WASHINGTON — Pharmaceutical companies racing to develop coronavirus treatments and vaccines have upped their lobbying presence in the past three months, as drug companies work to combat the pandemic and fend off many lawmakers’ longstanding quest to lower drug prices via regulation.
Takeda, which is working to produce a plasma treatment for Covid-19, more than doubled its lobbying expenditure in the second quarter of 2020 compared to the same period a year ago: From $570,000 to $1.33 million.
The manufacturers Merck and AstraZeneca, both of which are attempting coronavirus vaccines, upped their spending to $2.62 million and $780,000 — increases of $315,000 and $300,000 from the same period last year, respectively. And Gilead Sciences, the manufacturer of the experimental antiviral remdesivir, upped its lobbying spend from $1.08 to $1.28 million.
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