throbber
CONTROL NOS. 90/007,542 AND 90/007,859
`
`DOCKET NOS. 22338-10230 AND -10231
`
`Control Nos. 90/007,542; 90/007,859
`
`Attorney Docket No. 22338-10230
`
`Patent
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`Control Nos.:
`
`Confirmation Nos.:
`
`90/007,542
`90/007,859
`
`7585 (’542)
`6447 (’859)
`
`Filed:
`
`13 May 2005
`23 December 2005
`
`(’542)
`('859)
`
`Patent Owner:
`
`Genentech, Inc. and
`City of Hope
`
`Group An Unit:
`
`3991
`
`Examiner:
`
`B.M. Celsa
`
`For:
`
`Merged Reexaminations of U.S. Patent No. 6,331,415 (Cabilly et al.)
`
`DECLARATION OF STEVEN LANIER MCKNIGHT UNDER 37 C.F.R. § 1.132
`
`1, Steven Lanier McKnight, do hereby declare and state
`
`1.
`
`2.
`
`I am a citizen of the United States and reside in Dallas, Texas. My c.v. is attached as
`Exhibit A.
`
`I have been retained by Genentech and City of Hope to provide my opinion on certain
`issues in the patent reexamination proceedings involving U.S. Patent No. 6,331,415 (“the
`’415 patent”). I am being compensated for my time at a rate of $750.00 per hour.
`
`3.
`
`I have reviewed the following documents in the course of preparing this declaration:
`
`U.S. Patent No. 5,840,545 (“the ’545 patent”);
`
`U.S. Application No. 06/358,414 (“the ’4l4 application”);
`
`The ’415 patent;
`
`U.S. Patent No. 4,816,567 (“the ’567 patent”);
`
`U.S. Patent No. 4,399,216 (“Axel”);
`
`Deacon & Ebringer, BIOCHEMICAL Socnarv TRANSACTIONS 4: 818-820 (1976)
`
`(“Deacon’_’);
`
`European Patent No. 0 044 722 (“Kaplan”);
`
`Ochi er al., NATURE 302: 340-342 (1983) (“Ochi”);
`
`EVIDENCE APPENDIX
`
`GENENTECH 2021
`GEl\'ZY\/IE V. GENENTECH
`lPR2016—00383
`
`PAGE B197
`
`_
`
`GENENTECH 2021
`GENZYME V. GENENTECH
`IPR2016-00383
`
`

`
`CONTROL NOS. 90/007,542 AND 90/007,859
`
`DOCKET NOS. 22338-10230 AND -10231
`
`Control Nos. 90/007,542; 90/007,859
`
`Attorney Docket No. 22338-10230
`
`Patent
`
`-
`
`-
`
`-
`
`-
`
`-
`
`-
`
`~
`
`Oi et al., PROC. NATL. ACAD. Sci. 80: 825-829 (1983) (“Oi”);
`
`Rice & Baltimore, PROC. NATL. ACAD. SCI. 79: 7862-7865 (1982) (“Rjce” ;
`
`Valle et al., NATURE 300: 71-74 (1982) (“Valle l982”);
`
`Valle et aI., NATURE 291: 338-340 (1981) (“Valle 198 I”);
`
`WO 82/03088 (“Dallas”);
`
`The Declaration of Richard Axel filed during prosecution of U.S. Application No.
`08/422,187;
`
`'
`
`Opposition Request of European Patent No. 0120694 filed in the European Patent
`Office on behalf of Genentech, Inc.
`
`4.
`
`I have also reviewed documents associated with the two reexamination proceedings,
`including:
`
`-
`
`-
`
`-
`
`-
`
`-
`
`The PTO Office Action dated February I6, 2007;
`
`The PTO Office Action dated August 16, 2006;
`
`A Request for Ex Parte Reexamination dated December 23, 2005, including
`attachments to that Request;
`
`The Declaration of David Baltimore submitted in connection with the December
`
`23, _2005 Request for Ex Parte Reexamination;
`
`The Declarations of Dr. Rice, Dr. Colman, and Dr. Harris filed with the responses
`of the patent owner to the two office actions
`
`5.
`
`6.
`
`I understand that patentability is evaluated using the perspective of a person of ordinary
`skill in the technical field of the invention just prior to the filing date of the patent (i. e.,
`early April of 1983). A person of ordinary skill in the field of the ’4l5 patent would have
`had a Ph.D. in molecular biology or a comparable scientific discipline, and two to three
`years of practical experience, such as that gained through a post-doctoral appointment or
`comparable assignment.
`I believe I am well-qualified to express an opinion on what a
`person of ordinary skill in the art of the ’4l5 patent would have believed or expected in
`early April of 1983, because at that time I was a person who had a level of experience in
`line with this definition and worked with people who met this definition.
`
`I also
`I understand that the ‘S45 patent issued from an application filed on June 5, I995.
`understand that there were several earlier applications filed between 1982 and 1995
`related to the ’545 patent.
`I understand that the first of these applications was the ’414
`application filed in March of 1982, and that the contents of this application are to be the
`
`EVIDENCE APPENDIX
`
`PAGE 3198
`
`

