Implementation of 27+29 Provincial Alliance Medical Device Volume-Based Procurement for Cardiac Pacemakers and Peripheral Vascular Microcatheters Effective July 1, 2026

Author | Yue Qing

Editor | Yu Zhongjin

Volume-based procurement of pacemakers and interventional microcatheters is set to be implemented.Domestic products are no longer bystanders.

01

Two Major Categories of High-Value Consumables to Be Implemented

Multiple Companies Warned for Excessively Low Bids

Recently, ZhejiangThe National Healthcare Security Administration issued the “Announcement on the Implementation of the Selected Results of Centralized Volume-Based Procurement for Certain Medical Consumables》，The winning bid results of the centralized procurement by the two major consumables alliances—cardiac pacing devices and peripheral vascular interventional microcatheters—will be announced onEffective July 1, 2026。

The regulations of this round of centralized procurementThe scale can be described as a small-scale procurement, in whichCardiac PacingCovering 27 provinces, including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Shanxi;Peripheral Vascular Interventional MicrocathetersCovers 29 provinces, including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and Shanghai.

The winning bid results for the two major categories of consumables were announced in May this year, with foreign brands still dominating the cardiac pacemaker segment, includingMedtronic, Abbott,Biotronik, Boston Scientificand other international giants, butCardioLeader, LepuDomestic companies have also seized this opportunity to break into the market through centralized procurement, gaining a foothold in this high-barrier sector.

Peripheral Vascular Interventional MicrocatheterThe domestic strength in catheter-based solutions is relatively more prominent,Covidien, Stryker, Johnson & Johnson,Terumoremain the mainstream in terms of demand, butHeartCare, Tongqiao Medical,Shenruida,EptSeveral other products also successfully won bids, demonstrating the tangible progress of domestic substitution in neurointervention.

The bid-winning announcement did not disclose specific prices or price reductions, but neither of these two types of consumables were participating in centralized procurement for the first time. Previously, price inflation had already been squeezed out in multiple rounds of centralized procurement, such as in Guangdong and the 24-province alliance including Gansu.

Amid the current trend of “anti-involution” in centralized procurement, industry insiders had previously anticipated that the overall price reduction in this round would be relatively moderate. However, as this procurement covers two major alliances encompassing 27 and 29 provinces respectively, the market scale is highly attractive, making it possible that major brands may once again take the initiative to offer concessionsProfits in exchange for market share.

In fact,On this occasion, more than 10 companies wereLow Bid Triggering Low-Price Review Mechanism，Reflecting that the pricing strategies of some brands have become quite aggressive.

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Domestic pacemakers and interventional devices have entered the market.

AtIn the fields of cardiac pacemakers and neurointervention, domestic brands have moved beyond their initial stage of scarcity and are now making frequent appearances on the market stage; however, a considerable gap remains between them and international giants in the high-end segment.

Judging from this centralized procurement, the competitiveness of domestic enterprises in the cardiac pacemaker sector remains primarily concentrated in the mid-to-low-end market, while the high-end segment is basically dominated byControlled by four companies: Medtronic, Abbott, Biotronik, and Boston Scientific.

However, with the volume-based procurement program opening up hospital access channels, domestically produced cardiac pacemakers are now enteringMainstream Procurement Perspective. On one hand, domestic brands can secure stable orders, ensuring daily operations and subsequent R&D investment; on the other hand, the rapid accumulation of clinical data supports product optimization and upgrades, narrowing the technological gap with imported brands through real-world application.

Furthermore, domestic cardiac pacemakers are still at a highrapid development phase. According toAccording to statistics from Guan Yan Report Network,The market size of cardiac pacemakers in China increased from RMB 4 billion in 2020 to RMB 6.36 billion in 2023; the number of implantations rose from 110,130 cases in 2022 to 147,748 cases in 2024.

Leveraging the continuously expanding market effect, domestically producedCardiac pacemaker companies are enjoying higher expectations from financing to volume ramp-up. In recent years, the state has repeatedly intensified its support for high-end medical devices. Leveraging the hospital access opportunities created by centralized procurement, domestic brands have entered a window of development opportunity.

Such stories have been repeatedly validated in the field of neurointervention,The market share of domestically produced products, including coils and other consumables, has significantly increased following large-scale centralized procurement.

Peripheral Vascular InterventionMicrocatheter CategoryFrom the perspective of centralized procurement, although inThere is still a gap in the high-end sector,ButDomestic Brands Hold an Absolute Advantage in the Number of Shortlisted Entries, and achieve full coverage of standard sizes.

Domestic neurointerventional devices have risen rapidly in recent years, achieving a turnaround in performance.

Taking HeartCare as an example, its total revenue for the full year of 2025 reached RMB 408 million.Year-on-year growth of 46.9%; Chuangtong Bridge also continued its high-growth trend from 2024, with revenue reaching RMB 1.057 billion in 2025.Year-on-year increase of 35.1%. Moreover, domestically producedNeurointervention has extended its reach overseas,Zhuangchuang Tongqiao andHeartCare's overseas revenue growth in 2025 exceeded 100%。

From cardiac pacemakers to high-end interventional consumables, these sectors once monopolized by foreign companies are now undergoing a restructuring of the competitive landscape. However, whether domestic brands can rise to prominence by leveraging this trend will ultimately depend on the strength of their products.