CTNF 18/880,219 CTNF 88004 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Election/Restrictions 08-25-01 AIA Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-12 , in the reply filed on 8 May 2026 is acknowledged. 08-06 AIA Claim s 13-19 and 21 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected inventions , there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 8 May 2026 . Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 20 December 2024 and 14 October 2025 were considered by the examiner. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA 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. 07-34-01 Claims 11-12 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. Claim 11 sets forth the limitation “an agent conjugated with the hierarchical metallic supra-nanostructure” in the second and third lines of the claim. The metes and bounds of this particular limitation cannot be determined since it is not clear what is intended by the term “conjugated” within this claim. The term conjugated can mean joined together especially in pairs; acting or operating as if joined; having features in common but opposite or inverse in some particular; related by the difference of a proton; having the same derivation and therefore usually some likeness in meaning. It is not clear how applicant intends this term to be construed. For example it is not clear if applicant intends this terminology to mean that the material are joined together or if they can merely act as if joined. It is also not clear what amount of joining is necessary for the material to fall under applicant’s intended conjugated. For example, two materials together may be considered to be conjugated since they are in the same composite and therefore joined. For the purposes of examination, the Office is construing this to mean that the materials are bonded or joined with the other material at some point. As to claim 12, this claim depends from claim 11 and incorporates the limitations therein. Accordingly, claim 12 is rejected for the reasons set forth above in regards to claim 11. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-12-aia AIA (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Choi, Bongseo, et al. “Synergistic local combination of radiation and anti-programmed death Ligand 1 Immunotherapy using Radiation-Responsive Splintery Metallic Nanocarriers,” ACS Nano 14.10 (2020): 13115-13126 (Submitted with IDS by Applicant on 14 October 2025, cited as “Choi”) . In regards to independent claim 1 and dependent claims 3-4, Choi sets forth achieving synergistic therapeutic efficacy of combinational RT and anti-programmed death ligand 1 (aPD-L1) immunotherapy, RT-responsive splintery snowflake-like Au nanocarriers were synthesized with a method for hierarchical bimetallic supra-nanostructures. (Abstract) Primary Au nanocrystals interconnected with Ag nanocrystals in S-AuNC showed RT-responsive structural deformation resulting in RT-triggered release of cargo aPD-L1 in S-AuNC. (Abstract) Snowflake-like AU nanocarriers were prepared. (13117) S-AuNC composed of interconnected Au nanocrystals with Ag nanocrystals were formed. (13117) This structure corresponds to the claimed HMSN with the first metal being gold and the second metal being silver. As to claim 2, Choi teaches selectively dissolving or detaching the nano-linkers in the presence of a reactive oxygen species. (Page 13118) As to claims 5-6, as seen in Figures 2A and 2D, the structure includes primary and secondary branches, wherein the primary branches have a greater thickness than the secondary branches. As to claims 7-8, as seen in Figures 2A-2G, the structures have average particles sizes that fall within the claimed ranges. As to claim 9, as seen in Figure 2A, the nanocrystals have a particle size that fall within the claimed range. As to claim 10, as seen in Figure 2A, the structure is two-dimensional. As to claim 11, the structure interacts with oxygen and water molecules in the physiological environment. These can considered to be agents to which the structure is conjugated. During this process, the structure would be conjugated with the other molecules. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Daniel Schleis whose telephone number is (571)270-5636. The examiner can normally be reached 10 AM to 4 PM Monday through Friday. 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, Humera Sheikh can be reached at (571) 272-0604. 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. Daniel J. Schleis Primary Examiner Art Unit 1784 /Daniel J. Schleis/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1784 Application/Control Number: 18/880,219 Page 2 Art Unit: 1784 Application/Control Number: 18/880,219 Page 3 Art Unit: 1784 Application/Control Number: 18/880,219 Page 4 Art Unit: 1784
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