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HR 3731
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Small Biotech Innovation Act

To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to establish a research and development-intensive small biotech manufacturer exception from the Medicare drug price negotiation program.

Introduced Jun 4, 2025

Latest action (Jun 4, 2025) Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Policy area
Issues
Healthcare

Summary

  • Amends the Medicare drug price negotiation program in the Social Security Act to add an exception for certain small biotech manufacturers that spend heavily on research and development.
  • Starting with the 2029 initial price applicability year, a qualifying single source drug of a qualifying research and development-intensive small biotech manufacturer would not count as a negotiation-eligible drug.
  • Defines a small biotech manufacturer as one with five or fewer qualifying single source drugs that is not owned, controlled, or directed by a foreign government and is not organized under the laws of a covered nation.
  • Sets the required research and development spending at a percentage of average net revenue over the previous three years, rising from 30 percent for one drug to 70 percent for five drugs.
  • Requires eligible manufacturers to submit an annual application to the Secretary of Health and Human Services with revenue and research and development information and a certification of its accuracy, and directs the Secretary to create an appeals process for eligibility determinations.
  • Ends the exception for a drug if its manufacturer is acquired after 2029 by a manufacturer that does not meet the definition, effective at the start of the following plan year.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.

Sponsor (1)

4 cosponsors

Actions (2)

  1. Jun 4, 2025 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. · house
  2. Jun 4, 2025 Introduced in House

Full text

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 4, 2025

Mr. Pfluger (for himself and Mr. Kustoff) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to establish a research and development-intensive small biotech manufacturer exception from the Medicare drug price negotiation program.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Small Biotech Innovation Act”.

SEC. 2. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT-INTENSIVE SMALL BIOTECH MANUFACTURER EXCEPTION FROM MEDICARE DRUG PRICE NEGOTIATION PROGRAM.

Section 1192(d)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320f- 1(d)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

“(D) Research and development-intensive small biotech manufacturer exception for 2029 and subsequent years.—

“(i) In general.—With respect to initial price applicability years (beginning with initial price applicability year 2029), subject to the succeeding provisions of this subparagraph, the term ‘negotiation eligible drug’ shall not include a qualifying single source drug (as defined in subsection (e)) of a research and development-intensive small biotech manufacturer (as defined in clause

(ii)).

“(ii) Definitions.—In this subparagraph:

“(I) Applicable percent.—The term ‘applicable percent’ means— “(aa) in the case of a small biotech manufacturer that has 1 qualifying single source drug, 30 percent; “(bb) in the case of a small biotech manufacturer that has 2 qualifying single source drugs, 40 percent;

“(cc) in the case of a small biotech manufacturer that has 3 qualifying single source drugs, 50 percent;

“(dd) in the case of a small biotech manufacturer that has 4 qualifying single source drugs, 60 percent; and “(ee) in the case of a small biotech manufacturer that has 5 qualifying single source drugs, 70 percent.

“(II) Small biotech manufacturer defined.—The term ‘small biotech manufacturer’ means a manufacturer that— “(aa) has 5 or less qualifying single source drugs; and “(bb) is not owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a government of a foreign country, or organized under the laws of a foreign country that is a covered nation (as defined in section 4872(f) of title 10, United States Code).

“(III) Research and development- intensive small biotech manufacturer defined.—The term ‘research and development-intensive small biotech manufacturer’ means a small biotech manufacturer that invests at least the applicable percent of their net revenue from the average of the previous three years in research and development (determined based on generally accepted accounting principles).

“(iii) Treatment in case of acquisition.— A drug shall not be considered to be a qualifying single source drug of a research and development-intensive small biotech manufacturer if the manufacturer of such drug is acquired after 2029 by another manufacturer that does not meet the definition of a research and development-intensive small biotech manufacturer, effective at the beginning of the plan year immediately following such acquisition.

“(iv) Annual application.—In order for a qualifying single source drug of a research and development-intensive small biotech manufacturer to be eligible for the exception under this subparagraph with respect to an initial price applicability year (beginning with initial price applicability year 2029), the manufacturer shall submit an application to the Secretary (at a time specified by the Secretary) containing—

“(I) information on the net product revenue and research and development expenditures of the manufacturer during the relevant time period;

“(II) a certification that the information submitted by the manufacturer under subclause (I) is accurate and complete to the best of the manufacturer’s knowledge; and

“(III) such other information as the Secretary may specify.

“(v) Dispute resolution.—The Secretary shall develop a process under which a manufacturer may appeal a determination by the Secretary that the manufacturer is not a research and development-intensive small biotech manufacturer. Such process shall conclude, with respect to a manufacturer, not later than the selected drug publication date with respect to the initial price applicability year for which the manufacturer submitted an application under clause (iv).”. <all>

Text versions (1)

  • Introduced in House · Jun 4, 2025

Only one text version is on file, so there’s no earlier version to compare against yet.

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