if the process of making the product fails to distinguish the two products. Geurts et al teach that NIN is endogenous and natural in plants ([0017]). Geurts et al teach and claim “a genetically altered plant, wherein the plant or a part thereof comprises one or more genetic alterations that increase activity of a NODULE INCEPTION (NIN) protein or a NIN- like protein (NLP protein)” and demonstrated that NIN expression/activity was induced and increased in plant root (a plant part) as compared to that in non-genetically altered plant (Example 1, [0105], claim 1). Geurts et al do not explicitly teach such increased NIN activity is in response to auxin signaling. According to Auxin Signaling Dynamics in Plant Growth | Plant Developmental and Reproductive Biology | Plant Biology | Biological sciences | Topics | Nature Index, auxin and auxin signaling exist in natural plants (whole index). Hu et al provides evidence that auxin and auxin signaling exist in natural plants (p2, whole left and right cols). Since the NIN is endogenous and natural, NIN activity is increased, auxin signaling exist in natural plants, both the plant of Geurts et al and the instant plant read on the claimed plant. The instantly claimed plant is not distinguishable from the plant of Geurts et al. In addition, according to MPEP 2112. III, A REJECTION UNDER 35 U.S.C. 102/103 CAN BE MADE WHEN THE PRIOR ART PRODUCT SEEMS TO BE IDENTICAL EXCEPT THAT THE PRIOR ART IS SILENT AS TO AN INHERENT CHARACTERISTIC. Where applicant claims a composition in terms of a function, property or characteristic and the composition of the prior art is the same as that of the claim but the function is not explicitly disclosed by the reference, the examiner may make a rejection under both 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103, expressed as a 102/103 rejection. “There is nothing inconsistent in concurrent rejections for obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 and for anticipation under 35 U.S.C. 102.” In re Best, 562 F.2d 1252, 1255 n.4, 195 USPQ 430, 433 n.4 (CCPA 1977). This same rationale should also apply to product, apparatus, and process claims claimed in terms of function, property or characteristic. Therefore, a 35 U.S.C. 102/103rejection is appropriate for these types of claims as well as for composition claims. In this case, in the genetic altered plant of Geurts et al, the NIN is endogenous and natural in the plant (and the NIN activity is increased); and the auxin and it’s signaling exist in natural plants including the plant of Geurts et al. Thus, not only the instantly claimed plant is not distinguishable from the plant of Geurts et al, but also the property of increased NIN activity is in response to auxin signaling is inherent in both Geurts et al and instant claims. Regarding dependent claims, Geurts et al teach that the plants include corn, rice, wheat and more ([0055], claim 14), the limitation of claim 18. Geurts et al teach that the plants include apple, pear, plum and more ([0013], claim 15), the limitation of claim 19. Geurts et al teach that the plants include non-nodulating plant ([0040]), the limitation of claim 20. Therefore, the claim is anticipated by or, in the alternative, as obvious over, Geurts et al. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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 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. The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or non-obviousness. Claim 2 and dependent claims 7, 9, 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Geurts et al viewed with evidence of Natural index and Hu et al as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Guilfoyle et al (Auxin response factors. