By Fineline Cube The Joint Procurement Office published the official winning results for the 12th batch of National Volume‑Based Drug Procurement (VBP), aligning with the preliminary selection results. Counted by parent company, a total of 490 pharmaceutical enterprises were selected, including 6 originator brand companies.
Results Overview
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Round | 12th batch of National Volume‑Based Drug Procurement (VBP) |
| Publishing Body | Joint Procurement Office |
| Publication Date | 6 Aug 2026 |
| Comparison with Preliminary Results | Aligned |
| Enterprises Selected | 490 (counted by parent company) |
| Originator Participation | 6 originator brand companies |
Notable Departures From Previous Rounds
Departing from previous VBP rounds, this official announcement omits drug specifications, winning prices, and assigned supply regions — a break in disclosure practice that leaves market participants without the granular pricing and regional allocation detail typically released alongside VBP results.
Market Size & Procurement Value
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Pre‑procurement market size (shortlisted drug candidates) | Nearly RMB 60 billion (per public market data) |
| Total planned procurement value (estimate) | RMB 19.5 billion |
| Implied shrinkage | Over one‑third |
Based on estimates using maximum valid bids and demand quantities, the total planned procurement value reached RMB 19.5 billion — a shrink of over one‑third against the nearly RMB 60 billion pre‑procurement market size for the shortlisted drug candidates.
Market Impact & Outlook
- Price Compression Continues: The more‑than‑one‑third contraction from pre‑procurement market value to planned procurement value underscores the VBP mechanism’s continued role in compressing drug prices across China’s pharmaceutical market.
- Disclosure Shift: The omission of winning prices, specifications, and supply regions marks a notable change in VBP transparency, potentially increasing reliance on company‑level disclosures and channel checks for market participants assessing award economics.
- Originator Engagement: The participation of 6 originator brand companies signals continued — if selective — willingness by multinational and originator players to compete within the VBP framework rather than cede the segment entirely to generic manufacturers.
- Generic Competition Intensity: With 490 enterprises selected in a single round, the competitive landscape for the affected molecules remains highly fragmented, reinforcing the volume‑for‑price trade‑off at the core of the VBP model.
Forward‑Looking Statements
This brief contains forward‑looking statements regarding the implementation and market impact of the 12th National VBP batch. Actual results may differ due to risks including procurement execution, pricing dynamics, and regulatory developments.-Fineline Info & Tech