Unlicensed medicines tenders and contracts
UK public sector, covering 600+ buyer sites
344 unlicensed medicines tenders and contracts, 94 this year.
Updated 4 November 2026 · compiled by BidSkim Limited · How we count
- Awarded a month£200k
- Contracts a month1.3
- Won by SMEs16%
- Frameworks and DPSs18
- Live now5See them →
Unlicensed medicines contracts
Tap a region to see its contracts. Pick as many as you like.
32 contracts across the UK, of any size
Live now
5 unlicensed medicines opportunities are open now
- Pre-market23 Sep 2026NEYPPC Pharmacy - Unlicensed Imported Medicines (Wave 2)Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust · Yorkshire and the HumberEst.£13.5m
- Pre-market23 Sep 2026NEYPPC Pharmacy - Unlicensed Imported Medicines (Wave 3)Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust · Yorkshire and the HumberEst.£30.3m
- Pre-market23 Sep 2026NEYPPC Pharmacy - Unlicensed Imported Medicines (Wave 1)Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust · Yorkshire and the HumberEst.£39.1m
- Pre-market23 Sep 2026NEYPPC Pharmacy - Unlicensed Parenteral NutritionLeeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust · Yorkshire and the HumberEst.£62.8m
- Awarded23 Oct 2026STA Provision of Investigational Medicinal Product (IMP) and placeboBristol NHS Foundation TrustWon by MIAA£152k
- Awarded19 Oct 2026EMBED 3.0 - Improvement of FormulationsCardiff UniversityWon by ProMed Pharma, LLC£188k
- Awarded11 Sep 2026Planned Tender for CDMO ProviderCardiff University · WalesWon by Simbec-Orion Group Ltd£212k
- Awarded29 Jul 2026DHA tablets for Miscarriage MAMS trial, 28 capsules per packUniversity of Birmingham · West MidlandsWon by Strides Pharma£62k
- Awarded17 Jun 2026(ULM) NITAZOXANIDE 500MG TABLETS, 6 tablets packBelfast Health and Social Care Trust · Northern IrelandWon by Clinigen£310k
- Awarded17 Jun 2026(ULM) DESFERRIOXAMINE INFUSORBelfast Health and Social Care Trust · Northern IrelandWon by Lloyds Clinical£150k
- Awarded4 Jun 2026TCAT - Liver Ductal ProjectPublic Services Delivery Scotland · ScotlandWon by Thermo Fisher Scientific and 5 more£118k
- Awarded28 May 2026HH - Supply of Patient-Specific Cytotoxic and Adjuvant Products (PSCAP)The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · LondonWon by Baxter Healthcare£9.3m
- Awarded27 Apr 2026CDMO for EMBED 3.0 Research StudyCardiff University · WalesWon by ProMed Pharma, LLC
- Awarded10 Apr 2026Manufacture of Sodium Dichloroacetate CapsulesUniversity of Edinburgh · Scotland£192k
- Awarded19 Jan 2026Manufacture and testing of overencapsulated tablets and placebo capsules for research purposes - LAMDARCT clinical trialBelfast Health and Social Care Trust · Northern IrelandWon by Almac Group£494k
- Awarded18 Nov 2025Purchase of Placebo and Lansoprazole for TIPAL ProjectUniversity of East Anglia · East of EnglandWon by Eramol (UK) Ltd£142k
- Awarded7 Nov 2025Batch manufacture of high titer/titre GMP (U.S.A.) compliant lentiviral vector for FDA approvalUniversity of Edinburgh · ScotlandWon by Indiana University
- Awarded22 Oct 2025LIONNS-D2 Project - Production of T3S API, IMP and FDFCardiff University · WalesWon by Ardena Holding NV
- Awarded3 Oct 2025Medicinal Product Trial -MetforminPennine Care NHS Foundation Trust · North WestWon by Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust trading as "Huddersfield Pharmacy Specials"£250k
- Awarded14 Aug 2025Genome PlasmidUniversity of EdinburghWon by Indiana University£75k
- Awarded11 Aug 2025ALMAC - active and placebo capsule manufacture for the LAMDARCT Clinical Trial Belfast Health and Social Care Trust · Northern IrelandWon by Almac Group£417k
- Awarded14 Jul 2025ACT2 StudyUniversity of Birmingham · North EastWon by Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust£515k
- Awarded30 Jun 2025Generic Drugs - Topicals & MiscellaneousNHS Wales Shared Services Partnership · WalesWon by Baxter Healthcare and 57 more
- Awarded9 Jun 2025TCAT – Maple ProjectPublic Services Delivery Scotland · ScotlandWon by ChemoMetec£89k
- Awarded2 Jun 2025TCAT – Maple ProjectPublic Services Delivery Scotland · ScotlandWon by Redberry SAS£120k
- Awarded2 Jun 2025TCAT – Maple ProjectPublic Services Delivery Scotland · ScotlandWon by Redberry SAS£120k
- Awarded2 Jun 2025TCAT – Maple ProjectPublic Services Delivery Scotland · ScotlandWon by Thermo Fisher Scientific£85k
- Awarded22 May 2025TCAT – Maple ProjectPublic Services Delivery Scotland · ScotlandWon by Infors HT£107k
- Awarded23 Apr 2025Clinical Drug Trial - University of AberdeenUniversity of Aberdeen · ScotlandWon by Sharp Clinical Services (UK) Limited£70k
- Awarded13 Feb 2025STH IMPEDE-PKD Investigational Medicinal Product TrialSheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · Yorkshire and the HumberWon by Sharp Clinical Services (UK) Limited£400k
