VHP Terminal Sterilization Patents: Who Leads, Where the Gaps Are 2026
Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide Terminal Sterilization Patents
80.6% concentration. The five most active filers account for 58 of the 72 records in scope, leaving a thin tail below them. Filings rose from a single record in 2017 to a peak of 8 in 2022, then dropped sharply — 2021's 7 filings fell to 0 by 2024, a -100% change over that span. 2025 and 2026 figures are still incomplete because publication typically lags filing by around 18 months, so the apparent drop should not yet be read as the field cooling.
- 1STERIS CORP18
- 2AOBIOME LLC16
- 3NOVARTIS AG13
- 4INNOCOLL PHARMACEUTICALS LTD6
- 5COHERUS OPHTHALMOLOGY LLC5
See the full vaporized hydrogen peroxide terminal sterilization analysis in Eureka
- The complete ranking, not just the top five
- Every IPC branch with its share of the corpus
- The most-cited records, and where claim space is still thin
Common questions on this landscape
How many patents cover vaporized hydrogen peroxide terminal sterilization?
This dataset identifies 72 published records between 2015 and mid-2026 that combine vaporized hydrogen peroxide or terminal sterilization process claims with a second technical control such as vapour concentration, condensation management, or residual peroxide limits. The true global count is larger, since this search string deliberately narrows to records that pair the sterilization method with process-control language. Treat 72 as the scoped figure for this specific claim combination, not the total literature on VHP sterilization broadly.
Who are the leading patent holders in this field?
The assignee ranking covers 14 companies, with the leader holding 18 records against 58 for the combined top five — 80.6% of all 72 records in scope. That concentration means a small number of portfolios likely set the reference claims for cycle development and vapour concentration control. Below fifth place the field thins quickly, with the tenth-ranked company holding only 1 record.
Is patent filing activity in this area growing or shrinking?
Filings peaked in 2022 at 8 records and then fell, with the 2021 figure of 7 dropping to 0 by 2024 — a -100% change over that span. However, patent publication typically lags actual filing by around 18 months, so 2025 and 2026 figures are still incomplete and should not yet be read as a genuine slowdown. The safest read is that 2024 is the most recent year with a complete picture, and it shows the field well below its 2022 peak.
Disclaimer. This analysis is based on Patsnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent records and is provided for general information and reference only. Patent data carries inherent limitations — recent filings are under-counted because of publication lag, counts may be on a record or family basis, classification and applicant-name data may contain errors or duplicates, and the underlying search query defines the scope shown — so the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
Nothing here is an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Verify independently and review with qualified patent and legal professionals before acting on it.
Method: Filing trend and technology composition. Derived from a Patsnap search on Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide Terminal Sterilization covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-07-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish. Every share divides by all records in scope. Data: Patsnap Eureka. See the full landscape report.