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 10:453–460, 2007), and Singh et al (CYCLOPS, A DNA-Binding Transcriptional Activator, Orchestrates Symbiotic Root Nodule Development. Cell Host & Microbe 15, 139–152, 2014). Claim 1 and the teaching by Geurts et al have been analyzed. Claim 2 limits claim 1, wherein the one or more genetic alterations comprise addition of one or more auxin response elements (AuxREs) operably linked to a nucleic acid encoding the NIN protein or the NLP protein. Geurts et al additionally teach that NIN is a key transcription factor in in nodule development ([0005]), and that NIN plays a crucial role in many aspects of root developments ([0013], [0015], [0020]). Geurts et al also additionally that cell division in nodule primordia correlates with auxin accumulation, and suggest that auxin and NIN may work together in root development ([0017]). Geurts et al do not teach making addition of one or more auxin response elements (AuxREs) operably linked to a nucleic acid encoding the NIN protein or the NLP protein. Guilfoyle et al teach that many transcription factor genes bind with specificity to TGTCTC auxin response elements (AuxRE) in promoters of those transcription factor genes. Such binding activates or represses the transcription factor genes. (p453, Abstract; left col, 1st para). Guilfoyle et al further teach that transcription factor genes are abundant in plants. Only one plant species Arabidopsis comprises at least 19 known transcription factor genes (p253, right col, 2nd para). The transcription factor genes include genes involving in root development. AuxREs TGTCTC regulates those genes (p454, right col, last 2 paras, p455, left col, 1st para). Guilfoyle et al demonstrated that AuxREs have been proved to regulate many transcription factor genes (p456, left col, 2nd to last para, right col, 1st to 2nd para). Accordingly, Guilfoyle et al teach and provide motivation to use the AuxREs particularly TGTCTC to regulate transcription factor genes include genes involving in root development. Guilfoyle et al do not particularly teach using AuxREs to regulate NIN expression or activity. Singh et al teach that NODULE INCEPTION (NIN) is a transcription factor and crucial for nodule organogenesis and developments in plant roots (P139, right col, 2nd para). Singh et al specifically teach identifying and characterizing the NIN promoter region (p140, right col, 2nd to last paras). As analyzed above, Geurts et al suggest that auxin and NIN may work together in root development. Accordingly, NIN is a crucial transcription factor in root development, Geurts et al, Guilfoyle et al and Singh et al collectively teach a motivation of using AuxREs particularly TGTCTC to regulate transcription factor genes in root development including NIN genes. Regarding dependent claims, Guilfoyle et al teach that AuxREs are inserted in multiple promoters of the transcription factor genes (p456, right col, 2nd para), and there are different characterized AuxREs besides TGTCTC (p458, left col, 2nd para), the limitation of claim 3. The TGTCTC reads on the limitation of claim 4. Geurts et al teach that the inserted response elements are added between a cyclops binding site and the 5’ transcriptional start site of the nucleic acid encoding the NIN protein ([0017]), the limitation of claim 5. Geurts et al teach (disclose and characterize) NIN protein sequences 96.4% identical to instant SEQ ID NO: 649, and 100% identical to instant SEQ ID NO: 578, the limitations of claims 6-7, 9. See “Sequence Matches” at the end of office action. Geurts et al teach that the NIN or coding sequence may be endogenous or heterologous ([0007]), the limitations of claims 14-15. An invention would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art if any teaching, suggestion or motivation in prior art leading the one to combine the teaching(s) or suggestion(s) of the cited references to arrive the claimed invention. In this case, one ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that NIN is an indispensable transcription factor for all aspects of nodule symbiosis in plants as taught by Geurts et al and Singh et al, and that NIN works together with auxins in root developments as suggested by Geurts et al. Upon such recognition, it