Ex Parte LEE - Page 15


                 Appeal No.  2004-1369                                                        Page 15                  
                 Application No.  08/966,233                                                                           
                 specification (at pages 1, 2 and 12-15) supports her assertion regarding the                          
                 activities of members of the TGF-β superfamily.  In this regard, we note that                         
                 pages 1-2 of appellant’s specification identify a variety of different biological                     
                 activities that are attributed to what appellant characterizes as a “growing                          
                 number of polypeptide factors … found to be structurally homologous to                                
                 transforming growth factor β (TGF-β).”                                                                
                        Thus, contrary to appellant’s assertion, it is our opinion that the examiner                   
                 provided the documentary evidence necessary to support her assertion.                                 


                 II.  TGF-β superfamily members play “a pivotal role” in embryonic processes:                          
                        Appellant asserts (Brief, page 8), “the Akhurst reference was published in                     
                 1990, which is the year that the earliest priority application to the present                         
                 application was filed.6  Therefore, the Akhurst reference is an appropriate                           
                 measure of what was known in the art relating to transforming growth factors at                       
                 the time the application was filed.”  As set forth in In re Hogan, 559 F.2d 595,                      












                                                                                                                       
                 6 This application claims priority through a series of continuing applications to Application No.     
                 07/538,372, filed June 15, 1990.  See Answer, page 23, “[a]ppellant is relying upon the filing date   
                 of the ultimate parent application, 07/538,372, filed 6/15/90.”                                       





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