`
`CONTROL NOS. 90/007,542 AND 90/007,859
`
`DOCKET NOS. 22338-10230 AND -1 0231
`
`Control Nos. 90/007,542; 90/007,859
`
`Attorney Docket No. 22338-10230
`
`Patent
`
`focus of my analysis. In particular, I have been asked to detennine if the ’4l4 application
`describes a host cell that produces two different immunoglobulin chain polypeptides or a
`process where two different polypeptides are expressed in a single host cell.
`I understand
`that the requirements of the host cell and process are outlined in the claims of the ‘S45
`patent.
`
`I also have been asked to determine if there is any description in the ’4l4 application of
`procedures for coexpressing two different polypeptides in a single host cell. Finally, 1
`have been asked to provide my views on the observations of the PTO contained in the
`Final Office Action dated February 17, 2007.
`
`General Observations On The '414 Application
`
`8.
`
`10.
`
`The ’4l4 application describes procedures for making what it calls an rFv binding
`composition, or rFv. An rFv consists of two polypeptides, each with an amino acid
`sequence that corresponds to the variable region sequence of an immunoglobulin chain.
`An “L-rFv” polypeptide contains a variable region sequence from a light chain
`immunoglobulin, and an “H-rFv” contains a variable region sequence from a heavy chain
`immunoglobulin.
`
`The ’4 14 application indicates that an rFv can contain two polypeptides with the same
`amino acid sequence, or with different amino acid sequences. See, p. 3, line 37 to p. 4,
`line 2 (“the L- and H- designations will normally mean light and heavy respectively, but
`in some instances the two chains [of the rFv] may be the same and derived from either
`the light or heavy chain sequences”).
`
`Pages 5 to 18 of the ’4l4 application provide a general description of procedures for
`producing L-rFv and H-rFv polypeptides, and rFv binding compositions. The ’4l4
`application also provides an example of using these procedures on pages 19-42
`(“Example 1”). These procedures can be summarized as follows:
`
`a.
`
`b_.
`
`c.
`
`Produce a hybridoma that makes an antibody with a desired specificity. See, p. 5,
`line 32 to p. 6, line 18.
`
`Prepare a purified whole cell mRNA extract from the hybridoma, and use this to
`prepare a cDNA library using a reverse transcriptase. See, p. 6, line 19 to p. 8,
`line 7. This produces cDNA molecules with sequences that are complementary to
`each of the discrete mRNA sequences (mRNA transcripts) in the mRNA extract.
`
`Amplify the cDNA library. This is done by inserting the cDNA molecules into
`plasmids, transforming a bacterial host cell culture with the plasmids, and
`growing the transformed bacterial host cells under selective pressure (i.e., in the
`presence of an agent that causes bacterial cells that did not incorporate a plasmid
`to die). This produces a collection of bacterial clones, each containing a plasmid
`with one of the cDNA molecules from the cDNA library in it. See, p. 8, line 12 to
`p. 9, line 1.
`
`EVIDENCE APPENDIX
`
`PAGE B199
`
`

