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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria1 Virginia 22313- 1450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`APPLICATION NO.
`
`
`
`
`
` F ING DATE
`
`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
`
`ATTORNEY DOCKET NO.
`
`
`
`
`
`CONF {MATION NO.
`
`12/664,172
`
`06/02/2010
`
`James Klein Leonard
`
`UF.572XC1
`
`1590
`
`23557
`
`7590
`
`01/03/2012
`
`SALIWANCHIK,LLOYD&E1SENSCHENK
`A PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION
`PO Box 142950
`GAINESVILLE, FL 32614
`
`COHEN, MICHAEL P
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`ART UNIT
`1612
`
`
`
`
`NOT *ICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`01/03/2012
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e—mail address(es):
`
`eu spto @ slepatents.c0m
`
`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Application No.
`
`Applicant(s)
`
`
` 12/664,172 LEONARD ET AL.
`Examiner
`Art Unit
`MICHAEL COHEN
`1612
`
`-- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE 1MONTH(S) OR THIRTY (30) DAYS,
`WHICHEVER IS LONGER, FROM THE MAILING DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR1. 136(a).
`In no event however may a reply be timely filed
`after SIX () MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`1)|Zl Responsive to communication(s) filed on 11 December 2009.
`
`2a)|:l This action is FINAL.
`
`2b)IXI This action is non-final.
`
`3)|:I An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`
`
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`
`4)|:l Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims
`
`5)IZ CIaIm(s) 1-18is/are pending in the application.
`
`5a) Of the above claim(s) _ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`6)|:| CIaIm(s) _ is/are allowed.
`
`7)|:l CIaIm(s) _ is/are rejected.
`
`
`8)I:I CIaIm(s)
`
`is/are objected to.
`
`£3)le CIaIm(s) 1-_18 are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
`
`Application Papers
`
`10)|:I The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`11)I:| The drawing(s) filed on _ is/are: a)|:| accepted or b)|:| objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`12)|:I The oath or declaration is objected to by the Examiner. Note the attached Office Action or form PTO-152.
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`
`13)|:| Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`
`a)|:| AII
`
`b)|:l Some * c)I:I None of:
`
`1.I:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`
`2.|:l Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No. _
`
`3.I:I Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`
`* See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`
`
`1) IZI Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`2) I] Notice of Draftsperson‘s Patent Drawing Review (PTO-948)
`3) I] Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date _.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`4) I] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper N0(S )/Mai| Date. _
`5)I:I Notice 0f Informal Patent Application
`6)I:I Other:—
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 03-11)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20111121
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/664,172
`
`Page 2
`
`Art Unit: 1612
`
`DETAILED AQTIQN
`
`Election/Restrictions
`
`Restriction to one of the following inventions is required under 35 U.S.C. 121 and
`
`372.
`
`This application contains the following inventions or groups of inventions which
`
`are not so linked as to form a single general inventive concept under PCT Rule 13.1.
`
`In accordance with 37 CFR 1.499, applicant is required, in reply to this action, to
`
`elect a single invention to which the claims must be restricted.
`
`Group |. Claims 1-12, drawn to a composition comprising a polymer
`
`comprised of repeating diene monomers coupled to at least one biologically
`
`active molecule, classified in class 424, subclass 78.18.
`
`Group II. Claims 13-15, drawn to a method of making the polymer
`
`described in Group |, above, classified in class 585, subclass 520.
`
`Group III. Claims 16-18, drawn to an apparatus or device comprising the
`
`polymer described in Group |, above, classified in class 424, subclass 443.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/664,172
`
`Page 3
`
`Art Unit: 1612
`
`The groups of inventions listed above do not relate to a single general inventive
`
`concept under PCT Rule 13.1 because, under PCT Rule 13.2, they lack the same or
`
`corresponding special technical features for the following reasons: Smith (U.S. 4,007,
`
`089) teaches a method for binding biologically active compounds, including binding
`
`glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase to polyethylene tubing (col. 7, Example 12).
`
`Election of Species
`
`This application contains claims directed to more than one species of the generic
`
`invention, if Applicant elects invention of Group I. These species are deemed to lack
`
`unity of invention because they are not so linked as to form a single general inventive
`
`concept under PCT Rule 13.1.
`
`The species are as follows:
`
`A single group of biologically active molecules as exemplified in claim 11. An
`
`example of a single elected group would be “analgesics”.
`
`Applicant is required, in reply to this action, to elect a single species to which the
`
`claims shall be restricted if no generic claim is finally held to be allowable. The reply
`
`must also identify the claims readable on the elected species, including any claims
`
`subsequently added. An argument that a claim is allowable or that all claims are generic
`
`is considered non-responsive unless accompanied by an election.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/664,172
`
`Page 4
`
`Art Unit: 1612
`
`Upon the allowance of a generic claim, applicant will be entitled to consideration
`
`of claims to additional species which are written in dependent form or otherwise require
`
`all the limitations of an allowed generic claim.
`
`REQUIREMENT FOR UNITY OF INVENTION
`
`As provided in 37 CFR 1.475(a), a national stage application shall relate to one
`
`invention only or to a group of inventions so linked as to form a single general inventive
`
`concept (“requirement of unity of invention”). Where a group of inventions is claimed in
`
`a national stage application, the requirement of unity of invention shall be fulfilled only
`
`when there is a technical relationship among those inventions involving one or more of
`
`the same or corresponding special technical features. The expression “special technical
`
`features” shall mean those technical features that define a contribution which each of
`
`the claimed inventions, considered as a whole, makes over the prior art.
