China's National Joint Drug Procurement Office has unveiled the results of the 10th round of the Volume-Based Drug Procurement (VBP). The implementation of the selected drugs will commence in April 2025, with the specific start dates depending on provincial notifications.
This round of VBP successfully covered 62 drugs, all of which are off-patent, widely produced, and highly competitive. These medicines span therapeutic areas such as hypertension, diabetes, oncology, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, infections, and mental health.
A total of 439 companies submitted bids for 778 products, resulting in 385 products from 234 companies being awarded procurement contracts. Notably, all selected drugs have passed quality and efficacy consistency evaluations, ensuring high standards.
The competition was particularly intense, with high entry thresholds. For example, 31 companies qualified for sitagliptin, and 30 companies for phloroglucinol injection, with 29 having completed evaluations. While the program included fewer large-scale drugs, it still secured major products like latamoxef sodium for injection, doxorubicin hydrochloride liposome injection, and compound α-ketoacid tablets, each with an annual market value exceeding 2.5 billion yuan.
One of the standout features of this round was the significant price reductions. At least 134 drugs saw bidding prices drop by over 90%. For instance, esmolol hydrochloride injection, which typically retails at around 30 yuan per vial, was priced at just 2.39 yuan by Jichuan Pharmaceutical. Similarly, prices for drugs like aspirin enteric-coated tablets and folic acid tablets dropped to as low as 0.03 yuan per tablet, creating a stark contrast with original market prices.
The National Healthcare Security Administration reiterated that the procurement program does not include new drugs, as the focus remains on off-patent drugs to promote affordability and accessibility.