1.   And, amendments to the US patent law to allow generic equivalents of biotech drugs.

2.   Biotech drugs are made up of thousands of atoms, as opposed to the hundreds that make up most pharmaceuticals.

3.   But drugs for hepatitis and new biotech drugs can generate big profits.

4.   But it seldom takes less than five or six years to bring out a new biotech drug.

5.   But the once-fond notion that because biotech drugs are drawn from nature they will be easier to approve has also taken a pasting.

6.   But unlike their pharmaceutical counterparts, biotech drugs may be difficult for generic manufacturers to copy.

7.   For instance, Genzyme Transgenics Corp.of Framingham, Mass. is using genetically engineered goats to manufacture biotech drugs.

8.   Generic drugs are an important tool in combating the high cost of prescription drugs, and biotech drugs include some of the most expensive products in the world.

9.   Lastly, Congress will face legislation that would enable generic drug companies to produce the equivalent of name brand biotech drugs once their patents expire.

10.   Negotiating the patent landscape could prove difficult since many biotech drugs are protected by layers of patents.