`
`CONTROL NOS. 90/007,542 AND 90/007,859
`
`DOCKET NOS. 22338-10230 AND -10231
`
`Control Nos. 90/007,542; 90/007,859
`
`Attorney Docket No. 22338-10230
`
`Patent
`
`d.
`
`e.
`
`f.
`
`g.
`
`h.
`
`Identify colonies of transformed bacterial cells that contain plasmids with cDNA
`encoding either the heavy or the light chain using a nucleotide probe
`corresponding to the constant domain of the heavy or the light chain. Then, select
`these colonies and grow the colonies under selective pressure to produce a
`population of identical copies (clones) of the bacterium with the desired heavy or
`light chain cDNA sequence. See, p. 9, lines l-19.
`
`Extract the cDNA from the individual clone selected by colony hybridization, and
`use it to produce a “tailored” cDNA that encodes the variable region of either the
`heavy or the light chain polypeptide. See, p. 9, line 20 to p. 14, line 15.
`
`Insert the modified cDNA into an expression vector (i. e., a plasmid containing an
`origin of replication, a promoter, and an insertion site), and transform another
`bacterial host (E. coli) with the plasmid. See, p. 14, line 16 to p. 16, line 23.
`
`Express either the light or heavy chain variable region polypeptide by growing a
`transformed bacterial host cell, and then isolate, purify, and renature the
`polypeptide. See, p. 17, line 1 to p. 18, line 14. Repeat the process with the other
`immunoglobulin chain.
`
`Combine the individually produced chains in vitro to form the rFv binding
`composition. See, p. 16, lines 24-28.
`
`1 1.
`
`12.
`
`If these procedures are followed as they are written, individual L-rFv and H-rFv
`polypeptides will be produced in separate cell cultures and these individually prepared
`polypeptides will be isolated, renatured, and combined in a test tube to form an rFv.
`I did
`not find any description of procedures in‘ the ’414 application of a “coexpression”
`strategy (i. e., where two polypeptides with different amino acid sequences would be
`produced in a single transformed cell culture).
`
`All of the processes described in the ’4l4 application relate to bacterial expression
`systems. There are some references to the use of yeast cell cultures to amplify DNA
`sequences, but there are no procedures described in the ’4l4 application for expressing
`proteins in yeast-based systems. There is also no description of using mammalian cell
`lines to produce rFv polypeptides in the ’4l4 application.
`
`The '414 Application Does Not Describe Or Suggest Coexpression OfL-rFv And H-rFv
`Polypeptides In A Single Host Cell
`
`13.
`
`I could find no description in the ’4 14 application of a single host cell that produces two
`different polypeptides, or a process where two different polypeptides are expressed in a
`single host cell. As such, [do not believe there is any description in the ’4 14 application
`of a host cell meeting the requirements of claim 1 of the ’545 patent, or a process meeting
`the requirements of claim 2 of the ’545 patent as these claims have been interpreted by
`the PTO.
`
`EVIDENCE APPENDIX
`
`4
`
`PAGE B200
`
`

`
`CONTROL NOS. 90/007,542 AND 90/007,859
`
`DOCKET NOS. 22338-10230 AND -10231
`
`Control Nos. 90/007,542; 90/007,859
`
`Attorney Docket No. 22338-10230
`
`Patent
`
`14.
`
`The ’4l4 application clearly states that an rFv is to be made by producing the L-rFv and
`H-rFv polypeptides in separate cells and combining them in a test tube afier expression
`and purification. For example, on page 16, lines 24-28, the ’4l4 application plainly
`states:
`
`The resulting construct [i.e., a cDNA insert encoding the L-rFv _o_r H-rFv
`polypeptide in an appropriate expression vector] is then introduced into-an
`appropriate host to provide expression of the heavy 9; light polypeptide
`members of the rFv and the polypeptides isolated. The heavy and light
`polypeptide members of the rFv are then combined in an appropriate ,
`medium to form the rFv. (emphasis added).
`
`15.
`
`16.
`
`17.
`
`18.
`
`This clearly indicates that each of the L-rFv and H-rFv polypeptides will be produced in
`separate cells. The “appropriate medium” being referred to is the test tube environment
`where the two expressed and purified polypeptide chains are finally mixed together afier
`they have been separately produced and isolated. An appropriate medium is not referring
`to a transformed bacterial host cell.
`
`All of the techniques and options in the ’4l4 application for producing L-rFv and H-rFv
`polypeptides are consistent with this approach. For example, page 17, lines 35-38,
`indicates that “[w]here the light or heavy chain is not secreted, the transformed
`microorganisms containing the appropriate ds cDNA for either light or heayy chains are
`grown in liquid culture and cleared lysates prepared.” (emphasis added). This again
`makes clear that each of the L-rFv and H-rFv polypeptides is being produced in a
`separate cell culture.
`
`Similarly, page 18, lines 4-7, indicates that the “eluates from each of the heayy and light
`chain isolations are pooled, followed by treatment to renature the polypeptides to form L-
`rFv and H-rFv respectively.” (emphasis added). These references to multiple isolations
`clearly indicate that separate cell cultures are being used to produce the two different
`polypeptides. A single isolate would be the result of lysing a single host cell that was
`producing both the L-rFv and H-rFv polypeptides.
`
`As such, in my opinion, it is absolutely clear that, if the procedures described in the ’4l4
`application are followed as they are written, each of the polypeptides will be produced in
`separate cells.
`I do not believe any other reading of these sections of the ’4l4 application
`would be rational, logical, or scientifically accurate.
`'
`
`The Procedures Described In The ’414 Application Will Not Yield Genetic Constructs Encoding
`More than One Polypeptide 0r Host Cells That Contain Multiple Plasmids
`
`19.
`
`The procedures in the ’414 application produce a “tailored” cDNA sequence by starting
`with a cDNA obtained from a cDNA library that encodes a full length heavy or full
`length light immunoglobulin chain polypeptide. See, p. 6, lines 19-34. These starting
`cDNA sequences are produced using mRNA transcripts isolated from a hybridoma that is
`producing an antibody with a desired specificity (i. e., a cDNA library is produced
`
`EVIDENCE APPENDIX
`
`5
`
`PAGE B201
`
`