- Awarded30 Jan 2025Randomised Controlled Trial of Mycophenolate for Hashimoto Thyroiditis (TRIUMPH)Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · North EastWon by Eramol (UK) Ltd£57k
- Awarded1 Jan 2025Supply and Manufacture of Investigational Medicinal Products (IMPs) for the Clinical Trial: "Examining Antibiotics for Ulcerated Skin Cancer Surgical Excision"NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership · WalesWon by Simbec Research Limited£117k
- Awarded1 Jan 2025Clinical Trial Manufacturing and Distribution ServicesNottingham Trent UniversityWon by Sharp Clinical Services (UK) Limited£34.5m
- Open to joinApply by 30 Nov 2026Yorkshire and the Humber framework
Where to bid
Where unlicensed medicines tenders are run
Atamis6 75%- BravoSolution1 13%
In-Tend1 13%
Tenders published in the last year that name the bid portal they run on.
Frameworks and DPS
18 frameworks for unlicensed medicines work are running. 1 is open to join now.
Sharp Clinical Services (UK) Limited won the most unlicensed medicines contracts
It also won the most by value. Each dot is one contract, coloured by who bought it.
NHS and healthEducation
| Rank | Contractor | Contracts won, by buyer | Contracts | Value won | Buyers | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sharp Clinical Services (UK) Limited Scotland · See every contract | 5 | £35.2m | 4 | ||
| 2joint | Baxter Healthcare London · 10 framework places · See every contract | 2 | £9.3m | 2 | ||
| 2joint | Almac Group Northern Ireland · See every contract | 2 | £911k | 1 | ||
| 2joint | Eramol (UK) Ltd North East · SME · See every contract | 2 | £199k | 2 | ||
| 2joint | ProMed Pharma, LLC Wales · See every contract | 2 | £188k | 1 | ||
| 2joint | Redberry SAS Scotland · See every contract | 2 | £120k | 1 | ||
| 2joint | Infors HT Scotland · See every contract | 2 | £107k | 1 | ||
| 2joint | Indiana University Scotland · See every contract | 2 | Not published | 1 | ||
| 2joint | Thermo Fisher Scientific Scotland · See every contract | 2 | Not published | 1 | ||
| 10joint | Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East · 1 framework place · See every contract | 1 | £515k | 1 |
71 more unlicensed medicines contractors ranked. See the full ranking →
Win unlicensed medicines contracts? Share your ranking.
Who buys
NHS and health bodies award 56% of unlicensed medicines contracts
Schools, colleges and universities buy the bigger jobs, at a median of £188k against £120k. Contracts with a published value in the last 2 years, from the type of buyer to the size of the contract.
7 buyers bought unlicensed medicines more than once in the last 2 years
Each dot is a buyer, by how many unlicensed medicines contracts it awarded in the last 2 years.
See who they are and when they usually buy →
Few and big, or many and small
Each dot is a buyer: how many unlicensed medicines contracts it awarded against what they were worth. The busiest and biggest are named.
NHS and healthEducation
Top buyers by contracts awarded
| Rank | Buyer | Contracts | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Public Services Delivery Scotland | 7 | £746k |
| 2 | Belfast Health and Social Care Trust | 4 | £1.4m |
| 3 | University of Edinburgh | 4 | £452k |
| 4 | Cardiff University | 4 | £400k |
| 5 | Nottingham Trent University | 2 | £34.8m |
| 6 | University of Birmingham | 2 | £577k |
| 7 | NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership | 2 | £117k |
| 8 | The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 1 | £9.3m |
| 9 | Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 1 | £400k |
| 10 | Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust | 1 | £250k |
81 unlicensed medicines contracts awarded since 2021
- 112021
- 172022
- 82023
- 72024
- 252025
- 132026 so far
Prices
Half of unlicensed medicines contracts are worth less than £151k
NHS and healthEducation
The 10 biggest unlicensed medicines contracts
- Nottingham Trent UniversitySharp Clinical Services (UK) Limited · 1 Jan 2025
- The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustBaxter Healthcare · 28 May 2026
- University of BirminghamNewcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · 14 Jul 2025
- Belfast Health and Social Care TrustAlmac Group · 19 Jan 2026
- Belfast Health and Social Care TrustAlmac Group · 11 Aug 2025
- Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustSharp Clinical Services (UK) Limited · 13 Feb 2025
- Nottingham Trent UniversitySharp Clinical Services (UK) Limited · 1 Jan 2025
- Belfast Health and Social Care TrustClinigen · 17 Jun 2026
- Pennine Care NHS Foundation TrustCalderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust trading as "Huddersfield Pharmacy Specials" · 3 Oct 2025
- Cardiff UniversitySimbec-Orion Group Ltd · 11 Sep 2026
Renewing contracts
No unlicensed medicines contracts come up for renewal in the next 12 months
The 6 unlicensed medicines contracts ending are one-off work, which is not re-let as it was.
