(November 17, 2016, 4:19 PM EST) -- WASHINGTON, D.C. — Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and a biotechnology trade association in an amicus curiae brief filed Oct. 24 argue in support of the U.S. Supreme Court granting review on whether the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA) permits the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) instead of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) director to make inter partes review (IPR) institution decisions (Ethicon Endo-Surgery Inc. v. Covidien LP and Michelle K. Lee, Director, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, No. 16-366, U.S. Sup.)....