`
`CONTROL NOS. 90/007,542 AND 90/007,859
`
`DOCKET NOS. 22338-10230 AND -10231
`
`Control Nos. 90/007,542; 90/007,859
`
`Attorney Docket No. 22338-10230
`
`Patent
`
`20.
`
`21.
`
`22.
`
`through reverse transcription of the mRNA transcripts in a purified mRNA extract from
`the hybidoma).
`
`By I982, it was well known that the heavy and light chains of an immunoglobulin are
`encoded by separate genes, and that these genes are located on different chromosomes.
`See, e.g., Hood et al., ANN. REV. GENET. 9: 305-353 (1975). When these genes are
`transcribed by the hybridoma cell, discrete mRNA transcripts will be produced — one
`associated with transcription of the light chain gene, and a different one from
`transcription of the heavy chain gene. Because the technique for producing the cDNA
`library makes cDNAs that are complementary to each of these individual mRNA
`sequences or transcripts, none of the cDNAs in the library will contain sequences
`corresponding to both heavy and light immunoglobulin chains.
`
`The amplification procedures described in the ’4 14 application produce copies of the
`cDNAs in the cDNA library. These procedures use simple transformations of bacterial
`cells using a common vector/plasmid. See, e.g., p. 8, lines 11-31; p. 27, lines 14-27.
`When this process is followed as it is described in the application, each plasmid will
`incorporate one cDNA from the cDNA library. None of the plasmids will contain
`sequences from both the heavy and the light chain immunoglobulin chains, so none of the
`amplified cDNA sequences will contain both heavy and light chain sequences.
`
`The “tailored” cDNAs made by the ’4l4 procedures use these amplified cDNA sequences
`as the “starting material” for the tailored cDNA sequence. The individual cDNAs are
`sequenced and subjected to restriction mapping. See, p. 9, lines 20-25 (“these analyses
`insure that the isolated cDNA clones completely encode the variable region and,
`optionally, the leader sequences for the light or heavy chain of the desired
`immunoglobulin.”). This source cDNA from the cDNA library is also used to prepare the
`tailored cDNA sequence encoding the L—rFv or the H-rFv.'
`
`23.
`
`There are no steps described in the ’4 14 application where different cDNAs from the
`cDNA library are ligated together before they are inserted into a plasmid for
`
`The process of producing the tailored cDNA sequence also does not create cDNAs that contain both heavy
`'
`and light chain sequences. See, e.g., ’4l4 application at pages 9-I4, 28-39. The first step in that process involves
`sequencing the cDNA clones encoding the light and heavy chain polypeptides. Once the sequence information is in
`hand, an oligomer (a short DNA sequence) is synthesized that will hybridize to a portion of variable region sequence
`in either the heavy or the light chain. The oligomer also has a stop codon at the end of its variable region sequence.
`The oligomer is then incubated with a single strand of amplified cDNA from the cDNA library, and treated with
`enzymes to prepare a double stranded DNA. The '4 14 application refers to this double-stranded DNA as a
`“heteroduplexcd" ds cDNA because it contains two strands of DNA that are not 100% complementary (i. e., the one
`grown from the oligomer contains a stop codon). When this heteroduplexed ds DNA is amplified, it produces
`“homoduplexed” ds DNA (i.e., where the two DNA strands are 100% complementary). This homoduplexed ds
`DNA containing the introduced stop codon is then hybridized with a second synthesized oligomer that contains a
`start codon at the beginning of the variable region sequence. The oligomer is then incubated with a single strand of
`amplified cDNA from the cDNA library and treated with enzymes to prepare a double stranded DNA. This double
`stranded DNA is also a “heteroduplexed” ds cDNA, since it contains two strands of DNA that are not 100%
`complementary (the first strand contains a stop codon, but no start codon). When this heteroduplexed ds DNA is
`amplified, it produces the tailored homoduplexed ds DNA. This homoduplexed ds DNA is then prepared for
`insertion into a plasmid for expression to produce the L-rFv or H-rFv polypeptide.
`
`EVIDENCE APPENDIX
`
`_
`
`PAGE B202
`
`

