Amgen's Full Year 2023 Lobby Spend Figures -- And Initiatives' Disclosures: No. 3 Of A Five Part Series, As Ever...

We still have to post Merck's totals and disclosures. . . and we typically also add in Amazon, at the end. But today, after covering Pfizer and then Lilly, we look at. . . Amgen. [This year, we also offered bonus coverage of Abbott, and Baxter -- at the mid-major level.]

Amgen is deep in the biotech space -- and so is particularly focused on protecting patents for bio-engineered therapies (these are treated differently than powder pill drugs at FDA, and in many respects, under US patent law). For the full year, Amgen spent $9.54 million -- and $3.55 million in Q4 alone, on stuff like this:

. . .Issues related to drug pricing reform -- Changes to Public law 117-1769 Inflation Reduction Act; Awareness of implications to patients and research and development of Public law 117-1769 Inflation Reduction Act; S. 113 Prescription Pricing for the People Act of 2023; S.127 Pharmacy Benefit Manager Transparency Act; HR 830/ S 1375 HELP Copays Act; HR 485 Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act; HR 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act; HR 2534 PROTECT 340B Act of 2023; HR 3561 the PATIENT Act; S. 1542 DRUG Act; S. 1967 PBM Act; HR 3503 The NIH Clinical Trials Diversity Act; Issues related to cardiovascular disease awareness and treatment; Issues related to Federal Trade Commission; FDA issues; Issues related to patient affordability issues, including copay cards, copay accumulators, copay maximizers, National Benefit Payment Parameters; Biosimilars reimbursement issues, no specific bill; Supply Chain Issues, no specific bill; and Issues related to 340B. . . .

Issues related to pharmacy benefit managers -- Proposed rule: Medicaid Program; Misclassification of Drugs, Program Administration and Program Integrity Updates Under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program; HR 4818/ S. 2407 Treat and Reduce Obesity Act; S. 2305 Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act; S. 2129 Ensuring Access to Lower-Cost Medicines for Seniors Act; Issues related to PAHPA reauthorization; Modernizing and Ensuring PBM Accountability Act (Finance Committee); S. 652 SAFE Step Act; S 2474/ HR 5376 Share the Savings with Seniors Act; S 2456 Protecting Seniors from High Drug Costs Act; HR 4881 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit cost sharing for drugs under the Medicare program; HR 3281 Protecting Patients Against PBM Abuses Act; HR 4822 Health Care Price Transparency Act of 2023; S 1339 Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reform Act; HR 2679 Pharmacy Benefits Manager Accountability Act; HR 4507 Transparency in Coverage Act of 2023; HR 1352 Increasing Access to Biosimilars Act of 2023; HR 2880 Protecting Patients Against PBM Abuses Act; and Issues pertaining to the implementation of PL 97-414 "Orphan Drug Act," all provisions. . . .

HR4881 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit cost sharing for drugs under the Medicare program. . . .

Issues related to corporate and international tax, including regarding Public Law 115-97, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act; Issues related to Puerto Rico; Issues related to OECD negotiations on the taxation of global income; HR 3938 Build it in America Act. . . .

S. 79/HR 1717 Interagency Patent Coordination and Improvement Act of 2023; S. 113 Prescription Pricing for the People Act of 2023; S.127 Pharmacy Benefit Transparency Act; S. 150 Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act of 2023; S. 148 Stop STALLING Act; S. 142 Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars; Federal Trade Commission related issues, no specific bill; Issues related to the Patent Act, no specific bill; Issues related to March-In/Bayh Dole, WTO/TRIPS waiver, no specific bill; Issues related to False Claims Act;

Issues related to FDA/PTO coordination; Issues related to patent thickets/product hopping; Issues related to obviousness/ double patenting; S.2140 Patent Eligibility Restoration Act of 2023; S.2220/HR 4370 Promoting and Respecting Economically Vital American Innovation Leadership Act; S.1128: A bill to establish special rules relating to information provided with respect to drug applications concerning method of use patents; H.R. 3858/S.1834: A bill to prohibit the President from negotiating or concluding any withdrawal, suspension, waiver, or modification to the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights without explicit authorization from Congress; H.R. 3535 Advancing Americas Interests Act; and H.R. 5475 Prohibiting Adversarial Patents Act of 2023. . . .

Now you know -- out, into the steel and glass canyons here, grinning -- as my eldest returns, briefly -- for an overnight visit Thursday to Friday evening, on her way from Nicaragua -- back to her London flat. . . woot!

नमस्ते