Appeal No. 2000-1812
Application No. 08/432,483
human cholesteryl ester transfer protein, and identifies and prepares certain monoclonal
antibodies which bind to a portion of the 26 amino acid carboxyl terminus of CETP, as well
as performing studies to evaluate the inhibitory effects on CETP activity when the
monoclonal antibodies bind the CETP molecule, the reference does not provide a reason
suggestion which would direct one of ordinary skill in this art to link any particular part of the
CETP molecule with a T cell epitope such as those described by Valmori. It would
reasonably appear that Swenson has successfully generated antibodies in mice using the
intact CETP protein. Given Swenson's described success in generating one or more
antibodies to CETP, there is nothing which would lead one to select a portion of the CETP
molecule to be used in combination with a T cell epitope of Valmori for the purpose of
generating additional antibodies. While Valmori might be read to suggest the use of T cell
epitopes in combination with foreign antigens to assist in obtaining an antibody response
in a human, there is nothing on this record which would reasonably suggest attempting to
generate any type of immune response to CETP in a human. With regard to other animals,
such as mice, Swenson already has a system which is demonstrated to be effective at
generating antibodies in mice using the whole CETP protein and thus does not appear to
need the assistance which would be provided by using the T cell epitopes provided by
Valmori. Further, the examiner has provided no evidence which would reasonably suggest
the incorporation of such an antigenic peptide into a vaccine composition as claimed in
claims 6, 7, and 8.
Thus, the examiner has provided teachings relating to the components of the
claimed invention which, if properly combined or modified, could be used to arrive at the
8
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