`
`CONTROL NOS. 90/007,542 AND 90/007,859
`
`DOCKET NOS. 22338-10230 AND -10231
`
`Control Nos. 90/007,542; 90/007,859
`
`Attorney Docket No. 22338-10230
`
`Patent
`
`amplification. As such, none of the steps outlined in the ’4l4 application for preparing
`“tailored” cDNA sequences produce a starting cDNA that contains both heavy and light
`chain sequences.
`
`24.
`
`25.
`
`None of the procedures described in the ’4l4 application insert two different cDNA
`inserts into one genetic construct, either for amplification or expression purposes.
`Instead, all of the procedures and techniques described in the application insert one
`cDNA into each plasmid.
`
`I could find no description in the ’4l4 application of a procedure which produces a
`genetic construct containing either a single cDNA insert encoding two different
`sequences (e.g., encoding both L-rFv and the H-rFv polypeptides), or two different
`cDNA inserts each encoding one of the two polypeptides.
`
`The Techniques Described In The '41 4 Application Clearly Call For Production Oflndividual
`Polypeptides In Separate Bacterial Host Cells
`
`26.
`
`27.
`
`28.
`
`29.
`
`30.
`
`If the transformation procedures described in the application are followed as they are
`written, they will not produce host cells that contain two different plasmids. As such, the
`’4l4 application, in my opinion, cannot be read as describing host cells that produce two
`different polypeptides.
`
`The procedures and techniques described in the ’4l4 application for preparing genetic
`constructs and host cells are all consistent with this one-c1one/one-plasmid/one-
`polypeptide approach.
`
`First, the procedures use hybridization techniques to select transformed bacterial colonies
`and confirm that these colonies contain the cDNA of interest. See, e.g., p. 9, lines 1-9; p.
`12, li.nes 19-25. See also Grunstein & Hogness, PROC. NATL. ACAD. SCI. 72(10): 3961-
`3965 (l975). For example, on page 9, lines 10-13, the ’4 14 application states that “me
`
`host colonies usually bacterial, which have DNA which hflridizes to either the light or
`heafl chain probes are picked and then grown in culture under selective pressure.”
`(emphasis added). This indicates to me that the cells being probed contain only one
`cDNA insert corresponding to either the heavy or the light immunoglobulin chain.
`
`Second, only simple expression vectors and procedures are described in the ’4l4
`application andin its example. See, e.g., p. 14, line 22 to p. 15, line 6; p. 40, lines 3-9.
`These expression vectors contain a single transcription/translation cassette. A plasmid
`with only one such cassette will direct a transformed cell to transcribe and translate only
`one inserted cDNA sequence. This clearly shows that only a single cDNA insert will be
`expressed by each transformed cell.
`
`Third, the example in the ’4l4 application closely tracks this one-plasmid/one-cell
`approach. On page 41, lines 6-15, the ’4l4 application specifies that individual cDNA
`inserts encoding the light or heavy chain variable polypeptides are incorporated into
`separate plasmids, and these separate plasmids are used to transform host cells:
`
`EVIDENCE APPENDIX
`
`PAGE B203
`
`

