Ex Parte Tripp et al

Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences

Apr 29, 2010

10453219 (B.P.A.I. Apr. 29, 2010)

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
____________

BEFORE THE BOARD OF PATENT APPEALS
AND INTERFERENCES
____________

Ex parte RALPH A. TRIPP and JENNIFER L. HARCOURT
____________

Appeal 2009-013565
Application 10/453,219
Technology Center 1600
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Decided: April 29, 2010
____________

Before DONALD E. ADAMS, FRANCISCO C. PRATS, and
JEFFREY N. FREDMAN, Administrative Patent Judges.

ADAMS, Administrative Patent Judge.

DECISION ON APPEAL
This appeal under 35 U.S.C. § 134 involves claims 1, 5, 7-17, 19-21,
and 23, the only claims pending in this application. We have jurisdiction
under 35 U.S.C. § 6(b).
Appeal 2009-013565
Application 10/453,219

2
STATEMENT OF THE CASE
Appellants do not separately argue the claims. Therefore the claims
stand or fall together. See 37 C.F.R. § 41.37(c)(1)(vii). Claim 1 is
representative and is reproduced below.
1. A composition comprising: 1) macroaggregated albumin (MAA),
2) a nucleic acid comprising SEQ ID NO: 1 and 3) polyethyleneimine (PEI),
wherein the nucleic acid is in a plasmid vector; and wherein the MAA, PEI
and nucleic acid form a complex.

The rejection presented by the Examiner follows1:
Claims 1, 5, 7-17, 19-21, and 23 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C
§ 103(a) as unpatentable over the combination of Orson2, Johnson3, Collins4,
and Gautam5.
We affirm.

1 The Examiner withdrew the rejection of claim 23 under the enablement
provision of 35 U.S.C. § 112, first paragraph (Ans. 2).
2 Frank M. Orson et al., Genetic Immunization with Lung-Targeting
Macroaggregated Polyethyleneimine-Albumin Conjugates Elicits Combined
Systemic and Mucosal Immune Responses, 164 J. Immunology 6313-6321
(2000).
3 Philip R. Johnson et al., Antigenic Relatedness between Glycoproteins of
Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus Subgroups A and B: Evaluation of the
Contributions of F and G Glycoproteins to Immunity, 61(10) J. Virology
3163-3166 (1987).
4 Peter L. Collins et al., Nucleotide sequence of the gene encoding the fusion
(F) glycoprotein of human respiratory syncytial virus, 81 PNAS, USA 7683-
7687 (1984).
5 Ajay Gautam et al., Transgene Expression in Mouse Airway Epithelium by
Aerosol Gene Therapy with PEI-DNA Complexes, 3 Molecular Therapy 551-
556 (2001).
Appeal 2009-013565
Application 10/453,219

3
ISSUE

Does the evidence of record support the Examiner’s prima facie case
of obviousness?

ANALYSIS
Upon consideration of the evidence on this record and each of
Appellants’ contentions (including the Elango6 and Olmsted7 references), we
find no error in the Examiner’s conclusion that claim 1 is a prima facie case
of obviousness over the combination of Orson, Johnson, Collins, and
Gautam. Accordingly, we sustain the Examiner’s rejection for the reasons
set forth in the Answer, which we incorporate herein by reference.

CONCLUSION OF LAW
The evidence of record supports the Examiner’s prima facie case of
obviousness. The rejection of claim 1 under 35 U.S.C § 103(a) as
unpatentable over the combination of Orson, Johnson, Collins, and Gautam
is affirmed. Claims 5, 7-17, 19-21, and 23 fall together with claim 1.

6 Narayanasamy Elango et al., Resistance to human respiratory syncytial
virus (RSV) infection induced by immunization of cotton rats with a
recombinant vaccinia virus expressing the RSV G glycoprotein, 83 PNAS
USA 1906-1910 (1986).
7 Robert A. Olmsted et al., Expression of the F glycoprotein of respiratory
syncytial virus by a recombinant vaccinia virus: Comparison of the
individual contributions of the F and G glycoproteins to host immunity, 83
PNAS USA 7462-7466 (1986).
Appeal 2009-013565
Application 10/453,219

4
TIME PERIOD FOR RESPONSE
No time period for taking any subsequent action in connection with
this appeal may be extended under 37 C.F.R. § 1.136(a).

AFFIRMED

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