Appeal No. 1996-0944
Application No. 08/181,259
disiens, the species Mobiluncus and Lactobacillus, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Haemophilus ducreyi,
and Chlamydia trachomatis, wherein the antibacterial agent Rifaximin is the active ingredient in a
vaginal compatible carrier (claim 24).
OPINION
1. Rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 103
To establish a prima facie case of obviousness, there must be both some suggestion or
motivation to modify the reference or combine reference teachings and a reasonable expectation of
success. Furthermore, the prior art must teach or suggest all the claim limitations. In re Vaeck, 947
F.2d 488, 493, 20 USPQ2d 1438, 1442 (Fed. Cir. 1991).
Parenti discloses that vaginal infections may be caused by yeasts (e.g., Candida albicans),
protozoans (e.g., Trichomonas vaginalis) and/or bacteria (e.g., Bacteroides spp. and especially
Gardnerella vaginalis) (col. 1, lines 22-50). Parenti describes a pharmaceutical composition for
topical treatment of infectious vaginitis wherein the antimicrobial purpurmycin is the active ingredient
because purpurmycin is effective against all three types of microorganisms, i.e., Trichomonas,
Candida and Gardnerella (col. 2, lines 16-32). The topical composition may be provided as a cream
- 5 -
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007