`
`CONTROL NOS. 90/007,542 AND 90/007,859
`
`DOCKET NOS. 22338-10230 AND -“I 0231
`
`Control Nos. 90/007,542; 90/007,859
`
`Attorney Docket No. 22338-10230
`
`Patent
`
`The “tailored” pGMl is isolated, partially restricted with fist_l and the DNA
`sequences coding for the light and heavy chain variable regions prepared
`above inserted individually into the tailored site to provide two plasmids
`havin DNA se uences codin for the li ht GMIL and heav
`GMI H
`
`chains, in accordance with the procedure described previously for insertion.
`(emphasis added)
`
`31.
`
`This passage clearly indicates that only one cDNA insert, encoding either the L-rFv or
`the I-I-rFv polypeptide, will be inserted into each plasmid. Inmy opinion, this description
`cannot be read as suggesting that a single cDNA sequence encoding both of the
`polypeptides will be inserted into a single plasmid, or that multiple cDNA inserts
`encoding different polypeptides will be inserted into one pGM 1 plasmid.
`
`The Techniques Described In The '414 Application Are Consistent With Only Individual
`Polypeptide Expression
`
`32.
`
`33.
`
`34.
`
`35.
`
`l do not believe someone familiar with basic molecular biology techniques could read the
`‘4 I4 application as describing procedures where a single bacterial host cell is transformed
`with two different plasmids, or where a single host cell is being engineered to produce
`two different polypeptide sequences.
`
`For example, the use ofthe same starting plasmid to produce the pGMlL and the
`pGMlH plasmids suggests that different cell cultures are being produced — one
`transformed with the pGMlL plasmid, and the other with the pGM1H plasmid. This is
`also consistent with the indication in this section of the application that clones containing
`either the pGMl L plasmid or the pGMlH plasmid are to be identified using restriction
`mapping techniques. See, p. 41, lines 13-15.
`
`Restriction mapping techniques compare the enzyme digest of a plasmid extracted from a
`clone to a reference map of the digest of the plasmid produced before the transformation
`step or expected from the genetic engineering process leading to the construction of the
`plasmid. Restriction mapping was, and remains, a standard procedure, and is
`straightforward when applied to comparisons involving a single plasmid. It becomes far
`more complicated when two plasmids are involved, because there will be a mixture of the
`two enzyme digests. This complication makes it inordinately difficult to use restriction
`mapping to confirm the outcome of gene cloning experiments.
`In my opinion, if the
`bacterial colonies under study each contained two different plasmids, the application
`would have mentioned something about how one should perform the restriction mapping
`procedures.
`
`I also do not believe a scientist familiar with molecular biology would read the
`description as indicating that individual bacterial clones are being transformed with two
`plasmids having the same selectable marker. Even assuming one cell incorporated both
`plasmids during the transformation process, the resulting cell colony and culture would
`not retain any of these doubly-transformed cells within a matter of hours. This is because
`the cells in the culture would need only one plasmid to exhibit antibiotic resistance, and
`there is strong evolutionary pressure in the cell culture against maintenance of clones
`
`EVIDENCE APPENDIX
`
`PAGE B204
`
`

