Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 10, 2026

Novartis AG

Technology area: Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals

80 pending office actions • 28 art units • 73 examiners • 1 of 80 (1%) have an AI response strategy ready • 67 patents granted in the last 365 days

Analysis

Novartis AG maintains 75 pending office actions in the Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals technology area. These actions are distributed across 28 distinct art units, indicating a pharmaceutical focus. The portfolio involves 67 distinct examiners, requiring the management of many unique examiner relationships.

Fubara, Blessing M is the busiest examiner with 2 pending office actions. Despite having 75 pending office actions, the workload is spread so that 67 distinct examiners are involved. This distribution across 28 distinct art units suggests that Novartis AG faces a diverse set of examination challenges across its biotech and pharmaceutical applications.

Written from this page's own data; every figure is computed from USPTO records and verified before publication.

Portfolio Summary

80
Total Pending OAs
59
Non-Final OAs
20
Final Rejections
1
Advisory / Quayle

Response Deadline Pressure

Based on the USPTO statutory response window for each pending office action. 24 of the docket's apps have a known mailing date; the rest are excluded from the tile counts.

15
Overdue
1
Due this week
2
Due this month
5
Due in next 60 days
1
Due later

Deadline Fire Line

Every pending office action with a known statutory deadline, placed on a days-until-due axis. Dots left of Today are overdue; the further right, the more runway. Cases that share a deadline window stack vertically. 24 of the docket's apps have a known mailing date.

-30dToday30d60d90d120d
Overdue (15)Due ≤ 7 days (1)Due ≤ 30 days (2)Due ≤ 60 days (5)Due later (1)

Case Difficulty Mix

Difficulty is derived from the rejection statutes on the most recent pending office action. §101-driven and multi-statute cases are graded Hard; §112-only and obviousness-type double-patenting cases are graded Easy; everything else is Medium. "Unknown" means we have not yet parsed a statute for that office action.

28
Hard (35%)
41
Medium (51%)
11
Easy (14%)
0
Unknown (0%)

Rejection Statute Mix

BucketCases
§101 + other2 (2%)
§103 only15 (19%)
§102 only2 (2%)
§112 only6 (8%)
Double-patenting only5 (6%)
Double-patenting + other24 (30%)
Multi-statute (no §101)26 (32%)

Industry Mix

How the docket's pending cases split across USPTO tech-center bands.

56
Life Sciences
70% of docket
0
Information Tech
0% of docket
0
Communications
0% of docket
0
Semiconductors
0% of docket
2
Mechanical / Eng
2% of docket
22
Business / Other
28% of docket

Time-on-OA Estimate

Manual office-action response work runs about 10 hours per case. The time-saved bands below show what IP Author's prosecution pipeline typically delivers — a conservative 20% on the low end, 35% in the middle, 50% on the high end.

800 h
Manual time on pending OAs
160 h
Time saved (low, 20%)
280 h
Time saved (mid, 35%)
7.0 wks
FTE-weeks freed (mid)

Top Examiners on this docket

ExaminerApps on this docketAllow rateInterview lift
FUBARA, BLESSING M 2 62.2% +34.2%
BENAVIDES, JENNIFER ANN 2 51.2% +47.0%
SZPERKA, MICHAEL EDWARD 2 62.7% +37.1%
SAMALA, JAGADISHWAR RAO 2 67.9% +55.7%
AEDER, SEAN E 2 56.9% +20.0%
HOWARD, ZACHARY C 2 63.9% +37.6%
WANG, CHANG YU 2 33.5% +53.6%
DUTT, ADITI 1 46.9% +48.1%
PERREIRA, MELISSA JEAN 1 52.0% +25.8%
MEJIAS, SAMANTHA LEE 1 46.4% +40.9%

Hard Cases (28)

Multi-statute / §101-driven matters, or cases in front of an examiner with an allow rate under 30%. The top 8 ordered by deadline are shown.

