In just three days this week, the money from drug companies for the ballot battle over prescription drugs more than doubled.

New campaign finance records show that two major contributions were made to the initiative fund organized by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). Glaxosmithkline handed over $8,388,607 on Tuesday. And on Wednesday, Amgen, Inc. wrote a check for $3,898, 500.

Before those two contributions, the entire PhRMA initiative fund totaled $11.37 million. Now, the campaign is sitting on more than $23.6 million… and the election is still more than four months away.

Glaxosmithkline, which holds the patents to drugs ranging from Flonase to Tagamet, now becomes the largest financial backer of the fall campaign, with its contributions alone totaling almost $9.7 million dollars.

It’s safe to assume the money will be used both to campaign against the prescription drugs initiative written by health access advocates, and to campaign for the alternative the drug companies helped qualify (which mirrors the legislative proposal endorsed by the governor).

And while there is a lot of buzz at the Capitol that compromises may be reached on some of the other November 8th ballot measures, this campaign looks to be gearing up for a nasty fight.

UPDATE, MONDAY JUNE 27: Another massive donation was recorded today, this one from drug manufacturer Eli Lilly and Company for $3,898,500. That bring the PhRMA war chest up to a grand total of $27,555,607.