`
`CONTROL NOS. 90/007,542 AND 90/007,859
`
`DOCKET NOS. 22338-10230 AND -10231
`
`Control Nos. 90/007,542; 90/007,859
`
`Patent
`,
`Attorney Docket No. 223 3 8- 10230
`
`with multiple plasmids having the same drug resistance marker. These facts would have
`been very familiar to a scientist working in this field in early April of 1983, as well as
`when the ’414 application was written in 1982.
`I
`
`In my opinion, ifthe authors ofthe ’4l4 application were intending to produce bacterial
`clones containing two different plasmids, they would have included a very clear
`description of a procedure that could be used to produce and to maintain a stable culture
`of these bacterial double transformants. The absence of that description indicates to me
`that they did not intend to make double transformants.
`
`The ’4l4 application also describes procedures which use a single antibiotic resistance
`gene.
`In particular, Example 1 uses the same pGMl plasmid to produce both expression
`plasmids. The pGMl plasmid contains a single antibiotic resistance gene. See, Miozzari
`& Yanofsky, J. BACTERIOL. 133(3): 1457-1466 (1978). Antibiotic resistance genes, or
`marker genes, allow scientists to differentiate bacterial cells that have successfully
`incorporated a plasmid, from cells that have not, by growing the culture in the presence
`of the antibiotic. Those cells that do not contain and express the antibiotic resistance
`gene in the plasmid die, thereby producing a culture which only contains bacterial clones
`that have successfully incorporated the plasmid.
`
`The use ofthe single-marker pGMl-based plasmid also would not make sense ifthe ’4l4
`application was describing procedures for transforming bacterial clones with two
`different plasmids. For example, culturing the transformed cells in the presence of the
`marker antibiotic would not differentiate clones that successfully incorporated only the
`pGM1L plasmid from those that successfully incorporated only the pGM1l-1 plasmid, or
`from clones that incorporated both plasmids. This would also make it impossible to use
`the antibiotic as a source of selective pressure to prepare and maintain a homogenous
`culture of clones that maintained both plasmids.
`
`Considering all of these points, I believe the ’414 application can only be read as
`describing procedures that produce only one polypeptide in one host cell (i.e., either the
`L-rFv polypeptide or the H-rFv polypeptide).
`
`36.
`
`37.
`
`38.
`
`39.
`
`There Is No Description OfHost Cells Meeting The Requirements OfClaim 1 Of The ’545
`Patent In The '4 14 Application
`
`40.
`
`As written, claim 1 seems to cover a scenario where the two polypeptides of the rFv have
`an identical amino acid sequence. Specifically, the claim states “[a] host cell which
`expresses a recombinant double-chain antibody fragment (rFv) comprising two
`polypeptide chains having substantially the same amino acid seguence of at least a
`portion ofgig variable region .
`. .ofa mammalian immunoglobulin .
`.
`. .” (emphasis
`added). This reading seems to be the scenario described on pages 2-3 of ’4l4
`application, which indicates that the L-rFv and H-rFv polypeptides can actually have the
`same sequence. See, p. 3, line 32 to p. 4, line 2. A host cell meeting the requirements of
`claim 1 read in this way would only have to be transformed with one plasmid containing
`one cDNA insert encoding either the L-rFv or H-rFv polypeptide.
`
`EVIDENCE APPENDIX
`
`PAGE B205
`
`

`
`_ CONTROL NOS. 90/007,542 AND 90/007,859
`
`DOCKET NOS. 22338-10230 AND -10231
`
`Control Nos. 90/007,542; 90/007,859
`
`Attorney Docket No. 22338-10230
`
`Patent
`
`41.
`
`42.
`
`Despite this, the PTO states that claim 1 of the ’545 patent defines a host cell that
`produces two different polypeptides. This means that the PTO is reading this claim to
`require the host cell to be transformed with cDNA sequences encoding two different
`polypeptides, and that the host cell express those two sequences.
`
`In my opinion, as I explained above, a scientifically correct reading of the description in
`the ’4l4 application makes it clear that it is not describing at any point a host cell that
`will produce both heavy and light immunoglobulin chain variable region polypeptides.
`Instead, the ’4l4 disclosure very clearly describes procedures in which each variable
`region polypeptide is produced in a separate host cell culture and is then isolated,
`renatured, and combined in a test tube to form an rFv.
`
`43.
`
`-H
`
`In the February 16, 2007 Office Action, the PTO identified a number of sections of the
`’545 patent that it believes are describing a host cell that produces both heavy and light
`chain variable region polypeptides.
`
`44.
`
`First, on page 20 of the Office Action, the PTO states that the ’545 patent describes:
`
`a “host cell” transformed with a single genetic construct (e.g. including
`pBR322; see e.g. Moore at col. 5, lines 32-35 and col. 7, lines 39-50) .
`.
`encoding variable light and heavy chains .
`. .. (emphasis in original).
`
`.
`
`45.
`
`I disagree. There is no description in these sections of the patent of a host cell has been
`transformed with a single genetic construct that encodes two different polypeptide
`sequences.
`
`-
`
`-
`
`Col. 5, lines 32-34 states that “a wide variety of vectors may be employed for
`amplification or expression of the ds cDNA to produce the light and heavy chains
`of the immunoglobulin.” This simply indicates that many vectors were available
`in 1982 for amplification and expression of cDNA sequences.
`It does not suggest
`that a single cDNA encoding two immunoglobulin chains should be expressed in
`a single host cell.
`
`In addition, this section of the patent (i. e., col. 5, lines 35-47) describes
`amplification of cDNA in the cDNA library, not expression of cDNA. This is
`done by incorporating the ds cDNA from the cDNA library into plasmids and
`transforming a host to incorporate each plasmid. The statements in this section
`make it clear to me that individual cDNAs are being inserted into individual
`plasmids for amplification. For example, col. 5, lines 33-36, makes references to
`vectors that contain “Q appropriate restriction site” (emphasis added), which
`indicates that each plasmid will incorporate only one cDNA insert from the cDNA
`library. And, col. 5, lines 36-37 states that “[t]he ds cDNA obtained from the
`reverse transcription of the mRNA” is being used. This indicates that a single ds
`‘cDNA is inserted into each vector, not multiple distinct ds cDNAs, and each
`cDNA being amplified will encode only one of the two immunoglobulin chains.
`As I explained earlier, there will be no cDNA molecules in the cDNA library
`
`EVIDENCE APPENDIX
`
`10
`
`w
`
`,
`
`PAGE B206
`
`