`
`The determination whether a group of inventions is so linked as to form a single
`
`general inventive concept shall be made without regard to whether the inventions are
`
`claimed in separate claims or as alternatives within a single claim. See 37 CFR
`
`1.475(e).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/664,172
`
`Page 5
`
`Art Unit: 1612
`
`WHEN CLAIMS ARE DIRECTED TO MULTIPLE CATEGORIES OF
`
`INVENTIONS
`
`As provided in 37 CFR 1.475(b), a national stage application containing claims to
`
`different categories of invention will be considered to have unity of invention if the
`
`claims are drawn only to one of the following combinations of categories:
`
`(1) A product and a process specially adapted for the manufacture of said
`
`product; or
`
`(2) A product and process of use of said product; or
`
`(3) A product, a process specially adapted for the manufacture of the said
`
`product, and a use of the said product; or
`
`(4) A process and an apparatus or means specifically designed for carrying out
`
`the said process; or
`
`(5) A product, a process specially adapted for the manufacture of the said
`
`product, and an apparatus or means specifically designed for carrying out the said
`
`process.
`
`Otherwise, unity of invention might not be present. See 37 CFR 1.475(c).
`
`Applicant is advised that the reply to this requirement to be complete must
`
`include (i) an election of a species or invention to be examined even though the
`
`requirement may be traversed (37 CFR 1.143) and (ii) identification of the claims
`
`encompassing the elected invention.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/664,172
`
`Page 6
`
`Art Unit: 1612
`
`The election of an invention or species may be made with or without traverse. To
`
`preserve a right to petition, the election must be made with traverse. If the reply does
`
`not distinctly and specifically point out supposed errors in the restriction requirement,
`
`the election shall be treated as an election without traverse. Traversal must be
`
`presented at the time of election in order to be considered timely. Failure to timely
`
`traverse the requirement will result in the loss of right to petition under 37 CFR 1.144.
`
`lf
`
`claims are added after the election, applicant must indicate which of these claims are
`
`readable on the elected invention or species.
`
`Should applicant traverse on the ground that the inventions have unity of
`
`invention (37 CFR 1.475(a)), applicant must provide reasons in support thereof.
`
`Applicant may submit evidence or identify such evidence now of record showing the
`
`inventions to be obvious variants or clearly admit on the record that this is the case.
`
`Where such evidence or admission is provided by applicant, if the examiner finds one of
`
`the inventions unpatentable over the prior art, the evidence or admission may be used
`
`in a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) of the other invention.
`
`Applicant is reminded that upon the cancellation of claims to a non-elected
`
`invention, the inventorship must be amended in compliance with 37 CFR 1.48(b) if one
`
`or more of the currently named inventors is no longer an inventor of at least one claim
`
`remaining in the application. Any amendment of inventorship must be accompanied by
`
`a request under 37 CFR 1.48(b) and by the fee required under 37 CFR 1.17(i).
`
`The examiner has required restriction between product and process claims.
`
`Where applicant elects claims directed to the product, and the product claims are
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/664,172
`
`Page 7
`
`Art Unit: 1612
`
`subsequently found allowable, withdrawn process claims that depend from or otherwise
`
`require all the limitations of the allowable product claim will be considered for rejoinder.
`
`fl claims directed to a nonelected process invention must require all the limitations of
`
`an allowable product claim for that process invention to be rejoined.
`
`In the event of rejoinder, the requirement for restriction between the product
`
`claims and the rejoined process claims will be withdrawn, and the rejoined process
`
`claims will be fully examined for patentability in accordance with 37 CFR 1.104. Thus, to
`
`be allowable, the rejoined claims must meet all criteria for patentability including the
`
`requirements of 35 U.S.C. 101, 102, 103 and 112. Until all claims to the elected product
`
`are found allowable, an otherwise proper restriction requirement between product
`
`claims and process claims may be maintained. Withdrawn process claims that are not
`
`commensurate in scope with an allowable product claim will not be rejoined. See MPEP
`
`§ 821 .04(b). Additionally, in order to retain the right to rejoinder in accordance with the
`
`above policy, applicant is advised that the process claims should be amended during
`
`prosecution to require the limitations of the product claims. Failure to do so may result
`
`in a loss of the right to rejoinder. Further, note that the prohibition against double
`
`patenting rejections of 35 U.S.C. 121 does not apply where the restriction requirement
`
`is withdrawn by the examiner before the patent issues. See MPEP § 804.01.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/664,172
`
`Page 8
`
`Art Unit: 1612
`
`W
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to MICHAEL COHEN whose telephone number is
`
`(571)270-7402. The examiner can normally be reached on M-Th 8—6:30: F 10-4.
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
`
`supervisor, Frederick Krass can be reached on (571 )272-0580. The fax phone number
`
`for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571 -273-8300.
`
`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the
`
`Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for
`
`published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
`
`Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only.
`
`For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should
`
`you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic
`
`Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a
`
`USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information
`
`system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
`
`/M|CHAEL P COHEN/
`
`Examiner
`
`Art Unit 1612
`
`/Gollamudi S. Kishore/
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1612
`
`

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