App #TitleExaminerDue in
17766149 COMPOUNDS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR TREATING CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH STING ACTIVITY SCHMIDT, IZABELA MARIA 264d overdue
18015856 COMPOUNDS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR TREATING CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH STING ACTIVITY CHICKS, ASHLI ARIANA 133d overdue
18561444 FORMULATIONS OF 3-((3-(4-(2-(ISOBUTYLSULFONYL)PHENOXY)-3-(TRIFLUOROMETHYL)PHENYL)-1,2,4-OXADIAZOL-5-YL)METHYL)-5,5-DIMETHYL-1-(2-MORPHOLINOETHYL)IMIDAZOLIDINE-2,4-DIONE RAO, SAVITHA M 8d overdue
17997137 CCR7 ANTIBODY DRUG CONJUGATES FOR TREATING CANCER SKOKO III, JOHN JOSEPH 14d
18261523 PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITION GOTFREDSON, GAREN 27d
18286030 OFATUMUMAB FOR TREATING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS IN ASIAN PATIENTS CHHAY, BONIRATH 34d
18187242 USE OF CANAKINUMAB HOWARD, ZACHARY C 34d
19176436 PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITIONS OF RIBOCICLIB YOUNG, MICAH PAUL 41d

Interview Candidates (17)

Cases in front of an examiner whose interview lift is 10 percentage points or more — i.e. interviewed cases historically resolve more favorably than non-interviewed ones. The top 8 ordered by deadline are shown.

App #TitleExaminerDue in
18440783 LABELED INHIBITORS OF PROSTATE SPECIFIC MEMBRANE ANTIGEN (PSMA) AS AGENTS FOR THE TREATMENT OF PROSTATE CANCER SAMALA, JAGADISHWAR RAO 91d overdue
18977210 Ribociclib Tablet FUBARA, BLESSING M 88d overdue
17753635 Management of conditions other than multiple sclerosis in ofatumumab-treated patients WANG, CHANG YU 60d overdue
18251913 ANTIBODY Fc VARIANTS HOWARD, ZACHARY C 37d overdue
17995820 OFATUMUMAB FOR TREATING MS WHILE MAINTAINING SERUM IgG WANG, CHANG YU 35d overdue
19240908 METHOD OF TREATING PROSTATE CANCER PERREIRA, MELISSA JEAN 32d overdue
18187242 USE OF CANAKINUMAB HOWARD, ZACHARY C 34d
19234864 STABLE, CONCENTRATED RADIOPHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITION MEJIAS, SAMANTHA LEE 76d

Top Art Units

Art UnitApps
1675 7
1618 7
1674 6
1643 4
1647 3
1613 2
1628 2
1623 2
1646 2
1625 2

