Prosecution Insights
Prosecution Insights
Technology area: Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
67 pending office actions • 33 art units • 59 examiners • 0 of 67 (0%) have an AI response strategy ready • 85 patents granted in the last 365 days
University of Massachusetts currently manages 68 pending office actions within the Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals technology area. These 68 actions are distributed across 59 distinct examiners, which indicates a high degree of individual examiner variety. The involvement of 33 distinct art units further suggests that the company's intellectual property is spread across a wide range of specialized technical groups within the patent office.
The busiest examiner for this portfolio is Leonard, Arthur S, who is currently handling 3 of the pending office actions. This small concentration of 3 actions with a single individual means that the vast majority of the portfolio is being reviewed by examiners who are only handling a single case for the entity. For practitioners, this decentralized environment requires a highly adaptable prosecution strategy, as 59 distinct examiners will likely bring a diverse array of perspectives and requirements.
With 33 distinct art units involved, the Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals filings are subject to many different procedural standards. The 68 pending office actions reflect a broad research and development base that necessitates familiarity with numerous examination units. While Leonard, Arthur S and his 3 pending actions represent the busiest point of contact, the overall success of the portfolio depends on navigating the 59 distinct examiners assigned to the various cases.
Based on the USPTO statutory response window for each pending office action. 19 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. 19 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 (3%) |
| §103 only | 17 (25%) |
| §102 only | 1 (1%) |
| §112 only | 4 (6%) |
| Double-patenting + other | 9 (13%) |
| Multi-statute (no §101) | 33 (49%) |
| No statute on record | 1 (1%) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEONARD, ARTHUR S | 3 | 50.8% | +50.2% |
| KONOPKA, CATHERINE ANNE | 3 | 58.1% | +65.0% |
| VANHORN, ABIGAIL LOUISE | 2 | 46.8% | +22.4% |
| WHITEMAN, BRIAN A | 2 | 68.5% | +16.7% |
| WARD, AARON DUREL | 2 | — | — |
| GROOMS, TIFFANY NICOLE | 2 | 57.8% | +46.3% |
| POLLEY, CHRISTOPHER M | 1 | 72.9% | +26.4% |
| SALVOZA, M FRANCO G | 1 | 68.4% | +30.0% |
| NAH, JONGBONG | 1 | 75.2% | +17.5% |
| KRASNOW, NICHOLAS R | 1 | 66.3% | +13.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18065255 | SILENCING OF DUX4 BY RECOMBINANT GENE EDITING COMPLEXES | NICOL, ALEXANDER W | 79d overdue |
| 18049724 | COMPLEXES FOR GENE DELETION AND EDITING | LEONARD, ARTHUR S | 11d overdue |
| 18217073 | ALIGNMENT KEY INCLUDING MULTI-FOCAL META-LENS AND ALIGNMENT APPARATUS INCLUDING THE ALIGNMENT KEY | DEAN, RAY ALEXANDER | 9d overdue |
| 17777363 | COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR OPTOGENETIC IMMUNOTHERAPY | SUNSHINE, HANNAH LOUISE | 5d overdue |
| 18081604 | NANODEVICES AND METHODS FOR MEASURING BIOFLUIDIC FLOW USING A GRAPHENE-BASED MICROELECTRODE | MONTGOMERY, MELISSA JO | 9d |
| 18489422 | ENCAPSULATING ELECTRONICS ON FLEXIBLE FLUOROELASTOMER SUBSTRATES | CARLEY, JEFFREY T. | 13d |
| 18094695 | OLIGONUCLEOTIDES FOR MECP2 MODULATION | DACE DENITO, ALEXANDRA GERALDINE | 22d |