would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention of Guilfoyle et al, such that using AuxREs particularly TGTCTC to regulate transcription factor genes in root development is applied to NIN. One ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because NIN is an indispensable transcription factor in root development, and NIN and auxin works together in root development as suggested by Geurts et al. The expectation of success would have been high, because AuxREs have been proved to regulate many transcription factor genes as demonstrated by Guilfoyle et al, and the NIN promoter region has been characterized by Singh et al, thus inserting an AuxRE into the NIN promoter region would have been as into the other transcription factors. Therefore, the invention would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art. Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Geurts et al viewed with evidence of Natural index and Hu et al in view of Guilfoyle et al and Singh et al, as applied to claims 1-2, and further viewed with evidence from Ulmasov et al (Dimerization and DNA binding of auxin response factors. The Plant Journal, 309-319, 1999). Claims 1-2 have been analyzed above. Claim 13 limits claim 2, wherein the one or more AuxREs are derived from a promoter of a nucleic acid encoding the NIN protein or the NLP protein in a legume or an actinorhizal plant species or wherein the one or more AuxREs are derived from a synthetic auxin responsive promoter. As analyzed above, TGTCTC is taught as an AuxRE, but Guilfoyle et al do not explicitly indicate that TGTCTC is synthetic. Ulmasov et al provide evidence that TGTCTC is a highly active synthetic auxin response elements (AuxRE) derived from a synthetic promoter (p309, left col, last para, right col, 1st para). Therefore, viewed with evidence from Ulmasov et al, the limitation was taught by Guilfoyle et al, and dependent claim 13 is deemed obvious as other dependent claims are. Remarks By the examiner’s search, NIN had not been recognized as one of the auxin response factors. Sequence Matches Against instant SEQ ID NO:649 RESULT 2 BHV75354 (NOTE: this sequence has 1 duplicate in the database searched. See complete list at the end of this report) ID BHV75354 standard; protein; 679 AA. XX AC BHV75354; XX DT 23-JUL-2020 (first entry) XX DE Mucuna pruriens NIN/NLP1 orthogroup protein, SEQ ID 132. XX KW CRISPR-Cas system; crop improvement; fruit; gene editing; plant; KW transgenic plant. XX OS Mucuna pruriens. XX CC PN WO2020115181-A1. XX CC PD 11-JUN-2020. XX CC PF 05-DEC-2019; 2019WO-EP083770. XX PR 06-DEC-2018; 2018US-0776325P. XX CC PA (UYWN ) UNIV WAGENINGEN. XX CC PI Geurts R, Liu J, Rutten L, Kulikova O, Bisseling T; XX DR WPI; 2020-50737S/051. XX CC PT New genetically altered plant e.g. corn and apple useful for producing CC PT fruit and grain, comprises genetic alterations increasing activity of CC PT nodule inception (NIN) protein or NIN-like protein in response to CC PT cytokinin signaling. XX CC PS Disclosure; SEQ ID NO 132; 130pp; English. XX CC The present invention relates to a novel genetically altered plant, CC useful for producing fruit and grain. The genetically altered plant CC comprises one or more genetic alterations capable of increasing the CC activity of a NODULE INCEPTION (NIN) protein or a NIN-like protein (NLP CC protein) in response to cytokinin signaling, wherein the plant comprises CC a nucleic acid encoding the NIN protein or NLP protein. The invention CC also provides a method for producing the genetically altered plant by (a) CC introducing one or more genetic alterations into a plant cell, tissue or CC other explant, (b) regenerating the plant cell, tissue or other explant CC into a genetically altered plantlet, and (c) growing the genetically CC altered plantlet into a genetically altered plant with the one or more CC genetic alterations that increases the activity of NIN protein or NLP CC protein in response to cytokinin signaling as compared to an CC untransformed WT plant. The genetic alterations are