Prosecution Insights
Prosecution Insights
Technology areas: Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals • Chemistry & Materials
28 pending office actions • 19 art units • 27 examiners • 0 of 28 (0%) have an AI response strategy ready • 33 patents granted in the last 365 days
The Governing Council of the University of Toronto has 28 pending office actions within the Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals technology area. The portfolio is characterized by a high degree of fragmentation, as it involves 27 distinct examiners across 19 distinct art units. This suggests that almost every pending application is being reviewed by a different individual, requiring a tailored approach for nearly every case. KWAK, DEAN P is the busiest examiner, yet only handles 2 of the 28 pending actions.
With 19 distinct art units involved, the prosecution team must navigate a wide array of technical requirements and examiner expectations. The presence of 27 distinct examiners for 28 pending actions means there is almost no opportunity to build long-term rapport with a single examiner across multiple cases. Instead, the university must manage 27 separate dialogues. The 19 distinct art units further complicate the landscape, as each unit may have its own specific interpretation of biotechnology patent law. KWAK, DEAN P is the only examiner handling more than one case for the university.
Based on the USPTO statutory response window for each pending office action. 4 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. 4 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 | 3 (11%) |
| §103 only | 4 (14%) |
| §102 only | 2 (7%) |
| §112 only | 2 (7%) |
| Double-patenting only | 1 (4%) |
| Double-patenting + other | 1 (4%) |
| Multi-statute (no §101) | 14 (50%) |
| No statute on record | 1 (4%) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| KWAK, DEAN P | 2 | 58.7% | +37.1% |
| SANGHERA, JAS A | 1 | 94.5% | +5.0% |
| YENTRAPATI, AVINASH | 1 | 74.9% | -4.3% |
| KWON, JOHN SEUNGJAI | 1 | 45.7% | +19.3% |
| AHMED, SHEEBA | 1 | 80.7% | +14.4% |
| ARNOLD, ERNST V | 1 | 48.2% | +12.9% |
| KING, GEORGE G | 1 | 57.8% | +37.6% |
| GONZALEZ, LUISALBERTO | 1 | 59.4% | +47.2% |
| WU, QING YUAN | 1 | 90.9% | +10.9% |
| BORTOLI, JONATHAN | 1 | 76.3% | +41.2% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19042348 | DEVICE AND METHOD TO PROBE AN ELECTRICAL PROPERTY OF A MATERIAL IN RELATION TO CHARGE SHARING | SANGHERA, JAS A | — |
| 18979932 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTION OF SPERM USING VIRTUAL-STAINING | YENTRAPATI, AVINASH | — |
| 18901943 | HYALURONIC ACID HYDROGELS AND METHODS THEREOF | KWON, JOHN SEUNGJAI | — |
| 18833441 | WATERBORNE LIGNIN-BASED POLYURETHANE DISPERSIONS, RELATED COMPOSITIONS, AND RELATED METHODS | AHMED, SHEEBA | — |
| 18773063 | CO-FORMULATION AND CO-DELIVERY OF IONIZABLE COLLOID FORMING DRUGS WITH NUCLEIC ACIDS | ARNOLD, ERNST V | — |
| 18714048 | FLUIDIC DEVICE FOR REGULATING LIGHT TRANSMISSION THROUGH THE DEVICE | KING, GEORGE G | — |
| 18671224 | ORGANIC MOLECULE LIGHT EMITTERS | GONZALEZ, LUISALBERTO | — |
| 18664104 | METHOD FOR DATA STORAGE AND COMPUTING DEVICE | WU, QING YUAN | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18901943 | HYALURONIC ACID HYDROGELS AND METHODS THEREOF | KWON, JOHN SEUNGJAI | — |
| 18833441 | WATERBORNE LIGNIN-BASED POLYURETHANE DISPERSIONS, RELATED COMPOSITIONS, AND RELATED METHODS | AHMED, SHEEBA | — |
| 18773063 | CO-FORMULATION AND CO-DELIVERY OF IONIZABLE COLLOID FORMING DRUGS WITH NUCLEIC ACIDS | ARNOLD, ERNST V | — |
| 18714048 | FLUIDIC DEVICE FOR REGULATING LIGHT TRANSMISSION THROUGH THE DEVICE | KING, GEORGE G | — |
| 18671224 | ORGANIC MOLECULE LIGHT EMITTERS | GONZALEZ, LUISALBERTO | — |
| 18664104 | METHOD FOR DATA STORAGE AND COMPUTING DEVICE | WU, QING YUAN | — |
| 18708902 | MICROFLUIDICS DEVICES AND METHODS | BORTOLI, JONATHAN | — |
| 17953949 | MULTIPLANAR MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES WITH MULTIDIRECTIONAL DIRECT FLUID COMMUNICATION AMONG ADJACENT MICROFLUIDIC CHANNELS | KWAK, DEAN P | — |
| Art Unit | Apps |
|---|---|
| 1798 | 2 |
| 1787 | 1 |
| 1613 | 1 |
| 2872 | 1 |
| 1653 | 1 |
| 1632 | 1 |
| 1656 | 1 |
| 1623 | 1 |
| 1625 | 1 |
| 1652 | 1 |
| App # | Title | Examiner | Art Unit | Statutes | Status | Due in | AI | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19042348 | DEVICE AND METHOD TO PROBE AN ELECTRICAL PROPERTY OF A MATERIAL IN RELATION TO CHARGE SHARING | SANGHERA, JAS A | — | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 31, 2025 |
| 18979932 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTION OF SPERM USING VIRTUAL-STAINING | YENTRAPATI, AVINASH | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 13, 2024 |
| 18901943 | HYALURONIC ACID HYDROGELS AND METHODS THEREOF | KWON, JOHN SEUNGJAI | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 30, 2024 |