| 18279931 | PHOTOCAGED CITRULLINE ANALOGS AND METHODS FOR SITE-SPECIFIC INCORPORATION OF CITRULLINE INTO PROTEINS | REYNOLDS, FRED H | 57d |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18980456 | Targeted CRISPR Delivery Platforms | LEONARD, ARTHUR S | 50d overdue |
| 17921027 | IMPROVED CAS 12A/NLS MEDIATED THERAPEUTIC GENE EDITING PLATFORMS | KONOPKA, CATHERINE ANNE | 16d overdue |
| 18049724 | COMPLEXES FOR GENE DELETION AND EDITING | LEONARD, ARTHUR S | 11d overdue |
| 17913100 | MICRORNAS FOR THE PREVENTION OF CLINICAL VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLIC DISEASE | WHITEMAN, BRIAN A | 8d |
| 19217607 | VECTOR-BASED GENE THERAPY FOR ELONGATOR ACETYLTRANSFERASE COMPLEX SUBUNIT 1 (ELP1) | SALVOZA, M FRANCO G | 57d |
| 19568680 | YEAST CELL WALL PARTICLE ENCAPSULATION OF BIODEGRADABLE PRO-PAYLOADS | VANHORN, ABIGAIL LOUISE | — |
| 19228243 | PATTERNED NANOPARTICLE STRUCTURES | POLLEY, CHRISTOPHER M | — |
| 18869129 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR IMAGING INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PARTICLES AND FRAGMENTS | NAH, JONGBONG | — |
| Art Unit | Apps |
|---|---|
| 1636 | 7 |
| 1635 | 6 |
| 1637 | 4 |
| 1785 | 2 |
| 1631 | 2 |
| 1656 | 2 |
| 1632 | 2 |
| 2872 | 2 |
| 1634 | 2 |
| 1675 | 2 |
| App # | Title | Examiner | Art Unit | Statutes | Status | Due in | AI | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19568680 | YEAST CELL WALL PARTICLE ENCAPSULATION OF BIODEGRADABLE PRO-PAYLOADS | VANHORN, ABIGAIL LOUISE | 1636 | §103§112DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Mar 16, 2026 |
| 19228243 | PATTERNED NANOPARTICLE STRUCTURES | POLLEY, CHRISTOPHER M | 1785 | Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 04, 2025 |
| 19217607 | VECTOR-BASED GENE THERAPY FOR ELONGATOR ACETYLTRANSFERASE COMPLEX SUBUNIT 1 (ELP1) | SALVOZA, M FRANCO G | 1672 | §112 | Non-Final OA | 57d | Pending | May 23, 2025 |
| 18980456 | Targeted CRISPR Delivery Platforms | LEONARD, ARTHUR S | 1631 | §112DP | Non-Final OA | 50d overdue | Pending | Dec 13, 2024 |
| 18869129 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR IMAGING INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PARTICLES AND FRAGMENTS | NAH, JONGBONG | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 25, 2024 |
| 18942155 | THERMAL IMPRINTING OF NANOSTRUCTURE MATERIALS | KRASNOW, NICHOLAS R | 1744 | §102 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 08, 2024 |
| 18851628 | ANTIGEN DELIVERING SALMONELLA FOR USE AS A TUMOR HOMING BEACON TO REFOCUS PREEXISTING, VACCINE GENERATED T CELLS TO COMBAT CANCER | GRASER, JENNIFER E | — | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 26, 2024 |
| 18807414 | PATTERNING OF COMPLEX METAL OXIDE STRUCTURES | VONCH, JEFFREY A | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 16, 2024 |
| 18762831 | METHOD FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL TREATMENT OF WATER | MENDOZA, WILSON GALLARDO | — | §103§112Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jul 03, 2024 |
| 18719340 | CONSTITUTIVE PRODUCTION OF MICROCINS TO TARGET ENTERIC BACTERIA | RIGA, MICHAEL ANGELO | — | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 13, 2024 |
| 18743008 | ACTIVATABLE NANOREPORTERS FOR REAL-TIME TRACKING OF MACROPHAGE PHENOTYPIC STATES ASSOCIATED WITH DISEASE PROGRESSION | NOAKES, SUZANNE MARIE | 1656 | §102§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 13, 2024 |
