Week in Review: Google boosts lobbying expenditures

Google increased its first-quarter spending on lobbying by more than 50 percent to argue its position on privacy, online advertising competition and net neutrality to members of Congress, federal regulators and the White House.

According to documents filed Tuesday with Congress, the company spent $1.38 million on lobbying in the first quarter of 2010, compared with $880,000 in the same period last year. The Mountain View, Calif.-based search giant spent $1.12 million on lobbying in the fourth quarter of 2009.

Google's policy objectives appeared to greatly expand in recent months. With its decision to stop operations in China because of demands by the government to censor search results, seven Google staffers lobbied lawmakers, members of the executive office of the president, the U.S. trade representative and the State Department on bills related to online freedom of expression.

Several staffers lobbied lawmakers and the Federal Trade Commission on online privacy and data security issues. Rick Whitt, media counsel, and Alan Davidson, director of public policy, were among several staffers who pushed the company's support for net neutrality rules at the Federal Communications Commission and a bill that would inventory spectrum that could be used for mobile broadband use.

-- Cecilia Kang

HGS LUPUS DRUG DISAPPOINTS

Human Genome Sciences and GlaxoSmithKline reported a setback Tuesday as study data showed their lupus drug, Benlysta, worked no better than standard treatment after a year and a half.

Last year, HGS of Rockville and GlaxoSmithKline said two late-stage, 52-week trials showed Benlysta was much more effective than a placebo at reducing lupus symptoms. But in continuing to treat and monitor patients, the companies found that after 76 weeks, patients who received Benlysta and standard treatments were not doing significantly better than those getting a placebo and standard treatments.

Benlysta is the first new drug in more than 50 years for lupus, an inflammatory disease in which the body's immune system attacks its own tissues and organs. Benlysta is designed to suppress the body's immune response to the disease.

The companies plan to file for U.S. and European marketing approval of Benlysta in the second quarter.