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What’s Inside: Our IRA Statement and Guidance on New Policies; Updated COVID-19 Vaccines; Conclusion of 2023 Legislative Session; Housing in San Diego; and more.
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Biocom California IRA Statement & Implementation Guidance
“Despite our industry’s many warnings, the Administration proceeded with a policy that hurts innovation without providing any direct relief to patients. […] Biocom California strongly supports our members across the industry that are affected by these drastic systemic changes and standing up to these damaging policies,” said Joe Panetta, Biocom California’s President and CEO in a statement responding to CMS’ publication of the first ten drugs that will be subject to price setting. Biocom California also developed a comprehensive digest of CMS drug price negotiation guidance to help our members understand the requirements and timeline of the new policy.
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Biocom California Hosts Roundtable with Rep. Mike Levin
On September 6, Biocom California hosted a roundtable with Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) at Argonaut Manufacturing Services to discuss important issues including the Inflation Reduction Act’s drug pricing provisions, supporting veterans, pandemic preparedness legislation, U.S. and China competitiveness, NIH funding, R&D amortization, and housing/cost of living.
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Biocom California Takes Rep. Scott Peters on Bay Area Industry Tour
On September 7, Biocom California was honored to take Rep. Scott Peters (CA-50) on a one-day tour of some innovative companies in the East Bay. Rep. Peters met with employees, toured facilities and labs, and discussed federal policy priorities at Finless Foods, Caribou Biosciences, Bayer, and Exelixis.
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Biocom California Letter on Enhanced U.S. Competitiveness Clauses
On September 12, Biocom California sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office expressing concerns with including the Department of Energy’s Declaration of Exceptional Circumstances around Enhanced U.S. Competitiveness clauses in agency agreements for non-exclusive licenses. Spreading this language would hurt universities and licensees of innovative technologies and damage an already complex tech transfer ecosystem.
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FDA Approves Updated COVID-19 Vaccines
Last week, the FDA approved Pfizer and Moderna’s updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for individuals 12 years of age and older, which received the endorsement of the CDC the next day. The updated vaccines include a monovalent component for the Omicron variant XBB.1.5 and will be available starting this fall.
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California Lawmakers Vote as 2023 Legislative Session Ends
California lawmakers voted on hundreds of bills this legislative session, concluding in a late night session on September 14, 2023. The Los Angeles Times compiled several articles that explain the most interesting or consequential bills that lawmakers have sent the Governor. He has until October 14 to decide which ones will become California law.
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San Diego
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UC San Diego Proposes Student Housing Village
UC San Diego is in dire need of housing as the school grows rapidly and the surrounding neighborhood’s rent is unrealistic for students. Chancellor Pradeep Khosla is considering building a village near Interstate 5 that would house 5,000 to 6,000 students and cost more than $1 billion. Students are desperate for additional housing as some face homelessness and demand for admissions rises, while some residents who live nearby are concerned about traffic impacts.
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Bid to Transform Part of Civic Center Core into Affordable Housing
The City of San Diego plans to begin 90-day good faith negotiations with Reven Capital, a firm that was the lone qualifying bid to redevelop the 101 Ash Street Building, leaving four other blocks commonly known as San Diego’s Civic Center available. The firm aims to retrofit the building and build nearly 400 affordable housing units in its place.
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San Diego County Water Authority Appoints General Manager
The San Diego County Water Authority board of directors voted unanimously to appoint Dan Denham as general manager, following the retirement of former general manager Sandra L. Kerl in June. Denham is an agency veteran, having been there since 2006, and currently sits on several regional boards.
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Greater Los Angeles
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LA City Life Science Motion Moves to City Council for Approval
Biocom California policy staff was on hand to speak in support of a proposal we worked on with Los Angeles Councilmember John Lee at the city’s Budget, Finance, and Innovation Committee on September 13. The motion (item No. 15) by Councilmembers Lee and Blumenfield would direct the city to study land use and taxation incentives specific to life science. The item passed committee on consent and will move to city council for formal approval.
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Holly Schroeder to Exit SCV Economic Development Corporation
Holly Schroeder departed this month as president and chief executive of the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation (SCVEDC). Holly has been a great resource for Biocom California and our members in the Santa Clarita Valley throughout her tenure and we thank her for her leadership. Jey Wagner succeeds her at the SCVEDC.
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Caltech Drops Admissions Requirements to Open STEM Access
Caltech announced late August it is dropping its longstanding admissions requirements for applicants to have completed calculus, chemistry and physics courses, noting that many students lack access to such curricula at their high schools. Instead, they will offer students a chance to participate in additional free courses culminating in an assessment exam used for admission consideration.
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Bay Area
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Roadmap to San Francisco’s Future Progress Update
Since Mayor London Breed put forward five key priorities aimed at revitalizing Downtown San Francisco six months ago, she now reports significant progress has been made. The August report outlines steps that have been taken in nine strategy areas to improve downtown in response to economic changes caused by the pandemic.
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San Mateo Awards Nearly $30M to Build Affordable Housing
San Mateo County Supervisors voted unanimously to allocate nearly $30 million to spur development of five affordable housing projects totaling 483 units. The projects are located between Daly City to Menlo Park and aim to provide quality homes near jobs, schools, and transit while improving housing shortage problems in the area.
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Berkeley and Emeryville Exceed New Housing Goals
Since 2015, East Bay cities Berkeley and Emeryville have exceeded expectations set by California requiring cities to permit and plan for their fair share of housing. Among other things, Berkeley has issued nearly 4,000 permits and Emeryville has been praised for streamlining the approval and construction of housing projects. This can help the cities to attract, grow, and retain companies in emerging industries, including cleantech, food, and life science sectors.
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Upcoming Committee Meetings and Events
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Zoe Bilis
Associate Manager of Regulatory Policy
Washington, D.C.
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Emily Cassel
Govt. Affairs Events & Project Manager
San Diego
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Laure Clark
Sr. Director, Federal Policy & Govt. Affairs
Washington, D.C.
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Melanie Cohn
Sr. Director, Regional Policy & Govt. Affairs
SD, LA, Bay Area
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Jimmy Jackson
Senior Vice President
& Chief Policy Officer
San Diego
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Biocom California Advocacy
Biocom California is the largest, most experienced leader and advocate for California’s life science sector. Our public policy staff is strategically located in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento and Washington, D.C. We work with all levels of federal, state, and local governments to collectively pursue outcomes that benefit regional life science growth and contribute to a more innovation-friendly state. With over 28 years of experience, Biocom California works on behalf of more than {{{dynamic_content_1600}}} member companies statewide.
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