Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 27, 2026

Alexander W Nicol, USPTO Patent Examiner

Listed by the USPTO as NICOL, ALEXANDER W

Tech Center 1600 • Art Units: 1633 1634

This examiner grants 43% of resolved cases

Analysis

NICOL, ALEXANDER W works in tech center 1600 and art unit 1633. The profile covers 178 resolved cases, with an allowance rate of 42.7%. The median time to allowance is 1512 days. Interview lift is 43.6%, making interviews a prominent feature of the reported prosecution outcomes.

The recurring applicants are The Regents of the University of California, Krystal Biotech Inc., and Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg. The listed firms are BAKER BOTTS L.L.P., PA - BOZICEVIC FIELD & FRANCIS LLP, and WENDEROTH, LIND & PONACK, L.L.P. Practitioners can use the combination of the allowance, timing, and interview figures to plan engagement, while the applicant and firm lists identify relevant experience for this examination record.

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

Performance Statistics

42.7%
Allow Rate
-17.3% vs TC avg
236
Total Applications
+43.6%
Interview Lift
1512
Avg Prosecution Days
Based on 178 resolved cases, 2023–2026

Rejection Statute Breakdown

2.9%
§101 Eligibility
19.5%
§102 Novelty
40.9%
§103 Obviousness
21.3%
§112 Clarity

Currently Pending Office Actions

App #TitleStatusAssignee
18065255 SILENCING OF DUX4 BY RECOMBINANT GENE EDITING COMPLEXES Non-Final OA University of Massachusetts
18685591 PRODUCTION OF CELLULAR PRODUCTS BY CELLS EMBEDDED IN A HYDROGEL MATRIX Non-Final OA Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
18538799 THERAPEUTIC COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING THE SAME Non-Final OA The Regents of the University of California
18279199 LENTIVIRUS PROTECTION VIA Fc OVEREXPRESSION Non-Final OA THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
17169442 COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS TO BARCODE BACTERIOPHAGE RECEPTORS, AND USES THEREOF Final Rejection THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
17616111 NOVEL LIVE-CELL ASSAY FOR NEURONAL ACTIVITY Non-Final OA UNIVERSITY OF UTAH RESEARCH FOUNDATION
17244136 COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR INHIBITION OF LINEAGE SPECIFIC ANTIGENS Non-Final OA The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
18282463 CHARACTERIZING THE BINDING INTERACTIONS BETWEEN MUSK AND BMP RECEPTORS Final Rejection Brown University
17152463 ADENO-ASSOCIATED VIRAL VECTOR, COMPOSITIONS, METHODS OF PROMOTING MUSCLE REGENERATION, AND TREATMENT METHODS Non-Final OA NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
18276812 ENGINEERED EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES AND THEIR USES Final Rejection Wake Forest University Health Sciences
18737396 SEQUENTIAL APPLICATION OF MACROPHAGES FOR WOUND HEALING Non-Final OA Drexel University
18394085 CELL PREPARATION METHOD Final Rejection KYOTO PREFECTURAL PUBLIC UNIVERSITY CORPORATION

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is examiner Alexander W Nicol's allowance rate?

42.7% of resolved applications examined by Alexander W Nicol were allowed (178 resolved cases), compared with 34.8% across Art Unit 1633 over the last five years.

Does an interview help with examiner Alexander W Nicol?

This examiner's interview lift is +43.6 percentage points: the difference in allowance rate between resolved applications that had an examiner interview and those that did not.

How long does examiner Alexander W Nicol take to allow a patent?

Applications allowed by Alexander W Nicol took 1,512 days on average from filing to allowance.

Which art unit does examiner Alexander W Nicol work in?

Alexander W Nicol examines applications in Art Unit 1633 in Tech Center 1600 (Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals).

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