By Donald Zuhn --
While the recession has certainly had an effect on biotech/pharma patent filings, the recession appears to have had little impact on lobbying expenditures in the biotech/pharma industry. With the reporting period for first quarter lobbying now passed, many biotech/pharma companies and organizations not only kept pace with, but handily surpassed, their first quarter spending from a year ago:
• The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the pharmaceutical industry's primary trade group, spent $6.9 million on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes report), up from the $3.6 million the organization spent in the first quarter of 2008. According to the group's April 20 filing with the House clerk's office, the PhRMA, which includes some thirty pharmaceutical companies among its members, lobbied in part on patent reform and follow-on biologics legislation, as well as bills on international patent protection and a pilot program to provide District Court judges with expertise in patent cases. The group's filing also indicated that Jennifer Swenson, former legislative director for Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KA); Matt Sulkala, former senior legislative assistant to Rep. Allen Boyd (D-FL); Valerie Jewett, former legislative director to Rep. Rodney Frelinguysen (R-NJ); Michael Woody, formerly a professional staffer on the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee; and David Boyer, who previously worked in the Food and Drug Administration and White House, lobbied on behalf of the PhRMA.
• Pfizer Inc. spent $6.1 million on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes report) -- more than twice the amount the company spent in the first quarter of 2008. According to Pfizer's April 18 filing with the House clerk's office, the world's top drugmaker lobbied in part on patent reform and follow-on biologics legislation. The company's filing also indicated that Anthony Principi, former U.S. Secretary for Veterans Affairs, lobbied on behalf of Pfizer.
• Eli Lilly and Co. spent $3.4 million on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes report), a 19% increase over its lobbying spending from the first quarter of 2008. According to Lilly's April 17 filing with the House clerk's office, the drugmaker's lobbying efforts were directed in part at patent reform.
• Amgen Inc. spent $2.8 million on first quarter lobbying (see Associated Press report). According to Amgen's April 20 filing with the House clerk's office, the world's largest biotechnology company lobbied in part on follow-on biologics legislation.
• The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) spent $1.9 million on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes report). According to the group's April 20 filing with the House clerk's office, BIO lobbied in part on patent reform and follow-on biologics legislation. The group's filing also indicated that Bill Olson, former legislative assistant to Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL); Patrick Carroll, former legislative assistant to Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL); Melissa Bowie, former chief counsel for a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions subcommittee; Tooshar Swain, a legislative correspondent for former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA); and Matthew Schumaker, former executive director of the New Democrat Coalition, lobbied on behalf of BIO.
• Merck & Co. spent $1.5 million on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes report), a 50% increase over its lobbying spending from the first quarter of 2008. According to Merck's April 20 filing with the House clerk's office, the drugmaker lobbied in part on the House and Senate patent reform bills and follow-on biologics legislation. With respect to follow-on biologics lobbying, Merck officials stated last year that the company was looking to become a leader in generic biotech drugs (see "Follow-on Biologics in the News"), and in February, Merck purchased a biologics manufacturing facility and a number of biosimilar candidates from Insmed Inc. (see "Biotech/Pharma Business Briefs"). The company's filing also indicated that Eli Joseph, a former legislative assistant in the White House, lobbied on behalf of Merck.
• Johnson & Johnson spent $1.5 million on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes report), up from the $1.4 million the company spent in the first quarter of 2008. According to Johnson & Johnson's April 20 filing with the House clerk's office, the biologic drugmaker's lobbying efforts were directed in part at patent reform and follow-on biologics legislation. The Forbes report noted that Johnson & Johnson has one of the world's biggest biotech businesses, with two of its drugs (Procrit and Remicade) bringing in more than $6 billion a year alone. The company's filing also indicated that Lauryl Jackson, who served as a law clerk, fellow, health counsel, and intern in the offices of Reps. John Conyers, Donald Payne, Bobby Rush, and Julian Dixon, lobbied on behalf of Johnson & Johnson.
• E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. spent $1.1 million on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes report), according to DuPont's April 17 filing with the House clerk's office.
• The American Chemistry Council, a chemical trade group that includes Bayer Corp., Dow Chemical, DuPont, Eli Lilly & Co., Merck & Co., and Monsanto Co. among its members, spent $970,000 on first quarter lobbying (see Boston Globe report).
• Genzyme Corp. spent $920,000 on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes report). According to Genzyme's April 20 filing with the House clerk's office, the biotech drugmaker's lobbying efforts were directed in part at patent reform and follow-on biologics legislation.
• Wyeth spent more than $876,000 on first quarter lobbying (see CNBC report), a 26% increase over its lobbying spending from the first quarter of 2008. According to Wyeth's April 22 filing with the House clerk's office, the biotech drugmaker's lobbying efforts were directed in part at follow-on biologics legislation. Wyeth also lobbied on the importance of protecting pharmaceutical patents in trade agreements.
• Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. spent $350,000 on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes report). According to Amylin's April 17 filing with the House clerk's office, the biotech drugmaker's lobbying efforts were directed in part at follow-on biologics legislation.
• Biogen Idec Inc. spent $290,000 on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes report). According to Biogen's April 20 filing with the House clerk's office, the biotech company's lobbying efforts were directed in part at follow-on biologics legislation. The company's filing also indicated that Kathleen Weldon, a former staffer with the House Ways and Means Committee; and Adam Gluck, who previously worked for the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, lobbied on behalf of Biogen.
• Cephalon Corp. spent more than $182,000 on first quarter lobbying (see Forbes report). According to Genzyme's April 20 filing with the House clerk's office, the biotech drugmaker's lobbying efforts were directed in part at patent reform legislation.
For additional information regarding this topic, please see:
• "Biotech/Pharma Lobbying Scoreboard - Third Quarter Update; BIO Lobbies for Biotech 'Bailout'," December 19, 2009
• "Biotech/Pharma Lobbying Scoreboard - Second Quarter Update - Part II," September 12, 2008
• "Biotech/Pharma Lobbying Scoreboard - Second Quarter Update," August 21, 2008
• "Biotech/Pharma Lobbying Scoreboard - Part II," June 30, 2008
• "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
Biotech and Pharma companies are probably increasing lobbying expenditures despite a recession because of the recent efforts and proposed legislation to reform the patent system.
Recently, I came across a few articles for a patent reform group called American Innovators for Patent Reform. The articles can be found at:
http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=217701966
http://www.inventorsdigest.com/?p=701&cpage=1#comment-86
Posted by: Josh K | June 13, 2009 at 09:36 AM