Inside STAT: Tiny biotechs fear ‘nuclear winter’ from Pelosi drug pricing bill 

(ALEX HOGAN/STAT)

Although intense debate has unfolded over the past several weeks over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s drug pricing bill, small biotech companies have hardly been part of the conversation. The discussion has mainly centered on major pharmaceutical companies — since they also make some of the priciest drugs the bill is aiming to make more accessible. But smaller companies could also be hard-hit by the proposed policy changes. Some estimates say that the bill would tax the biotech industry in such a way as to result in eight to 15 fewer new drugs over the next 10 years. Another study says nearly 90% fewer drugs developed by small biotech companies would have been on the market had the bill been law this past decade. STAT’s Nicholas Florko has more from Washington here.