Prosecution Insights
Prosecution Insights
Technology areas: Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals • Chemistry & Materials
22 pending office actions • 10 art units • 19 examiners • 0 of 22 (0%) have an AI response strategy ready • 15 patents granted in the last 365 days
Roquette Freres is managing a substantial portfolio in Chemistry & Materials, characterized by 23 pending office actions. This workload is spread across 19 distinct examiners and 10 distinct art units, demonstrating a broad reach within the USPTO and a requirement for diverse technical arguments across various material science disciplines. The presence of 10 distinct art units suggests that the company's innovations span multiple specialized sub-sectors within the broader Chemistry & Materials field.
The busiest examiner for this portfolio is JAMES PAUL SHELLHAMMER, who is responsible for 3 pending office actions. While SHELLHAMMER handles the largest share of the workload, the presence of 19 distinct examiners means that the company must navigate a wide variety of examination styles and art unit cultures to secure its intellectual property rights. Managing 23 pending office actions across such a diverse group of examiners requires a robust prosecution strategy that can adapt to the different nuances and precedents established across the various units.
Based on the USPTO statutory response window for each pending office action. 12 of the docket's apps have a known mailing date; the rest are excluded from the tile counts.
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. 12 of the docket's apps have a known mailing date.
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.
| Bucket | Cases |
|---|---|
| §101 + other | 2 (9%) |
| §103 only | 7 (32%) |
| §112 only | 2 (9%) |
| Double-patenting + other | 2 (9%) |
| Multi-statute (no §101) | 9 (41%) |
How the docket's pending cases split across USPTO tech-center bands.
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.
| Examiner | Apps on this docket | Allow rate | Interview lift |
|---|---|---|---|
| TRAN, LIEN THUY | 2 | 28.6% | +26.5% |
| SHELLHAMMER, JAMES PAUL | 2 | 10.0% | +18.8% |
| TAYLOR, AUSTIN PARKER | 2 | 42.9% | +27.5% |
| PURDY, KYLE A | 1 | 41.0% | +35.9% |
| LIU, DEBORAH YANG-HAO | 1 | 8.9% | +12.3% |
| DAVIS, BRIAN J | 1 | 84.8% | -4.0% |
| GWARTNEY, ELIZABETH A | 1 | 36.0% | +34.8% |
| MERCHLINSKY, JOSEPH CULLEN | 1 | 5.9% | -6.3% |
| SONG, JIANFENG | 1 | 56.3% | +33.2% |
| LEBLANC, KATHERINE DEGUIRE | 1 | 34.6% | +35.8% |
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 # | Title | Examiner | Due in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18251358 | COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING METHYL CYCLODEXTRINS FOR THE TREATMENT AND/OR PREVENTION OF HEPATIC STEATOSIS | BERRY, LAYLA D | 162d overdue |
| 18260290 | METHOD FOR PREPARING OAT PROTEIN COMPOSITION | SHELLHAMMER, JAMES PAUL | 98d overdue |
| 18690539 | USE OF LEGUMINOUS STARCH AND ITS CROSS LINKED DERIVATIVES TO IMPROVE THE TEXTURE OF MEAT PRODUCTS AND MEAT ANALOGUES | TRAN, LIEN THUY | 11d overdue |
| 18694637 | METHOD FOR REDUCING THE BITTERNESS OF A LEGUMINOUS PROTEIN | LIU, DEBORAH YANG-HAO | 2d overdue |
| 18249337 | LOW ACETYLATED PEA STARCH AS EGG WHITE REPLACER | SHELLHAMMER, JAMES PAUL | 2d overdue |
| 17256268 | FOOD COMPOSITION COMPRISING PLANT PROTEINS AND A POTASSIUM METAPHOSPHATE | LI, CHANGQING | 5d |
| 18043867 | USE OF A MIXTURE OF PREGELATINIZED, AMYLOSE-RICH STARCHES HAVING LARGE PARTICLE SIZE AND SOLUBLE FIBERS FOR COATING AND GLAZING BREAKFAST CEREALS | TRAN, LIEN THUY | 7d |
| 18561209 | CHEESE EQUIVALENT PRODUCED ON THE BASIS OF PROTEINS OF PLANT ORIGIN | MERCHLINSKY, JOSEPH CULLEN | 13d |
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 # | Title | Examiner | Due in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18260290 | METHOD FOR PREPARING OAT PROTEIN COMPOSITION | SHELLHAMMER, JAMES PAUL | 98d overdue |
| 18690539 | USE OF LEGUMINOUS STARCH AND ITS CROSS LINKED DERIVATIVES TO IMPROVE THE TEXTURE OF MEAT PRODUCTS AND MEAT ANALOGUES | TRAN, LIEN THUY | 11d overdue |
| 18694637 | METHOD FOR REDUCING THE BITTERNESS OF A LEGUMINOUS PROTEIN | LIU, DEBORAH YANG-HAO | 2d overdue |
| 18249337 | LOW ACETYLATED PEA STARCH AS EGG WHITE REPLACER | SHELLHAMMER, JAMES PAUL | 2d overdue |
| 18043867 | USE OF A MIXTURE OF PREGELATINIZED, AMYLOSE-RICH STARCHES HAVING LARGE PARTICLE SIZE AND SOLUBLE FIBERS FOR COATING AND GLAZING BREAKFAST CEREALS | TRAN, LIEN THUY | 7d |
| 19001161 | COSMETIC COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING A CYCLODEXTRIN HAVING A PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION | PURDY, KYLE A | — |
