According to public records, Millennium Pharmaceuticals spent $1.3 million in 2007 lobbying the federal government on patent reform and biotech drug regulation. A bill--currently in the Senate--had drawn the ire of pharmaceutical companies. Among other things, the bill calls a reduction in the number of patent infringement lawsuits and the institution of a post-approval patent re-evaluation process. Pharma companies fear that such a law would weaken patent protection. Amgen also spent a chunk of money lobbying against the patent bill.
Millennium also lobbied for legislation that would pave the way for approval of generic biotech drugs. You can bet Amgen wasn't with them on that one.
- see this Forbes article
- read the AP report on Amgen's activities
ALSO: Pharma may be giving big bucks to presidential candidates--$9.1 million so far--but it's surpassed by 16 other industries, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Report