Witness the efforts of the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, which recently convinced a Senate panel to vote their way on biologic drugs by demonstrating to lawmakers how the industries create and keep jobs back home, Roll Call reports.

The industries this week convinced the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee to give them at least 12 years of market exclusivity for lucrative biotech drugs before the products face competition from generics. The committee is writing health care reform legislation that must still be heard in the Senate and House.

The industries zeroed in on key committee Democrats, buying $500,000 of advertising in the lawmakers' states to send the message that the biotech and pharmaceutical companies keep local economies humming by creating jobs.

Among those targeted were committee Chairman Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and Democratic Sens. Patty Murray of Washington, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed, both of Rhode Island. Some campaign ads focused on committee Republicans such as Orrin Hatch of Utah and Mike Enzi of Wyoming.

The advertising effort paid off when the committee on a 16-7 vote passed an amendment that would grant the products 12 years of market monopoly.

"This is really company-driven, and it's been very effective," said Heidi Wagner, an in-house lobbyist with California-based Genentech who chairs a coalition including BIO, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and many individual companies in the sector. "We've worked hard together to really maximize our presence in some of these states that are focused on creating jobs and excited by the science and what we're doing for patients."