Ex Parte Schmitke et al - Page 3

                 Appeal 2007-0913                                                                                      
                 Application 09/888,126                                                                                
                 FACTS                                                                                                 
                        The Examiner rejected claims 1, 3-18, 20-39, and 41-60 under 35                                
                 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being obvious over Patton in view of Edwards (Office                               
                 Action mailed August 11, 2004, 2).2                                                                   
                        The Examiner relies on Patton for teaching the systemic delivery of                            
                 insulin to a mammalian host through the inhalation of a dry powder that is                            
                 rapidly absorbed through the alveolar regions of the lung (Office Action                              
                 dated August 11, 2004, 2).  The dry powder containing insulin is prepared                             
                 by dissolving insulin in an aqueous buffer to form a solution and then spray                          
                 drying the solution to produce substantially amorphous particles (id.).                               
                 According to the Examiner, the pharmaceutical carrier, which may be an                                
                 amino acid such as glycine, lysine, etc., may be optionally dissolved in the                          
                 buffer, typically a citrate buffer such as sodium citrate, to form a                                  
                 homogenous solution, “wherein spray drying of the solution produces                                   
                 individual particles comprising insulin, carrier buffer and any other                                 
                 compounds which were preset in the solution.”  (Id. at 2-3.)                                          
                        Patton is also cited for teaching that dry powders of insulin that may                         
                 be used include amorphous insulin, crystalline insulin, and mixtures thereof                          
                 (id. at 2).  The insulin concentration may range from 5 to 95%, preferably                            
                 from 20 to 80%, with the carrier material ranging from 5 to 95% (id. at 3).                           
                 The Examiner notes that “Patton, while teaching amino acids as carriers,                              
                 lacks disclosure on DPPC.”  (Id.)                                                                     
                                                                                                                      
                 2 Claims 1, 3-18, 20-39, and 41-60 also stood rejected under the judicially                           
                 created doctrine of obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable                           
                 over the claims of copending 10/179,463 in view of Patton (Office Action                              
                 mailed August 11, 2004, 5).  The rejection was withdrawn in the Answer                                
                 upon the filing of a terminal disclaimer (Answer 5).                                                  
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