In re Sichert

566 F.2d 1154, 196 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 209, 1977 CCPA LEXIS 93
CourtCourt of Customs and Patent Appeals
DecidedDecember 15, 1977
DocketNo. 77-546
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 566 F.2d 1154 (In re Sichert) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Customs and Patent Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Sichert, 566 F.2d 1154, 196 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 209, 1977 CCPA LEXIS 93 (ccpa 1977).

Opinion

MILLER, Judge.

This appeal is from the decision of the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) Board of Appeals (board) rejecting claims 1-21 in application serial No. 360,935,1 filed May 16, 1973, for “Therapeutical Composition.” We reverse the rejection of claims 2-4, 6-8, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, and 19, and affirm the rejection of claims 1, 5, 9-11, 14, 17, 20, and 21.

[1156]*1156THE INVENTION

The therapeutical compositions embraced by the claims comprise mixtures of extracts from plants of the Umbelliferae, Liliaceae, Berberidaceae, and Solanaceae families (one extract per family) and an extract of a plant which has a tonic effect on the heart.2 Claims 1 and 2 are exemplary:

1. A composition of matter for treating lymphatic congestions comprising a mixture of
(a) an extract of Umbelliferae,
(b) an extract of Liliaceae,
(c) an extract of a plant selected from the group consisting of Digitalis, Stro-phanthus, Convallaria and Crataegus,
(d) an extract of Berberidaceae, and
(e) an extract of Solanaceae, the ratios of a) : b) : c) : d) : e) being about 4 to 12 : 2.8 to 9 : 2 to 6.5 : 2 to 6 : 2 to 7.5.
2. The composition of matter set forth in claim 1 comprising a mixture of:
(a) an extract of an Umbelliferae selected from the group consisting of Coni-um maculatum, Cicuta virosa, Aethusa cynapium and Oenanthe croeata,
(b) an extract of a Liliaceae selected from the group consisting of Colchicum autumnale, Veratrum album, Aloe and Asparagi,
(c) an extract of a plant selected from the group consisting of Digitalis, Stro-phanthus, Convallaria and Crataegus,
(d) an extract of a Berberidaceae selected from the group consisting of Podo-phylli and Berberís vulgaris, and
(e) an extract of a Solanaceae selected from the group consisting' of Hyoscyami, Atropa belladonna, Mandrogorae and Da-tura stramonium,
the ratios of extracts (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) present being, respectively, about 4 to 12 : about 2.8 to 9 : about 2 to 6.5 : about 2 to 6 : about 2 to 7.5.

The specification discloses that the compositions are useful “against congestions in the lymphatic system” and explains that—

Lymphatic congestions are the cause of many diseases. The mixtures according to the invention have a superior activity against these congestions. They are also applicable prophylactically. By regularly applying them the clogged lymphatic vessels and lymphatic clefts are drained to such an extent that a normalization of the lymph current in the vessels and tissue clefts is recovered. In such a way the lymphatic congestions, the swelling of tissues and indurations as well as the dolor syndromes connected with them disappear in a short time more or less depending on the severity of the case. [Emphasis added.]

The modes of application of the compositions include oral, rectal, or parenteral, and the compositions may be in the form of capsules, suppositories, solvents, ointments, ampules, or an inhalation spray.

Dependent claims include the additional ingredients of an “ointment base,” “potassium arsenite,” and a “sulphur-containing amino acid.” Claims 5, 14, and 20 are representative:

5. The composition of matter comprising the mixture of extracts set forth in claim 2 and from about 76.1 to about 83.3% of ointment base.
14. The composition of matter comprising the extracts set forth in claim 2 and between about 3% and about 35% of potassium arsenite.
20. The composition of matter comprising the mixture of extracts set forth in Claim 2 and from about 76.1% to about 83.3% of an ointment base containing li-noleic acid in combination with a sulphur-containing amino acid and the biocatalyzer cytochrome C.

THE REJECTIONS

The board sustained the examiner’s rejections of claims 1-21 under 35 U.S.C. § 101 for lack of proof of utility and under 35 U.S.C. § 112 for lack of enablement. The [1157]*1157basis for these rejections was the underlined portion of the claim recitation: “A composition of matter for treating lymphatic congestions . . . Thus, the board summarized the examiner’s position (with which it agreed) as follows:

The examiner’s position is that the expression “lymphatic congestions” is undefined in the specification and does not appear to define a specific condition, but rather to describe a symptom which can be associated with an extremely large number of pathological conditions of varying etiology. The examiner’s position is further that, because of the wide number of possible diseases involved, some of which are known to be extremely therapy resistant, the utility disclosed is inherently incredible and requires a high degree of proof of utility and a quite specific disclosure of how to use the claimed compositions with respect to the various disease states possibly contemplated in order to meet the requirements of 35 USC 101 and 112.

Regarding the section 101 rejection, it said:

Although the treatment of cancer is not expressly disclosed in the specification, the totality of the evidence of record strongly suggests that it must be at least implicitly included within the disclosure of “lymphatic congestions.”

The board noted that utility was particularly lacking in claim 1, which recites only families of plants, as opposed to genuses, since “[i]t is considered most unlikely that these varied plant types will yield the same drug extracts.” It did not specifically address the examiner’s rejection of all claims for failure to set forth the best mode, as required by section 112, or his rejection under section 101 for lack of proof of safety-

The board also sustained the examiner’s rejection under section 112 (for lack of en-ablement) of claims 5, 9-11, 17, 20, and 21, based on disclosure in the specification that “ointment base” (recited in these claims) is an active part of the composition and not merely an inert carrier; and also based, in the case of claims 20 and 21, on disclosure that “sulphur-containing amino acid” is an active ingredient.

Finally, the board sustained the rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) of claim 14 over appellant’s German application No. 1,931,-467, published December 23, 1970, as follows:

The limitation [in claim 14] “between about 3% and about 35% of potassium arsenite” does not appear in appellant’s parent application, and the invention including that limitation is thus not described therein. Example 7 of the above specified published application discloses a composition which is a species within the genus claimed in appealed claim 14, and thus the claim is anticipated.

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Bluebook (online)
566 F.2d 1154, 196 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 209, 1977 CCPA LEXIS 93, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-sichert-ccpa-1977.