NIB biotec Patents Extended to Four Countries

The development of an innovative diagnostic technology involves much more than scientific research and clinical validation. Intellectual property also plays a fundamental role, enabling innovation to be protected while creating a solid foundation for company growth, collaboration with industrial partners, and future access to international markets.

For this reason, NIB biotec continues to invest in strengthening its patent strategy, with the goal of protecting the technology it has developed for the use of specific urinary biomarkers in the diagnosis and management of prostate cancer.

To date, NIB biotec's patents have been granted in Italy, China, Japan, and Canada, while examination procedures are still ongoing in Europe and the United States.

A Technology Protected in Four Countries

The granting of a patent confirms that the relevant authority has recognized that the invention meets the legal requirements for patent protection within a specific territory. This is therefore an important achievement that enhances the scientific, technological, and industrial value of the project.

The first patent was granted in Italy, the country where NIB biotec's scientific and entrepreneurial journey began. This was followed by grants in China and Japan, two strategic markets characterized by evolving healthcare systems, aging populations, and growing attention to early diagnosis and precision medicine.

As described in our previous article, the granting of patents in these two countries represented a particularly significant milestone in the company's internationalization strategy, opening new opportunities for clinical, industrial, and commercial collaborations across Asia (read the article).

More recently, patent protection was also secured in Canada, one of the world's most advanced markets for medical technologies and healthcare innovation. The Canadian patent grant has further expanded the international coverage of NIB biotec's intellectual property portfolio while strengthening opportunities to engage with North American companies, investors, clinical centers, and research institutions (read the article).

Europe and the United States: Applications Still Patent Pending

Alongside the patents already granted, NIB biotec's patent applications are currently under examination in Europe and the United States.

Europe and the United States are particularly important regions for NIB biotec. Together, they account for a substantial share of global biomedical research, clinical trials, and investments in diagnostics and biotechnology. Obtaining patent protection in these territories would therefore represent another strategic step in the company's international growth journey.

Protecting Innovation to Bring It to Patients

The technology developed by NIB biotec is based on the analysis of urinary biomarkers associated with functional alterations of the prostate. The objective is to develop a non-invasive, rapid diagnostic approach that can support clinical decision-making.

The ZenPSA-pro test measures two biomarkers, PSA and zinc, in a urine sample, with the aim of providing physicians with additional information that can be integrated with serum PSA testing, urological examination, patient risk factors, and other clinical assessments.

Patent protection is essential in supporting this technology along the path from research to market. A strong intellectual property portfolio makes it possible to:

• Protect research outcomes and the investments made;
• Increase the industrial value of the technology;
• Facilitate licensing agreements and strategic partnerships;
• Attract investment to support clinical validation and regulatory development;
• Enable entry into key international markets.

An International Journey Still Unfolding

With patents already granted in Italy, China, Japan, and Canada, and applications still pending in Europe and the United States, NIB biotec continues to build an increasingly broad and internationally recognized patent portfolio.

Each patent grant represents both a new milestone and a new starting point for developing collaborations, accelerating clinical validation, and preparing for future market access.

The goal remains the same that has guided NIB biotec since its inception: transforming innovative scientific research into a practical, simple, and non-invasive tool that can support physicians and help improve the diagnostic pathway of men at risk of prostate cancer.