Cipla, Natco Pharma, and Other Firms Win Several Drug Supply Bids in China

Several Indian pharmaceutical companies have won government tenders to supply generic medicines to public hospitals in China. This marks an important step for Indian drugmakers in one of the world’s most competitive and regulated healthcare markets.

Cipla, Natco Pharma, and Other Firms Win Bid for 7 Products

Out of 272 pre-qualified companies, Indian firms won bids for seven products, showing steady progress in entering China’s pharmaceutical space. Here is a breakdown of who received what in the latest VBP tender held by China:

High-Value Drug Contracts

The biggest success came from Hetero and Cipla, who together will supply about one billion tablets of Dapagliflozin, a diabetes medicine that earned 5.35 billion yuan ($739 million) in Chinese hospital sales in 2024.

Other winners like Annora and Natco will provide medicines for epilepsy and cancer treatment, two fast-growing segments in China’s healthcare system.

China’s VBP Scheme: Opportunity and Challenge

China’s Volume-Based Procurement model was launched in 2018 to pool state demand and negotiate lower drug prices. While it reduces supplier margins, it also allows foreign generic drugmakers access to the country’s public healthcare network, which accounts for most drug purchases.

Indian firms face strong competition from Chinese manufacturers who benefit from local production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). Interestingly, China is also the largest source of APIs for Indian companies.

Read more: Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (TMPV) Date Announced: November 14, 2025.

Conclusion

India has long requested greater access to China’s healthcare market to reduce a $100 billion trade imbalance. About 10 Indian pharma firms currently operate in China, some with local production units. Their success in the latest tender marks a major milestone of India’s growing influence in China’s drug market.

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