(December 16, 2016, 8:02 AM EST) -- WASHINGTON, D.C. — A global health care products company and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) director filed opposition briefs on Dec. 7 arguing against 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 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.)....