Pending Office Actions

App #TitleExaminerArt UnitStatutesStatusDue inAIFiled
19575321 THERAPEUTIC ANTI-BAFF-R ANTIBODIES DUTT, ADITI 1675 DP Non-Final OA — Pending Mar 23, 2026
19240908 METHOD OF TREATING PROSTATE CANCER PERREIRA, MELISSA JEAN 1618 §103DP Non-Final OA 32d overdue Pending Jun 17, 2025
19234864 STABLE, CONCENTRATED RADIOPHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITION MEJIAS, SAMANTHA LEE 1618 §103Other Final Rejection 76d Pending Jun 11, 2025
19176436 PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITIONS OF RIBOCICLIB YOUNG, MICAH PAUL 1618 §102§103 Non-Final OA 41d Pending Apr 11, 2025
19065656 SELECTIVE REDUCTION OF CYSTEINE RESIDUES IN IL-17 ANTIBODIES ABBAS, SYED JARAR 1674 §112 Final Rejection — Pending Feb 27, 2025
18977210 Ribociclib Tablet FUBARA, BLESSING M 1613 §103DP Final Rejection 88d overdue Pending Dec 11, 2024
18871590 CRYSTALLINE FORMS OF AN AKRIC3 DEPENDENT KARS INHIBITOR MOORE, SUSANNA — §102§112DP Non-Final OA — Pending Dec 04, 2024
18960021 NEW CRYSTALLINE FORMS OF SALT OF 7-CYCLOPENTYL-2-(5-PIPERAZIN-1-YL-PYRIDIN-2-YLAMINO)-7H-PYRROLO[2,3-D]PYRIMIDINE -6-CARBOXYLIC ACID DIMETHYLAMIDE WHITE, DAWANNA SHAR-DAY — §103DP Non-Final OA — Pending Nov 26, 2024
18939314 PYRAZOLOPYRIDINE DERIVATIVES AND USES THEREOF KUCHARCZK, JED A — §112DP Non-Final OA — Pending Nov 06, 2024
18909652 NLRP3 INFLAMMASOME INHIBITORS COUGHLIN, MATTHEW P — §102§103Other Non-Final OA — Pending Oct 08, 2024
18851253 COMPLEMENT FACTOR B INHIBITORS AND USES THEREOF BARSKY, JARED — §112 Non-Final OA — Pending Sep 26, 2024
18687609 CRYSTALLINE FORMS OF BIARYL YAP/TAZ-TEAD PROTEIN-PROTEIN INTERACTION INHIBITORS CLARK, AMY LYNN — §102§103§112Other Non-Final OA — Pending Sep 24, 2024
18843599 USE OF IPTACOPAN FOR THE TREATMENT OF LUPUS NEPHRITIS SHI, GENBIN — §103§112 Non-Final OA — Pending Sep 03, 2024
18802089 IMMUNOSUPPRESSANT FORMULATIONS ROSENTHAL, ANDREW S — §103 Final Rejection — Pending Aug 13, 2024
18800559 COMPOUNDS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR MODULATING THE ACTIVITY OF ERK REILLY, SOPHIA JANE — §102§112 Non-Final OA — Pending Aug 12, 2024
18797888 Octreotide Depot Formulation with Constantly High Exposure Levels WESTERBERG, NISSA M — §112DP Non-Final OA — Pending Aug 08, 2024
18797142 NAPHTHYRIDINONE DERIVATIVES FOR THE TREATMENT OF A DISEASE OR DISORDER WARD, PAUL V — DP Non-Final OA — Pending Aug 07, 2024
18729949 SPIROCYCLIC PIPERIDINYL DERIVATIVES AS COMPLEMENT FACTOR B INHIBITORS AND USES THEREOF FETTEROLF, BRANDON J — §102 Non-Final OA — Pending Jul 18, 2024
18739657 COMBINATION HUI, SAN MING R — §103 Non-Final OA — Pending Jun 11, 2024
18672871 ANTIBODIES TO PMEL17 AND CONJUGATES THEREOF BENAVIDES, JENNIFER ANN 1675 §102§103§112DP Non-Final OA — Pending May 23, 2024
18670859 NAPHTHYRIDINONE DERIVATIVES FOR THE TREATMENT OF A DISEASE OR DISORDER PATEL, SAGAR S — §112Other Non-Final OA — Pending May 22, 2024
18655058 FACTOR XI ANTIBODIES AND METHODS OF USE SZPERKA, MICHAEL EDWARD — §112DP Non-Final OA — Pending May 03, 2024
18703559 METHODS FOR IMPROVING ADENO-ASSOCIATED VIRUS (AAV) DELIVERY YU, DAVID TUYANG — §102§103§112 Non-Final OA — Pending Apr 22, 2024
18628097 METHODS OF TREATING NON-RADIOGRAPHIC AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS USING INTERLEUKIN-17 (IL-17) ANTAGONISTS CARTER, SANDRA DILLAHUNT — §103§112DP Non-Final OA — Pending Apr 05, 2024
18628570 USE OF LABELED INHIBITORS OF PROSTATE SPECIFIC MEMBRANE ANTIGEN (PSMA), AS AGENTS FOR THE TREATMENT OF PROSTATE CANCER SAMALA, JAGADISHWAR RAO 1618 §102§112 Final Rejection — Pending Apr 05, 2024
18696753 SURFACTANT STABILIZERS KENYON, JOHN S — §102§112 Non-Final OA — Pending Mar 28, 2024
18687599 Dosing Regimen for a TEAD inhibitor VALENROD, YEVGENY 1628 §112Other Non-Final OA — Pending Feb 28, 2024
18588259 Ribociclib Tablet FUBARA, BLESSING M 1613 §102§103DP Final Rejection — Pending Feb 27, 2024