introduced by using CC gene editing components are chosen from (i) a ribonucleoprotein complex CC that targets the nuclear genome sequence, (ii) a vector comprising a CC transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN) protein encoding CC sequence, where the TALEN protein targets the nuclear genome sequence, CC (iii) a vector comprising a zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) protein encoding CC sequence, where the ZFN protein targets the nuclear genome sequence, (iv) CC an oligonucleotide donor (ODN), where the ODN targets the nuclear genome CC sequence, and (v) a vector comprising a clustered regularly interspaced CC short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR associated (Cas) enzyme CC encoding sequence and a targeting sequence, where the targeting sequence CC targets the nuclear genome sequence. XX SQ Sequence 679 AA; Query Match 96.4%; Score 375; Length 679; Best Local Similarity 94.8%; Matches 73; Conservative 3; Mismatches 1; Indels 0; Gaps 0; Qy 1 KRRTKAEKTISLEVLRQYFAGSLKDAAKSLGVCPTTLKRICRQHGISRWPSRKIKKVNHS 60 ||||||||||||:||||||||||||||||:||||||||||||||||:|||||||||| || Db 484 KRRTKAEKTISLQVLRQYFAGSLKDAAKSIGVCPTTLKRICRQHGITRWPSRKIKKVGHS 543 Qy 61 LKKLQLVIDSVQGAEGA 77 ||||||||||||||||| Db 544 LKKLQLVIDSVQGAEGA 560 Against instant SEQ ID NO: 578 RESULT 1 BHV75900 (NOTE: this sequence has 1 duplicate in the database searched. See complete list at the end of this report) ID BHV75900 standard; protein; 868 AA. XX AC BHV75900; XX DT 23-JUL-2020 (first entry) XX DE Datisca glomerata NIN.2 protein, SEQ ID 690. XX KW CRISPR-Cas system; NIN.2 protein; NODULE INCEPTION protein; KW crop improvement; fruit; gene editing; plant; transgenic plant. XX OS Datisca glomerata. XX CC PN WO2020115181-A1. XX CC PD 11-JUN-2020. XX CC PF 05-DEC-2019; 2019WO-EP083770. XX PR 06-DEC-2018; 2018US-0776325P. XX CC PA (UYWN ) UNIV WAGENINGEN. XX CC PI Geurts R, Liu J, Rutten L, Kulikova O, Bisseling T; XX DR WPI; 2020-50737S/051. XX CC PT New genetically altered plant e.g. corn and apple useful for producing CC PT fruit and grain, comprises genetic alterations increasing activity of CC PT nodule inception (NIN) protein or NIN-like protein in response to CC PT cytokinin signaling. XX CC PS Disclosure; SEQ ID NO 690; 130pp; English. XX CC The present invention relates to a novel genetically altered plant, CC useful for producing fruit and grain. The genetically altered plant CC comprises one or more genetic alterations capable of increasing the CC activity of a NODULE INCEPTION (NIN) protein or a NIN-like protein (NLP CC protein) in response to cytokinin signaling, wherein the plant comprises CC a nucleic acid encoding the NIN protein or NLP protein. The invention CC also provides a method for producing the genetically altered plant by (a) CC introducing one or more genetic alterations into a plant cell, tissue or CC other explant, (b) regenerating the plant cell, tissue or other explant CC into a genetically altered plantlet, and (c) growing the genetically CC altered plantlet into a genetically altered plant with the one or more CC genetic alterations that increases the activity of NIN protein or NLP CC protein in response to cytokinin signaling as compared to an CC untransformed WT plant. The genetic alterations are introduced by using CC gene editing components are chosen from (i) a ribonucleoprotein complex CC that targets the nuclear genome sequence, (ii) a vector comprising a CC transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN) protein encoding CC sequence, where the TALEN protein targets the nuclear genome sequence, CC (iii) a vector comprising a zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) protein encoding CC sequence, where the ZFN protein targets the nuclear genome sequence, (iv) CC an oligonucleotide donor (ODN), where the ODN targets the nuclear genome CC sequence, and (v) a vector comprising a clustered regularly interspaced CC short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR associated (Cas) enzyme