Where and when
Scotland awards the most unlicensed medicines contracts. January and June are the busiest months.
Contracts by region and by month awarded. Click a region to filter the page.
FewerMore contracts
The regions as a table
| Region | Open now | Contracts | Value | Typical contract | Won the most | Bought the most | Renewing in 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland | 0 | 11 | £1.2m | £112k | Redberry SAS, Infors HT and 2 more (2 each) | Public Services Delivery Scotland (7) | 0 |
| Wales | 0 | 5 | £329k | – | – | Cardiff University (3) | 0 |
| Northern Ireland | 0 | 4 | £1.4m | £363k | Almac Group (2) | Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (4) | 0 |
| North East | 0 | 2 | £572k | – | – | – | 0 |
| North West | 0 | 1 | £250k | – | – | – | 0 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 4 | 1 | £400k | – | – | – | 0 |
| West Midlands | 0 | 1 | £62k | – | – | – | 0 |
| East of England | 0 | 1 | £142k | – | – | – | 0 |
| London | 0 | 1 | £9.3m | – | – | – | 0 |
| East Midlands | 0 | 0 | Not published | – | – | – | 0 |
| South East | 0 | 0 | Not published | – | – | – | 0 |
| South West | 0 | 0 | Not published | – | – | – | 0 |
Often bought with unlicensed medicines
Related services
Key findings
- £200k a month
of unlicensed medicines contracts awarded.
Typical contract £188k x 1.1 contracts a month, last 12 months. - 1.3
unlicensed medicines contracts are awarded in a typical month.
32 contracts in the last 2 years. - 18
frameworks and DPSs are running for unlicensed medicines work.
1 open to join now. - 16%
of unlicensed medicines contracts are won by SMEs.
As recorded by the buyer, on 25 award notices.
How many unlicensed medicines tenders and contracts are there?
| Since November 2021 | Last 12 months | |
|---|---|---|
| Notices published | 344 | 94 |
| Contracts awarded | 71 | 15 |
33 unlicensed medicines contracts and frameworks end in the next 12 months, 24 of them recurring services. In the last two years, 14 buyers awarded unlicensed medicines contracts to 81 suppliers.
Source: Find a Tender, Contracts Finder, Public Contracts Scotland, Sell2Wales and eTendersNI, to 4 November 2026. By Seamus White. How we count
Questions
How many unlicensed medicines contracts does the UK public sector award?
32 in the 2 years to 4 November 2026, from 14 public buyers.
How long are unlicensed medicines tenders open for?
The median unlicensed medicines tender is open for 25 days from publication to deadline.
How much is a typical public sector unlicensed medicines contract worth?
The median is £151k, and 68% are worth less than £250k.
Who wins the most public sector unlicensed medicines contracts?
Sharp Clinical Services (UK) Limited won the most (5), and the most by value (£35.2m).
Which buyers award the most unlicensed medicines contracts?
NHS and health bodies award 56% of them.
Which part of the UK awards the most unlicensed medicines contracts?
Scotland: 11 of 32 in the 2 years to 4 November 2026, then Wales (5) and Northern Ireland (4).
Are there frameworks or DPSs for unlicensed medicines work that are open to join?
18 frameworks and DPSs for unlicensed medicines work are running. 1 is open to join now.
What is included
Supply of aseptically prepared ready-to-administer medicines, unlicensed specials and imported unlicensed medicines, and contract development and manufacture of investigational medicinal products, placebos and active ingredients for trials and research.
- Aseptically prepared unlicensed medicinal products
- Dose-banded chemotherapy and other ready-to-administer aseptic products
- Unlicensed imported medicines
- Over-labelling and translation of imports
- Investigational medicinal product manufacture
- Trial medicines and matching placebo
- API development, validation and supply
- Contract freeze-drying (lyophilisation) of biological materials with formulation development and QC testing
What is not included
- Licensed medicines (see Medicines supply)
- Homecare compounding with delivery (see Homecare medicines services)
- Clinical trial delivery and CRO services (see Hospital and specialist clinical services (unspecified))
- Clinical trial data management software (see Clinical trial data management system)
- Aseptic isolators and pharmacy equipment (see Pharmacy automation and aseptic equipment)