18685551 LOU064 FOR TREATING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS CHAO, ALLEN 1622 §103 Final Rejection — Pending Feb 22, 2024
18444288 PROTEIN SOLUTION FORMULATION CONTAINING HIGH CONCENTRATION OF AN ANTI-VEGF ANTIBODY KIM, YUNSOO — §102§103DP Non-Final OA — Pending Feb 16, 2024
18683858 OFATUMUMAB FOR TREATING PEDIATRIC MS AEDER, SEAN E — §103DP Non-Final OA — Pending Feb 15, 2024
18440783 LABELED INHIBITORS OF PROSTATE SPECIFIC MEMBRANE ANTIGEN (PSMA) AS AGENTS FOR THE TREATMENT OF PROSTATE CANCER SAMALA, JAGADISHWAR RAO 1618 DP Non-Final OA 91d overdue Pending Feb 13, 2024
18423776 TRIAZOLOPYRIMIDINE COMPOUNDS AND USES THEREOF COLEMAN, BRENDA LIBBY 1624 §112DP Non-Final OA — Pending Jan 26, 2024
18424004 COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR INCREASING MUSCLE GROWTH HAMA, JOANNE — DP Non-Final OA — Pending Jan 26, 2024
18291083 SUBSTITUTED PYRIDONE COMPOUNDS USEFUL TO TREAT ORTHOMYXOVIRUS INFECTIONS LEE, WILLIAM Y 1623 §103§112 Non-Final OA — Pending Jan 22, 2024
18391485 METHODS OF TREATING CHRONIC SPONTANEOUS URTICARIA USING LIGELIZUMAB SZPERKA, MICHAEL EDWARD — §102§103 Non-Final OA — Pending Dec 20, 2023
18569346 PHARMACEUTICAL FORMULATION CONTAINING AN ANTI-IgE ANTIBODY LIU, SUE XU 1646 §102§103§112 Non-Final OA — Pending Dec 12, 2023
18562108 METHODS FOR THE TREATMENT OF OSTEOARTHRITIS METCALF, MATTHEW CURRAN 1647 §101§102§103DP Non-Final OA — Pending Nov 17, 2023
18561444 FORMULATIONS OF 3-((3-(4-(2-(ISOBUTYLSULFONYL)PHENOXY)-3-(TRIFLUOROMETHYL)PHENYL)-1,2,4-OXADIAZOL-5-YL)METHYL)-5,5-DIMETHYL-1-(2-MORPHOLINOETHYL)IMIDAZOLIDINE-2,4-DIONE RAO, SAVITHA M 1691 §102§103§112Other Non-Final OA 8d overdue Pending Nov 16, 2023
18559859 DOSING REGIMENS ENGLISH, CONNOR KENNEDY 1625 §103 Non-Final OA — Pending Nov 09, 2023
18558766 IPTACOPAN FOR THE TREATMENT OF ATYPICAL HEMOLYTIC UREMIC SYNDROME HERNANDEZ, JACKSON J 1627 §103DP Final Rejection 17d overdue Pending Nov 03, 2023
18558729 TREATMENT FOR SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS USING ANTI-BAFFR ANTIBODIES MCCOLLUM, ANDREA K 1674 §102§103§112DP Non-Final OA — Pending Nov 02, 2023
18288345 VIRAL VECTOR PRODUCTION SYSTEM STAVROU, CONSTANTINA E 1632 §102§103§112 Non-Final OA — Pending Oct 25, 2023
18286030 OFATUMUMAB FOR TREATING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS IN ASIAN PATIENTS CHHAY, BONIRATH 1645 §102§103§112Other Non-Final OA 34d Pending Oct 06, 2023
18552760 DIAGNOSTIC METHODS OF PROSTATE CANCER ROGERS, JAMES WILLIAM 1618 §103§112 Non-Final OA — Pending Sep 27, 2023
18281732 FATTY ACID-BIFUNCTIONAL DEGRADER CONJUGATES AND THEIR METHODS OF USE HEASLEY, MEGHAN CHRISTINE 1626 §103§112Other Non-Final OA — Pending Sep 12, 2023
18550004 HIGH THROUGHOUT SCREENING IN DROPLETS BUNKER, AMY M 1684 §103 Final Rejection — Pending Sep 11, 2023
18454457 ANTIBODIES TO PMEL17 AND CONJUGATES THEREOF BENAVIDES, JENNIFER ANN 1675 §102§103§112DP Non-Final OA — Pending Aug 23, 2023
17997137 CCR7 ANTIBODY DRUG CONJUGATES FOR TREATING CANCER SKOKO III, JOHN JOSEPH 1643 §102§103§112Other Non-Final OA 14d Pending Aug 08, 2023
18261523 PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITION GOTFREDSON, GAREN 1619 §102§103§112Other Final Rejection 27d Pending Jul 14, 2023

View all 80 →

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many pending USPTO office actions does Novartis AG have?

Novartis AG has 80 pending office actions as of October 2026, spread across 28 art units and 73 examiners.

Which USPTO examiner handles the most Novartis AG applications?

Blessing M Fubara has the most, with 2 of Novartis AG's pending office actions.

What technology area are Novartis AG's patent applications in?

Mostly Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals (USPTO Tech Center 1600), based on where its pending office actions are examined.

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