RI MEDICAL, a company in which IBV holds a stake, has obtained patents in the United States and Mexico for its prostate cancer screening device.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Mexican Patent Office have granted RI MEDICAL the US and Mexican patents for its prostate cancer screening device. These patents will remain in force until at least 2042, allowing RI MEDICAL to exploit the technology exclusively until that date. The granted claims cover both the design of the device and the method for prostate cancer screening.

The technology-based company, which was founded in 2023 by REDIT Ventures, IBV, the La Fe Health Research Institute (IIS La Fe), the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), has thus taken another important step forward in its roadmap to become an indispensable tool for improving the effectiveness and precision of prostate cancer detection.

The medical device, which combines a medical ultrasound scanner with a stiffness sensor, enables the early detection of prostate cancer (PCa) at the screening stage. Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers among men worldwide. The device provides objective, reproducible and accurate information on prostate stiffness, offering a more objective and effective alternative for prostate cancer detection. It also helps to prevent up to 18% of prostate cancers associated with normal PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) levels from going undetected, thereby reducing delayed diagnoses and the associated morbidity and mortality.

The granting of these patents represents a key achievement for RI MEDICAL, as it guarantees market exclusivity for its medical device and strengthens the company’s position in the field of early detection for one of the world’s most prevalent cancers. The company is currently pursuing patent protection in other key international markets.