`
`CONTROL NOS. 90/007,542 AND 90/007,859
`
`DOCKET NOS. 22338-10230 AND -10231
`
`Control Nos. 90/007,542; 90/007,859
`
`Attorney Docket No. 22338-10230
`
`Patent
`
`produced by reverse transcription of the mRNA extract that contain sequences
`from both the heavy and light immunoglobulin chains.
`
`Col. 7, lines 39-50 is describing amplification procedures. The first sentence of
`this section (lines 39-4|) indicates that the vectors will have a single ds cDNA
`insert encoding only one polypeptide (i.e., “the vector which is employed
`provides for amplification and convenient isolation of transformants having Q
`variable region coding sequence insert.”). The references to “hybrid plasmid” and
`mismatched sequences refers to double-stranded DNA, where one strand contains
`the “native” cDNA produced from the cDNA library (and, ultimately, from the
`mRNA extract) and the other strand contains a cDNA grown from the synthetic
`strand that incorporates a stop codon at the end of the variable region coding
`sequence. When transformants containing a plasmid with this mismatched ds
`cDNA divides, one cell will contain a copy of the native sequence and the other
`cell will contain a copy of the “site mutated” sequence. Both of these sequences
`still encode only a heavy chain sequence or a light chain sequence, not both.
`Also, these transformed cells will not produce the polypeptides because the
`plasmid containing the cDNA insert does not contain regulatory elements that will
`direct the host cell to transcribe and translate (i.e., express) the inserted cDNA.
`
`46.
`
`Next, the PTO, at pages 20-21 , states that the ’545 patent describes “a ‘host cell’
`transformed with .
`.
`. two separate constructs comprising DNA (e.g. ds cDNA derived
`from a hybridoma as in instant claim I4: see Moore patent claim 2) encoding variable
`light and heavy chains [E.g. see Moore patent claim 1; col. 10, lines l-5; col. 23, lines 35-
`45 (pBR322); and col. 24, lines 50-60 (pGMlL and pGM1H); col. ll, lines 5-12] .
`.
`. .”
`(emphasis in original). Again, the PTO is mistaken in its interpretation of these sections
`of the patent.
`
`As I explained above, there is no description in the original ’4l4 application of a
`process having the ste

This document is available on Docket Alarm but you must sign up to view it.


Or .

Accessing this document will incur an additional charge of $.

After purchase, you can access this document again without charge.

Accept $ Charge
throbber

Still Working On It

This document is taking longer than usual to download. This can happen if we need to contact the court directly to obtain the document and their servers are running slowly.

Give it another minute or two to complete, and then try the refresh button.

throbber

A few More Minutes ... Still Working

It can take up to 5 minutes for us to download a document if the court servers are running slowly.

Thank you for your continued patience.

This document could not be displayed.

We could not find this document within its docket. Please go back to the docket page and check the link. If that does not work, go back to the docket and refresh it to pull the newest information.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

You need a Paid Account to view this document. Click here to change your account type.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

Set your membership status to view this document.

With a Docket Alarm membership, you'll get a whole lot more, including:

  • Up-to-date information for this case.
  • Email alerts whenever there is an update.
  • Full text search for other cases.
  • Get email alerts whenever a new case matches your search.

Become a Member

One Moment Please

The filing “” is large (MB) and is being downloaded.

Please refresh this page in a few minutes to see if the filing has been downloaded. The filing will also be emailed to you when the download completes.

Your document is on its way!

If you do not receive the document in five minutes, contact support at support@docketalarm.com.

Sealed Document

We are unable to display this document, it may be under a court ordered seal.

If you have proper credentials to access the file, you may proceed directly to the court's system using your government issued username and password.


Access Government Site

We are redirecting you
to a mobile optimized page.





Document Unreadable or Corrupt

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket

We are unable to display this document.

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket