The official results of Round 8 of China’s national Volume-Based Procurement (VBP) tender program have been released, detailing the volumes and provinces awarded for each tender. The round saw RMB 3.775 billion (USD 550 million) in bid spots distributed among a total of 152 manufacturers, resulting in over 252 valid contracts.
North China Pharma Tops the Rankings
North China Pharma emerged as the top winner of the tender, securing seven spots with a total value of RMB 300 million. They were followed by Yangtze River Pharma, which won a single product, the hypertension therapy levamlodipine, with a tendering value of RMB 220 million. Other manufacturers with contract amounts exceeding RMB 100 million included Puyuan Pharma (RMB 160 million), Hongyi Pharma (RMB 130 million), and King-Friend (RMB 130 million).
Overseas Manufacturers’ Participation Increases
Overseas manufacturers participated in the tender, with six firms winning bid spots and securing contracts totaling RMB 190 million, which accounts for 5% of the total tender round. This is an increase from the 7th round, where foreign companies accounted for only 1.7% of the tender spots.
Winning Foreign Firms and Products
The winning foreign firms included India’s Hetero Labs for oseltamivir and Aurobindo for mirtazapine; US companies Merck, Sharp & Dohme for Remeron (mirtazapine) and A&Z Pharma for ursodeoxycholic acid and daptomycin; Italy-based Alfasigma for levocarnitine; and South Korea’s Daewoong for cefodizime sodium.
Previous VBP Tender Adjustments
Three products from foreign/originator companies were previously stripped of VBP winning status due to technical shortcomings, including BMS’s paclitaxel, Sun Pharma’s ibcalutamide, and GSK’s dutasteride.
Molecules Involved in VBP Tendering
A total of six molecules have been involved in VBP tendering across different dosages or forms, such as injectable mecobalamin, oseltamivir dry suspension, injectable ornidazole, injectable metronidazole sodium cholride, cefdinir granules, and voriconazole for injection.-Fineline Info & Tech