| 18671475 | ARTICLE COMPRISING NON-WELDABLE SUPERALLOYS AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF | SULTANA, NAHIDA | 1785 | §102§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 22, 2024 |
| 18660623 | INTRAVENOUS POLE FOR IMPROVED SAFETY AND ACCURACY OF INTRAVENOUS MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION | SOLOMON, JOSHUA BRENDON | 3792 | §103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | May 10, 2024 |
| 18707207 | WNT-MODULATING GENE SILENCERS AS BONE ANABOLIC THERAPY FOR OSTEOPOROSIS AND CRITICAL-SIZED BONE DEFECT | VISONE, THOMAS J | — | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 03, 2024 |
| 18706551 | USES OF RHODOQUINONE FOR THE TREATMENT OF DISEASE | BRAUN, MADELINE E | — | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 01, 2024 |
| 18705007 | A Subunit Cryptococcus Vaccine | OGUNBIYI, OLUWATOSIN A | 1645 | §102§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 26, 2024 |
| 18625271 | HIGH THROUGHPUT LOCALIZED PASSIVE DIFFUSION DEVICE FOR PATTERNING ORGANOIDS | ABBOTT, KODYE LEE | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 03, 2024 |
| 18612111 | Targeted CRISPR Delivery Platforms | LEONARD, ARTHUR S | — | §103§112DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Mar 21, 2024 |
| 18611933 | ORAL ROOM-TEMPERATURE STABLE YEAST PARTICLES (YP) AND METHODS OF USE | COHEN, MICHAEL P | 1612 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Mar 21, 2024 |
| 18688729 | AMPLIFIABLE METABOLIC LABELING FOR DETECTION OF BACTERIAL VIABILITY, GROWTH AND ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY | FAN, WEIHUA | 1663 | §103 | Final Rejection | 18d overdue | Pending | Mar 01, 2024 |
| 18582916 | COMPACT MICRORING SCHEME FOR CHIP LASER INJECTION LOCKING AND OPTICAL PARAMETRIC OSCILLATION | LEUNG, CHRISTINA Y | — | §103§112Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Feb 21, 2024 |
| 18439034 | STABILIZATION OF OLIGONUCLEOTIDE AND OLIGONUCLEOTIDE-PROTEIN COMPLEX USING ALKYLATED PHOSPHATE | MCINTOSH III, TRAVISS C | — | §102§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Feb 12, 2024 |
| 18421647 | MODIFIED OLIGONUCLEOTIDES TARGETING SNPs | WHITEMAN, BRIAN A | 1636 | §102§103§112DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 24, 2024 |
| 18577623 | MODULAR PRIME EDITING SYSTEMS FOR GENOME ENGINEERING | WARD, AARON DUREL | — | §102§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 08, 2024 |
| 18396613 | BRANCHED OLIGONUCLEOTIDES | ZARA, JANE J | 1635 | §103§112DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 26, 2023 |
| 18509212 | Articles Formed From Fluorine-Containing Elastomer Compositions Using Additive Manufacturing Methods and Additive Manufacturing Methods for Thermoset Elastomer Compositions | AHMED ALI, MOHAMED K | 1743 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 14, 2023 |
| 18288786 | ERGONOMIC SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS | MENDEZ, KATHERINE H | 3771 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 27, 2023 |
| 18288225 | GENE THERAPIES FOR STARGARDT DISEASE (ABCA4) | HUDSON, AMY ROSE | 1636 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 25, 2023 |
| 18489422 | ENCAPSULATING ELECTRONICS ON FLEXIBLE FLUOROELASTOMER SUBSTRATES | CARLEY, JEFFREY T. | 3729 | §102§103 | Final Rejection | 13d | Pending | Oct 18, 2023 |
| 18380871 | CONJUGATES OF SIRNA AND ANTISENSE OLIGONUCLEOTIDES (SIRNASO) AND METHODS OF USE IN GENE SILENCING | POLIAKOVA-GEORGAN, EKATERINA | 1637 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 17, 2023 |
