Biotech/Pharma Lobbying Scoreboard - Part II

    By Donald Zuhn --

For the past few months, Patent Docs has been following and reporting on biotech and pharma lobbying efforts.  Our interest in this topic stems from the push by Congress over the past year to pass patent reform and follow-on biologics legislation, and corresponding efforts by corporations and organizations during that time to lobby on this legislation.  In previous reports, we noted that a handful of biotech/pharma companies spent significant amounts of money lobbying the federal government in the first quarter of 2008, including:

• Abbott Laboratories -- $880,000
• Amgen Inc. -- $2.5 million
• Cephalon, Inc. -- $512,000
• Genentech, Inc. -- $591,000
• Monsanto Co. -- $1.3 million
• Novartis AG -- $1.3 million

Throughout the month of June, a number of additional reports have expanded the above list of biotech/pharma companies to include AstraZeneca PLC, Barr Pharmaceuticals, Biogen Idec Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Endo Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer Inc., Sanofi-Aventis, Schering-Plough Corp., Syngenta, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., and Wyeth, as well as the Biotechnology Industry Organzation, Generic Pharmaceutical Association, and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.  The lobbying activities and expenditures of these companies and organizations are as follows:

• AstraZeneca PLC spent $770,000 on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report).  According to the company's filing with the House clerk's office, the drug maker's lobbying efforts were directed in part at follow-on biologics and patent reform legislation.

• Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc. spent nearly $1.7 million on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report).  According to the company's filing with the House clerk's office, the generic drug maker's lobbying efforts were directed in part at follow-on biologics and patent reform legislation.

• Biogen Idec Inc. spent $200,000 on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report).  According to the company's lobbying disclosure, the biotech drug maker's lobbying efforts were directed in part at follow-on biologics and patent reform legislation.

• Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. spent $840,000 on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report).  According to Bristol-Myers Squibb's filing with the House clerk's office, the biopharmaceutical company's lobbying efforts were directed in part at follow-on biologics and patent reform legislation.

• Endo Pharmaceuticals spent $410,000 on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report).  According to the company's lobbying disclosure, Endo lobbied on a number of bills, including taking a stance against the Senate patent reform bill.

• Pfizer, Inc. spent $2.8 million on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report).  According to the company's lobbying disclosure, the drug maker's lobbying efforts were directed in part at follow-on biologics legislation and legislation directed at protecting pharmaceutical patents internationally.

• Sanofi-Aventis spent over $1.2 million on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report).  According to Sanofi-Aventis' filing with the House clerk's office, the pharmaceutical company's lobbying efforts were directed in part at follow-on biologics legislation.

• Schering-Plough Corp. spent $520,000 on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report).  According to the company's lobbying disclosure, the drug maker's lobbying efforts were directed in part at patent reform and follow-on biologics legislation.

• Syngenta AG spent $400,000 on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report).  According to Syngenta's filing with the House clerk's office, the agrochemical company's lobbying efforts were directed in part at patent reform legislation.

• Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. spent $640,000 on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report).  According to the company's lobbying disclosure, the generic drug maker lobbied on a number of bills, including taking a stance in favor of follow-on biologics legislation.

• Wyeth spent almost $700,000 on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report).  According to Wyeth's lobbying disclosure, the drug maker's lobbying efforts were directed in part at follow-on biologics and patent reform legislation.

• The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) spent over $1.9 million on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report).  The biotech industry trade group, which includes Amgen and Biogen Idec among its members, lobbied on, inter alia, patent reform and follow-on biologics legislation.  According to Forbes, the biotech industry has resisted efforts to create a follow-on biologics pathway for nearly a decade, but "with Democrats poised to pick up more seats in Congress this November, they are now pushing for a compromise before the political tide in Washington turns further in favor of their generic rivals."

• The Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA) spent $434,495 on first quarter lobbying (see CNNMoney.com report).  The trade group, which includes Barr Pharmaceuticals and Mylan as members, lobbied on, inter alia, patent reform and follow-on biologics legislation.

• The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) spent more than $3.6 million on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report).  The pharmaceutical industry trade group, which includes Pfizer and Amgen among its members, lobbied on, inter alia, patent reform and follow-on biologics legislation.  According to Forbes, the generic industry is seeking no more than five years of market exclusivity, while branded drug makers want at least 12 years of exclusivity.

For additional information regarding this topic, please see:

• "Biotech/Pharma Lobbying Scoreboard" June 6, 2008
• "Lobbying Spending Spree Continues," May 20, 2008
• "Abbott's First Quarter Lobbying Tab Hits $880,000," May 2, 2008

Comments

[anonymousAgent]

Are the pharma bribe numbers bigger than the "tech firm" bribe numbers???
After all, patent reform is NOT about the merits but only about which players have more $$$ to purchase votes, ehr, lobby congress.
Could you compare these numbers with the bribe checks of CPF members????