Proteomics International Secures US Patent for PromarkerEso - This should be on your Watchlist.
- Noel Ong
- 12 hours ago
- 6 min read
Announcement
US patent secured for PromarkerEso diagnostic test for EAC - 17 December 2025 (view the announcement)
The Proteomics International story has been one of revelation for the Samso platform. We first covered the company story on June 6th, 2025 (A Blood Test Revolution in Women’s Health – PromarkerEndo’s Clinical Leap Forward on Endometriosis) when we started to learn and understand the potential of the PIQ story. One of the fascinating parts of developing the Samso News platform is that we are constantly learning about the other parts of the ASX that are making advances in their own field.
From an investor's point of view, the art of providing a medical solution is noble and extremely lucrative. Since following this story, PIQ has had a stellar run on the ASX.
Proteomics International Laboratories Ltd (ASX: PIQ), based in Perth, Western Australia, has announced a major intellectual property milestone with the granting of a United States patent for its PromarkerEso diagnostic test (Figure 1). The patent strengthens the Company’s position in the world’s largest healthcare market and supports the commercialisation pathway for a first-in-class blood test targeting esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), a cancer with poor survival outcomes when detected late.
Figure 1: Promarker®Eso Project Overview (source: PIQ)
The Business of Proteomics International: PromarkerEso
Proteomics International is a precision diagnostics company specialising in proteomics, the large-scale study of proteins and their role in disease. The Company develops and commercialises blood-based diagnostic tests designed to address significant unmet medical needs. PromarkerEso forms part of PIQ’s growing portfolio of proprietary diagnostic technologies aimed at improving early disease detection and patient outcomes.
Highlights – US Patent Strengthens Global Commercial Pathway
US Patent Granted: The United States Patent Office has granted a patent for PromarkerEso, protecting the Company’s proprietary blood test for early diagnosis of esophageal adenocarcinoma until 28 February 2036.
Multi-Jurisdiction IP Coverage: PromarkerEso is now protected across Australia, China, Hong Kong, Europe, and the USA, providing broad global intellectual property coverage.
Commercial Significance of the US Market: Securing patent protection in the United States underpins direct sales, partnership opportunities, and future licensing strategies in the world’s largest healthcare market.
Addresses a Major Unmet Clinical Need: Approximately 90% of EAC cases are undetected until late stage, with a median survival time of less than one year and a five-year survival rate below 20%.
Patient-Friendly Alternative to Endoscopy: Current gold-standard screening relies on invasive endoscopy procedures costing approximately US$2,750 in the US, whereas PromarkerEso offers a blood-based, less invasive diagnostic pathway.
Early-stage diagnostic strength: Promarker®Eso has demonstrated high accuracy in detecting early-stage esophageal adenocarcinoma (Stages I and II), with strong AUC values and high specificity, supporting its role in addressing the challenge of late EAC diagnosis and poor survival outcomes (Table 1).
Table 1 - Promarker®Eso Performance – early-stage EAC detection
(source: PIQ ASX Release 19 September 2025)
Leadership Commentary
Proteomics International Managing Director Dr Richard Lipscombe commented:
“This is a significant achievement because the USA is the largest and most advanced healthcare market in the world. Securing patent protection for our diagnostic technology there is a key step in our commercialisation pathway and provides a strong foundation for potential partnerships, licencing, and regulatory advancement.”
About the Project
PromarkerEso is a first-in-class blood test (Figure 2) that uses a panel of four serum glycoprotein biomarkers—alpha-1-antitrypsin, alpha-1-antichymotrypsin, complement C9, and plasma kallikrein—combined with patient clinical factors such as age, sex, and body mass index. These inputs are analysed using a proprietary algorithm to generate a clear “traffic light” risk score, classifying patients as low, moderate, or high risk for EAC. Patients identified as high risk are recommended to consult a gastroenterologist.
Figure 2: Promarker®Eso – Clinical Rationale, Validation and Commercial Status (source: PIQ)
Near-term Milestones to Watch
Progression of PromarkerEso commercialisation activities in the United States
Advancement of regulatory and partnership discussions enabled by US patent protection
Continued clinical validation and awareness initiatives addressing EAC and GERD-related risks
How Samso Understands the Investment Memo for the Company
From Samso’s perspective, the US patent materially de-risks the PromarkerEso commercial pathway by securing long-term intellectual property protection in a critical market (Figure 3). The announcement reinforces PIQ’s strategy of building defensible diagnostic assets that address large, unmet healthcare needs with scalable global potential.
Figure 3: Promarker®Eso – Addressable Market and GERD Screening Funnel (source: PIQ)
Samso Concluding Comments
The significance of this announcement lies not just in the patent itself, but in what it enables. The United States represents the largest healthcare market globally, and securing intellectual property protection there provides a credible foundation for revenue-generating activities.
EAC remains a disease with poor outcomes largely due to late diagnosis. A blood-based test that improves early detection has clear clinical relevance and potential health-economic benefits, particularly when compared with the cost and invasiveness of current screening methods.
From an investor perspective, the breadth of patent coverage across multiple jurisdictions reduces competitive risk. It also extends the commercial lifespan of the PromarkerEso asset through to 2036 in the US.
Samso sees this update as consistent with PIQ’s long-term strategy of translating proteomics research into practical diagnostic solutions with global reach.
Market Implications
As we have mentioned in our last Samso News on PIQ (Proteomics International Laboratories - PromarkerD Demonstrates Predictive Value for Diabetic Kidney Disease in Aboriginal Australians - May be time to get on this Horse), the market looks like it is liking the progress (Figure 4). This latest ASX release will support the story, so it looks like happier times are ahead.
Figure 4: The PIQ share price chart as of 9th January 2025. (source: CommSec)
I am sure that the Proteomics International PromarkerEso product will be bringing in more highlights for the PIQ journey.
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