| 18574226 | TEXTURED PLANT PROTEINS WITH IMPROVED FIRMNESS | GWARTNEY, ELIZABETH A | — |
| 18551532 | HAIR STYLING AND HAIR CARE COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING A LEGUMINOUS-PLANT STARCH | SONG, JIANFENG | — |
| Art Unit | Apps |
|---|---|
| 1791 | 5 |
| 1793 | 4 |
| 1792 | 4 |
| 1759 | 1 |
| 1613 | 1 |
| 1653 | 1 |
| 1693 | 1 |
| 1619 | 1 |
| 1655 | 1 |
| 1658 | 1 |
| App # | Title | Examiner | Art Unit | Statutes | Status | Due in | AI | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19001161 | COSMETIC COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING A CYCLODEXTRIN HAVING A PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION | PURDY, KYLE A | — | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 24, 2024 |
| 18694637 | METHOD FOR REDUCING THE BITTERNESS OF A LEGUMINOUS PROTEIN | LIU, DEBORAH YANG-HAO | 1791 | §103 | Final Rejection | 2d overdue | Pending | Mar 22, 2024 |
| 18690539 | USE OF LEGUMINOUS STARCH AND ITS CROSS LINKED DERIVATIVES TO IMPROVE THE TEXTURE OF MEAT PRODUCTS AND MEAT ANALOGUES | TRAN, LIEN THUY | 1793 | §101§102§103§112 | Final Rejection | 11d overdue | Pending | Mar 08, 2024 |
| 18291488 | PULSE PROTEIN-BASED COMPOSITION FOR ACTIVATING THE SYNTHESIS OF FGF19 | DAVIS, BRIAN J | — | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 23, 2024 |
| 18574226 | TEXTURED PLANT PROTEINS WITH IMPROVED FIRMNESS | GWARTNEY, ELIZABETH A | 1759 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Dec 26, 2023 |
| 18561209 | CHEESE EQUIVALENT PRODUCED ON THE BASIS OF PROTEINS OF PLANT ORIGIN | MERCHLINSKY, JOSEPH CULLEN | 1791 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | 13d | Pending | Nov 15, 2023 |
| 18551532 | HAIR STYLING AND HAIR CARE COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING A LEGUMINOUS-PLANT STARCH | SONG, JIANFENG | 1613 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 20, 2023 |
| 18260290 | METHOD FOR PREPARING OAT PROTEIN COMPOSITION | SHELLHAMMER, JAMES PAUL | 1793 | §103 | Final Rejection | 98d overdue | Pending | Jul 03, 2023 |
| 18260183 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING SLOWLY DIGESTIBLE BRANCHED STARCH HYDROLYSATES AND USES THEREOF | LEBLANC, KATHERINE DEGUIRE | 1791 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 30, 2023 |
| 18259613 | LOW LIPID CONTENT OAT PROTEIN COMPOSITION WITHOUT TRACES OF ORGANIC SOLVENT OR SURFACTANT | IANNUZO, NATALIE NMN | 1653 | §103DP | Final Rejection | 17d overdue | Pending | Jun 28, 2023 |
| 18251358 | COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING METHYL CYCLODEXTRINS FOR THE TREATMENT AND/OR PREVENTION OF HEPATIC STEATOSIS | BERRY, LAYLA D | 1693 | §102§112Other | Non-Final OA | 162d overdue | Pending | May 01, 2023 |
| 18249337 | LOW ACETYLATED PEA STARCH AS EGG WHITE REPLACER | SHELLHAMMER, JAMES PAUL | 1793 | §103 | Final Rejection | 2d overdue | Pending | Apr 17, 2023 |
| 18043867 | USE OF A MIXTURE OF PREGELATINIZED, AMYLOSE-RICH STARCHES HAVING LARGE PARTICLE SIZE AND SOLUBLE FIBERS FOR COATING AND GLAZING BREAKFAST CEREALS | TRAN, LIEN THUY | 1793 | §112 | Non-Final OA | 7d | Pending | Mar 02, 2023 |
| 18003515 | SUGAR-COATED CONFECTIONERY WITH IMPROVED CRUNCHINESS | SILVERMAN, JANICE Y | 1792 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 28, 2022 |
| 17640751 | PREGELATINIZED PEA STARCH FOR BATTER AND COATING | TAYLOR, AUSTIN PARKER | 1792 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Mar 04, 2022 |
| 17596964 | HYDROLYZED GLUTEN-BASED DUSTER COMPOSITION FOR DEEP FRIED FOOD | SWEENEY, MAURA ELIZABETH | 1791 | §103 | Non-Final OA | 46d overdue | Pending | Dec 22, 2021 |
| 17309797 | PEA-BASED DRY PRODUCT FOR FEEDING ANIMALS | TAYLOR, AUSTIN PARKER | 1792 | §103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Jun 18, 2021 |
| 17309670 | SUGAR-COATED SOLID FORMS HAVING IMPROVED STABILITY | PROSSER, ALISSA J | 1619 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 14, 2021 |
| 17278455 | PROTEIN-ENRICHED CHOCOLATE, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME | BECKER, DREW E | 1792 | §103§112DP | Final Rejection | 19d overdue | Pending | Mar 22, 2021 |
| 17277617 | PLANT PROTEIN AND ITS METHOD OF PREPARATION | MOEHLMAN, ANDREW TERRY | 1655 | §101§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Mar 18, 2021 |
| 17256268 | FOOD COMPOSITION COMPRISING PLANT PROTEINS AND A POTASSIUM METAPHOSPHATE | LI, CHANGQING | 1791 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | 5d | Pending | Dec 28, 2020 |
| 17251079 | NON-VITAL WHEAT PROTEIN AND ITS PRODUCTION PROCESS | REYNOLDS, FRED H | 1658 | §112 | Final Rejection | 3d overdue | Pending | Dec 10, 2020 |
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