| 18287056 | APPARATUS FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL AMMUNITION DISPOSAL AND MATERIAL RECOVERY | CHUNG, HOSUNG CHARLES | — | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 16, 2023 |
| 18482052 | NANOPORE TWEEZER APPROACH FOR PROTEIN KINASE ALLOSTERIC DRUG SCREENING | MCKNIGHT, CIARA A | 1656 | §102§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 06, 2023 |
| 18553600 | Monomers and Polymers with Pendant Aspirin and Compositions and Methods Thereof | FANG, SHANE | 1766 | §112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 02, 2023 |
| 18553357 | Specific Oligonucleotide-Programmed Readthrough of Nonsense Codons | KONOPKA, CATHERINE ANNE | 1635 | §101§102§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 29, 2023 |
| 18283675 | ADIPOSE-DERIVED HYDROGEL COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS OF USE | BERTOGLIO, VALARIE E | 1632 | §102§112 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Sep 22, 2023 |
| 18279931 | PHOTOCAGED CITRULLINE ANALOGS AND METHODS FOR SITE-SPECIFIC INCORPORATION OF CITRULLINE INTO PROTEINS | REYNOLDS, FRED H | 1658 | §102§103 | Final Rejection | 57d | Pending | Sep 01, 2023 |
| 18226834 | YEAST PARTICLES FOR DELIVERY OF WATER-ACTIVATED SELF-EMULSIFYING CANNABINOID FORMULATIONS | SCOTLAND, REBECCA LYNN | 1791 | §102§103§112DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jul 27, 2023 |
| 18217073 | ALIGNMENT KEY INCLUDING MULTI-FOCAL META-LENS AND ALIGNMENT APPARATUS INCLUDING THE ALIGNMENT KEY | DEAN, RAY ALEXANDER | 2872 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | 9d overdue | Pending | Jun 30, 2023 |
| 18213505 | MODIFIED GUIDE RNAS FOR CRISPR GENOME EDITING | KONOPKA, CATHERINE ANNE | 1635 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 23, 2023 |
| 18208672 | PROTEIN-TEMPLATED SELF-ASSEMBLY OF A COVALENT POLYMER NETWORK FOR INTRACELLULAR TRAFFICKING AND TRACELESS RELEASE | ROGERS, JAMES WILLIAM | 1618 | §112 | Final Rejection | 12d | Pending | Jun 12, 2023 |
| 18255661 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HYDRODYNAMIC CULTIVATION OF SEED OXYGENIC PHOTOGRANULES | VARMA, AKASH K | 1773 | §103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Jun 02, 2023 |
| 18197948 | OPTIMIZED SIRNA SCAFFOLDS | GROOMS, TIFFANY NICOLE | 1637 | §102§103§112DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 16, 2023 |
| 18140908 | SELECTIVE RNA-MODULATING AGENTS | GROOMS, TIFFANY NICOLE | 1637 | §103§112DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 28, 2023 |
| 18304472 | GENE THERAPEUTICS FOR FIBRODYSPLASIA OSSIFICANS PROGRESSIVA | MOORE, JOHN DAVID | 1638 | §103 | Final Rejection | 98d overdue | Pending | Apr 21, 2023 |
| 18299947 | REDOX FLOW BATTERY | AKRAM, IMRAN | 1725 | §102§103§112Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 13, 2023 |
| 18094695 | OLIGONUCLEOTIDES FOR MECP2 MODULATION | DACE DENITO, ALEXANDRA GERALDINE | 1636 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | 22d | Pending | Jan 09, 2023 |
| 18088544 | POLYMERIC NANOPARTICLES AND DERIVATIVES THEREOF FOR NUCLEIC ACID BINDING AND DELIVERY | POPA, ILEANA | 1633 | §103Other | Final Rejection | 28d | Pending | Dec 24, 2022 |
| 18081604 | NANODEVICES AND METHODS FOR MEASURING BIOFLUIDIC FLOW USING A GRAPHENE-BASED MICROELECTRODE | MONTGOMERY, MELISSA JO | 3791 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | 9d | Pending | Dec 14, 2022 |