CC encoding sequence and a targeting sequence, where the targeting sequence CC targets the nuclear genome sequence. XX SQ Sequence 868 AA; Query Match 100.0%; Score 4567; Length 868; Best Local Similarity 100.0%; Matches 868; Conservative 0; Mismatches 0; Indels 0; Gaps 0; Qy 1 MEYGALTVNSTYGNYTETTMELDFMDELLQGRWMDSSNGTNLLQSVSSVRALNNDSSNYV 60 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 1 MEYGALTVNSTYGNYTETTMELDFMDELLQGRWMDSSNGTNLLQSVSSVRALNNDSSNYV 60 Qy 61 TPHEINTNHLMINPNHHVYEEDQANHETFLVEEVDQSSSRKWWISPRVYPEPSSCVKERL 120 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 61 TPHEINTNHLMINPNHHVYEEDQANHETFLVEEVDQSSSRKWWISPRVYPEPSSCVKERL 120 Qy 121 TLALRYLKDCLTNRDLLIQMWMPVRRGDKLVLTTHDQPYLLEPSCVSLANYRKVLSGYEF 180 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 121 TLALRYLKDCLTNRDLLIQMWMPVRRGDKLVLTTHDQPYLLEPSCVSLANYRKVLSGYEF 180 Qy 181 AAEEEGEESVGLAGRAYVGKLPEWTPDVRYFKRHEYPLIRYAEEYNVRGSLALPVFERGS 240 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 181 AAEEEGEESVGLAGRAYVGKLPEWTPDVRYFKRHEYPLIRYAEEYNVRGSLALPVFERGS 240 Qy 241 GACLGVVEIVTTTQRVNYRPELDFITQALESVDLRSFQNFIPPIVKTCDELYQAALTEIL 300 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 241 GACLGVVEIVTTTQRVNYRPELDFITQALESVDLRSFQNFIPPIVKTCDELYQAALTEIL 300 Qy 301 EVVTSVCKTHRLPLALTWAPCSQQGKGGCRHSDQTYTRCVSTVDSACFVSDLETTGFHEA 360 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 301 EVVTSVCKTHRLPLALTWAPCSQQGKGGCRHSDQTYTRCVSTVDSACFVSDLETTGFHEA 360 Qy 361 CAEHHLFRGQGIVGTAFTTKKPCFAVDVTAFSKTEYPLSHHARMFGLVAAVAIPLRSVYT 420 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 361 CAEHHLFRGQGIVGTAFTTKKPCFAVDVTAFSKTEYPLSHHARMFGLVAAVAIPLRSVYT 420 Qy 421 GPAEFVLEFFLPKECRNNDEQKRMLNSLSIVIQQSCRSLHVVTDNELEEEITEKAKPGPS 480 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 421 GPAEFVLEFFLPKECRNNDEQKRMLNSLSIVIQQSCRSLHVVTDNELEEEITEKAKPGPS 480 Qy 481 TLEGDHHCTKDQSSWIAHMMEAQEKGKGVSLSLQYQTDEAEEEREGFRVTSYWDATQGGG 540 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 481 TLEGDHHCTKDQSSWIAHMMEAQEKGKGVSLSLQYQTDEAEEEREGFRVTSYWDATQGGG 540 Qy 541 LTNGEVITEFGELQQSSGLKSGDEGGGDSYSFGSRRGGRKAGEKRRTKAEKTISLSVLRQ 600 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 541 LTNGEVITEFGELQQSSGLKSGDEGGGDSYSFGSRRGGRKAGEKRRTKAEKTISLSVLRQ 600 Qy 601 YFAGSLKDAAKSIGVCPTTLKRICRQHGITRWPSRKIKKVSHSLRKLQLVIDSVQGAEGS 660 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 601 YFAGSLKDAAKSIGVCPTTLKRICRQHGITRWPSRKIKKVSHSLRKLQLVIDSVQGAEGS 660 Qy 661 IQISSFYKSFPELGSTNVDVNDQFSSLKINYQNQHQAESGLFSHGAPAKSPASSSSQNSI 720 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 661 IQISSFYKSFPELGSTNVDVNDQFSSLKINYQNQHQAESGLFSHGAPAKSPASSSSQNSI 720 Qy 721 PTRPNHHHMIANVNAFSGGDFLITEDPVGVMNRGSSEEPFGELMTNNNGCFKVKANFVDK 780 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 721 PTRPNHHHMIANVNAFSGGDFLITEDPVGVMNRGSSEEPFGELMTNNNGCFKVKANFVDK 780 Qy 781 KIRFILQPSWGFRDLQLEIGRRFNLEEMRGVEIKYLDDDHELVLMTCDADLEECKEIYSS 840 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 781 KIRFILQPSWGFRDLQLEIGRRFNLEEMRGVEIKYLDDDHELVLMTCDADLEECKEIYSS 840 Qy 841 SQNNTIVLSLSWASHQNPAKSYGKSSPS 868 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 841 SQNNTIVLSLSWASHQNPAKSYGKSSPS 868 Conclusion No claim is allowed. Contact information Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WAYNE ZHONG whose telephone number is (571)270-0311. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30am to 5:00pm EST. 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, Bratislav Stankovic, can be reached on 571-270-0305. 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. /Wayne Zhong/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1662
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Prosecution Timeline

Aug 27, 2024
Application Filed
Jun 03, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §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
72%
Grant Probability
94%
With Interview (+21.6%)
2y 11m (~1y 0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 536 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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