| 18833441 | WATERBORNE LIGNIN-BASED POLYURETHANE DISPERSIONS, RELATED COMPOSITIONS, AND RELATED METHODS | AHMED, SHEEBA | 1787 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jul 26, 2024 |
| 18773063 | CO-FORMULATION AND CO-DELIVERY OF IONIZABLE COLLOID FORMING DRUGS WITH NUCLEIC ACIDS | ARNOLD, ERNST V | 1613 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jul 15, 2024 |
| 18714048 | FLUIDIC DEVICE FOR REGULATING LIGHT TRANSMISSION THROUGH THE DEVICE | KING, GEORGE G | 2872 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 28, 2024 |
| 18671224 | ORGANIC MOLECULE LIGHT EMITTERS | GONZALEZ, LUISALBERTO | — | §102§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 22, 2024 |
| 18664104 | METHOD FOR DATA STORAGE AND COMPUTING DEVICE | WU, QING YUAN | — | §101§102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 14, 2024 |
| 18708902 | MICROFLUIDICS DEVICES AND METHODS | BORTOLI, JONATHAN | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 09, 2024 |
| 18572465 | ENHANCEMENT OF HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL AND HEMATOPOIETIC PROGENITOR CELL EXPANSION WITH AGENTS THAT ACTIVATE TAM RECEPTORS | BARRON, SEAN C | 1653 | §103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Dec 20, 2023 |
| 18568747 | METHOD AND COMPOSITIONS FOR NEURONAL REPROGRAMMING | BERTOGLIO, VALARIE E | 1632 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 08, 2023 |
| 18264207 | SEAMLESS INTEGRATION OF ENGINEERED ZINC FINGERS INTO ENDOGENOUS TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS TO COMMANDEER THEIR NATURAL FUNCTIONS | LEE, JAE W | 1656 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 03, 2023 |
| 18269712 | FULLY-DILUTABLE, SELF-MICROEMULSIFYING DELIVERY SYSTEMS (SMEDDS) FOR POORLY WATER-SOLUBLE POLAR SOLUTES | CHI, AMANDA LYNN | 1623 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 26, 2023 |
| 18034444 | OPERATOR IMPLEMENTATIONS FOR QUANTUM COMPUTATION | LEE, MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER | — | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 28, 2023 |
| 18025665 | PIPERAZINYL COMPOUNDS AND METHODS FOR TREATING NEMATODE INFECTIONS | CHANDRAKUMAR, NIZAL S | 1625 | §112Other | Non-Final OA | 5d overdue | Pending | Mar 10, 2023 |
| 18167689 | PROBIOTIC STRAIN FOR COUNTERING CARIES PATHOGENS | PAK, YONG D | 1652 | §101§102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Feb 10, 2023 |
| 18005717 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ACCELERATING TRAINING OF DEEP LEARNING NETWORKS | KLOSTERMAN II, JEROME ANTHONY | — | §112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 17, 2023 |
| 18087897 | METHODS AND MODULES FOR ACCELERATING INFERENCE VIA DISTRIBUTED DEVICES | STARKS, WILBERT L | 2122 | §102 | Final Rejection | 29d | Pending | Dec 23, 2022 |
| 18011359 | VANILLIN-DERIVED FLAME RETARDANT MONOMERS, RESINS, PREPOLYMERS, AND POLYMERS | FEELY, MICHAEL J | 1766 | — | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 19, 2022 |
| 17953949 | MULTIPLANAR MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES WITH MULTIDIRECTIONAL DIRECT FLUID COMMUNICATION AMONG ADJACENT MICROFLUIDIC CHANNELS | KWAK, DEAN P | 1798 | §102§112Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 27, 2022 |
| 17940766 | FLUIDIC DEVICES WITH EXTRACTABLE IN-SITU-FORMED HYDROGEL STRUCTURES INTERFACED WITH FLUIDIC CHANNELS AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF | KWAK, DEAN P | 1798 | §102Other | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Sep 08, 2022 |
| 17871339 | CROSSLINKED PARTICLES | PARK, HAEJIN S | 1614 | DP | Final Rejection | 31d overdue | Pending | Jul 22, 2022 |
| 17869280 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TEMPLATE MATCHING FOR NEURAL POPULATION PATTERN DETECTION | CLOW, LORI A | 1687 | §101§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jul 20, 2022 |
| 17787531 | WATER SOLUBLE BIOADHESIVES | BLAND, ALICIA | 1759 | §102§103DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 20, 2022 |
| 17773920 | CATALYST-IONOMER SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GAS-PHASE ELECTROLYSIS | RUFO, LOUIS J | 1795 | §103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | May 03, 2022 |
| 17632438 | ADDITIONAL MASS TAG POLYMERS FOR MASS CYTOMETRY | SCHLIENTZ, LEAH H | 1618 | §103 | Final Rejection | 72d | Pending | Feb 02, 2022 |
| 17566953 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MULTIPLE REINFORCEMENT LEARNING AGENTS IN A SHARED ENVIRONMENT | CAMPOS, ALFREDO | 2129 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 31, 2021 |
| 17608684 | CONVERSION OF CARBONATE INTO SYNGAS OR C2+ PRODUCTS IN ELECTROLYSIS CELL | PARENT, ALEXANDER RENE | 1700 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 03, 2021 |
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