Life science patents granted, by technology in Italy
Italy: Life science patents granted, by technology was 1 patents in 2015. ◆ Volatile
Life science patents granted, by technology in Italy, 1980–2015
Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in patents.
Analysis
The most recent figure for life science patents granted, by technology in Italy is 1 patents, measured in 2015. That is the lowest value across all 30 years on record.
The figure is down 50.0% on the previous year and unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, life science patents granted, by technology in Italy peaked at 605 patents in 1986 and was at its lowest, 1 patents, in 2006.
That places Italy 55th out of 65 countries with data for 2015, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Life science patents granted, by technology in Italy, year by year
| Year | patents | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 77 patents | — |
| 1981 | 62 patents | -19.5% |
| 1982 | 36 patents | -41.9% |
| 1983 | 12 patents | -66.7% |
| 1984 | 7 patents | -41.7% |
| 1985 | 508 patents | +7157.1% |
| 1986 | 605 patents | +19.1% |
| 1987 | 588 patents | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 300 patents | -49.0% |
| 1989 | 343 patents | +14.3% |
| 1990 | 224 patents | -34.7% |
| 1991 | 114 patents | -49.1% |
| 1992 | 51 patents | -55.3% |
| 1993 | 81 patents | +58.8% |
| 1994 | 102 patents | +25.9% |
| 1995 | 192 patents | +88.2% |
| 1996 | 89 patents | -53.6% |
| 1997 | 183 patents | +105.6% |
| 1998 | 137 patents | -25.1% |
| 1999 | 88 patents | -35.8% |
| 2000 | 49 patents | -44.3% |
| 2001 | 58 patents | +18.4% |
| 2002 | 47 patents | -19.0% |
| 2003 | 100 patents | +112.8% |
| 2006 | 1 patents | -99.0% |
| 2011 | 5 patents | +400.0% |
| 2012 | 46 patents | +820.0% |
| 2013 | 88 patents | +91.3% |
| 2014 | 2 patents | -97.7% |
| 2015 | 1 patents | -50.0% |
Italy compared with similar countries
- Italy's 1 patents is below the median for high income countries, which is 14 patents, 7% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Italy's 1 patents is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 7.5 patents, 13% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Life science patents granted, by technology in Italy changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | +7157.1% | 7 patents | 508 patents |
| 2012 | +820.0% | 5 patents | 46 patents |
| 2011 | +400.0% | 1 patents | 5 patents |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 253.8 patents | 7 patents | 605 patents | 10 |
| 1990s | 126.1 patents | 51 patents | 224 patents | 10 |
| 2000s | 51 patents | 1 patents | 100 patents | 5 |
| 2010s | 28.4 patents | 1 patents | 88 patents | 5 |
Countries ranked near Italy
- 52 Austria 2 patents compare
- 52 Portugal 2 patents compare
- 52 South Africa 2 patents compare
- 55 Croatia 1 patents compare
- 55 Estonia 1 patents compare
- 55 Israel 1 patents
- 55 Lithuania 1 patents compare
- 55 Malta 1 patents compare
- 55 Monaco 1 patents compare
- 55 Mongolia 1 patents compare
- 55 Slovenia 1 patents compare
- 55 Ukraine 1 patents compare
- 55 Zimbabwe 1 patents compare
More science & technology data for Italy
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 132.57 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.33 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 78.67 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 265.33 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 0.5331 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 0.2689 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 82,771 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0014 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life science patents granted, by technology in Italy?
- Life science patents granted, by technology in Italy was 1 patents in 2015, according to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life science patents granted, by technology recorded in Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 605 patents in 1986.
- What is the lowest life science patents granted, by technology recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 patents in 2006.
- How does Italy rank for life science patents granted, by technology?
- Italy ranks 55th out of 65 countries with data for 2015.
- Is life science patents granted, by technology rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Italy data come from?
- The figures come from World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Life science patents granted, by technology. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of pharmaceutical patents granted by the filing office in a given year. Pharmaceutical patents typically cover new drugs, biological treatments or vaccines.