The results of the 9th round of China’s national volume-based procurement (VBP) program have been announced, with a total of 175 drug manufacturers securing tender spots for 41 different drug products. The tender for levonorgestrel did not yield successful bids. Out of the 269 separate tender spots secured, only 5 foreign companies won 6 of those spots, with the majority of price reductions averaging 70% from the tender ceiling prices.
Foreign Company Participation and Leading Bid Winners
Only one originator company, Ferring Pharmaceuticals with carbetocin, won a tender spot. The four successful foreign generic firms were all from India: Dr. Reddy’s with two bids, and Aurobindo, Cipla, and Hetero Labs. In terms of leading bid winners, CR Pharma topped the ranking with 8 bids, followed by Brilliant Pharma and Shanghai Pharma with 7 each. Qilu, Yangtze River Pharma, and Sino Biopharma each won 6, and Tianyao Pharma, Sinopharm, Chenpai Pharma, Cisen Pharma, SSY Group, China Meheco, and Kelun Pharma all had 4 successful bids each.
Procurement Process and Oncology Focus
The publicity period for the tender results will end on November 9. This year, subsidiaries of the same group company that have won separate bids must report in writing to the national drug alliance procurement office and ensure that only one subsidiary supplies one province/region. Oncology drugs, including fulvestrant and lenalidomide, were once again in focus, with fulvestrant, originated by AstraZeneca, seeing seven valid generics approved for marketing in China securing tender spots after offering average 85% price cuts.
Respiratory Drugs and Price Reductions
Dr. Reddy’s successfully won a tender spot for lenalidomide, a Bristol-Myers Squibb (Celgene)-originated cancer therapy. In the respiratory field, Zambon Group failed to win a tender spot for its acetylcysteine, which generated RMB 170 million in hospital sales last year, up 54% year-on-year (YOY). The tender winners for acetylcysteine offered only mild price reductions, averaged at 21%.-Fineline Info & Tech