| 18065255 | SILENCING OF DUX4 BY RECOMBINANT GENE EDITING COMPLEXES | NICOL, ALEXANDER W | 1634 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | 79d overdue | Pending | Dec 13, 2022 |
| 17984673 | GAS PRODUCTION FROM SOLIDS VIA NON-THERMAL PLASMA | TAI, XIUYU | 1795 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 10, 2022 |
| 17983924 | MULTILAYERED META LENS AND OPTICAL APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME | SANZ, GABRIEL A | 2872 | §103 | Non-Final OA | 9d overdue | Pending | Nov 09, 2022 |
| 18049724 | COMPLEXES FOR GENE DELETION AND EDITING | LEONARD, ARTHUR S | 1631 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | 11d overdue | Pending | Oct 26, 2022 |
| 17921027 | IMPROVED CAS 12A/NLS MEDIATED THERAPEUTIC GENE EDITING PLATFORMS | KONOPKA, CATHERINE ANNE | 1635 | §103 | Non-Final OA | 16d overdue | Pending | Oct 24, 2022 |
| 17913100 | MICRORNAS FOR THE PREVENTION OF CLINICAL VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLIC DISEASE | WHITEMAN, BRIAN A | 1636 | §103 | Non-Final OA | 8d | Pending | Sep 20, 2022 |
| 17777363 | COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR OPTOGENETIC IMMUNOTHERAPY | SUNSHINE, HANNAH LOUISE | 1647 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | 5d overdue | Pending | May 17, 2022 |
| 17777386 | COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR ON-DEMAND RELEASE OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS | VANHORN, ABIGAIL LOUISE | 1636 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 17, 2022 |
| 17730369 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR EVALUATING IMAGES AND OTHER SUBJECTS | BIBBEE, CHAYCE R | 2624 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 27, 2022 |
| 17635047 | TARGETING OF THE CYTOSKELETON AS A THERAPEUTIC APPROACH FOR NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE | CONNORS, ALEXANDRA F | 1634 | §103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Feb 14, 2022 |
| 17634586 | DIAGNOSTIC TEST FOR IDIOPATHIC NORMAL PRESSURE HYDROCEPHALUS | CESARE, JOSEPH DAVID | 1675 | §101§112 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Feb 11, 2022 |
| 17608890 | IRF2 AS A PROGNOSTIC BIOMARKER AND TARGET FOR AUGMENTING IMMUNOTHERAPY | PATTERSON, SARAH COOPER | 1675 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Nov 04, 2021 |
| 17601522 | AIM2 INHIBITORS AND USES THEREOF | TRAN, CHRISTINA L | 1637 | §103 | Final Rejection | 4d overdue | Pending | Oct 05, 2021 |
| 17439439 | Therapeutic Targets for Oncogenic KRAS-Dependent Cancers | GIBBS, TERRA C | 1635 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 15, 2021 |
| 17297925 | THERAPEUTIC GENE EDITING FOR ELANE-ASSOCIATED DISEASE | WARD, AARON DUREL | 1636 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 27, 2021 |
| 17054791 | RAAV VECTORS ENCODING OF LYSOSOMAL BETA-GALACTOSIDASE (GLB1) AND CATHEPSIN A | EBBINGHAUS, BRIANA NOEL | 1632 | §112 | Final Rejection | 5d overdue | Pending | Nov 12, 2020 |
| 16999759 | O-METHYL RICH FULLY STABILIZED OLIGONUCLEOTIDES | ARIETI, RUTH SOPHIA | 1635 | §103DPOther | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 21, 2020 |
| 18134785 | LOW-K AND LOW DIELECTRIC LOSS DIELECTRIC COMPOSITION FOR AEROSOL JET PRINTING | TALBOT, BRIAN K | 1764 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 14, 2023 |
| 17186940 | Lane-Level Route Planner for Autonomous Vehicles | ALSOMAIRY, IBRAHIM ABDOALATIF | 3667 | §103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Feb 26, 2021 |
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