TWPG Thomas Weisel Prtns Grp (MM)

Thomas Weisel Partners (NASDAQ: TWPG) (TSX: TWP), a global growth-focused investment bank, will host its Annual Healthcare Conference, September 3-5 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston. Institutional investors and company management will gather for this three-day conference, which will focus on opportunities and challenges in the healthcare industry in 2008 and beyond.

The conference will showcase presentations from over 150 established and emerging public and private companies, including those engaged in biotechnology, diagnostics, healthcare information technology, pharmaceutical services, life science technology, medical devices and specialty pharmaceuticals.

"We remain committed to focused coverage of Healthcare, one of the most important areas of the U.S. economy. The Healthcare sector represents 13% of the S&P 500 Index, larger than any other sector except Financial Services, Energy and Information Technology. Healthcare stocks have significantly outperformed the overall market over the last year. Over the last 13 weeks, Healthcare stocks are up 6.1%, outperforming the overall market, which has fallen by a similar amount. We believe long-term healthcare demand trends remain positive," said Keith Gay, Head of TWP's Research Group.

The conference kicks off Wednesday morning and will be led by Thomas Weisel Partners seven senior health care research analysts: Donald Ellis, specialty pharmaceuticals; Steven Halper, healthcare information technology and pharmaceutical services; Raj Denhoy, medical devices; Peter Lawson, life science and diagnostics; Philip Legendy, medical devices; Ian Somaiya, biotechnology; and Stephen Willey, biotechnology. Analysts will offer insight into the major trends impacting their respective sectors.

A full list of company participants follows:

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Affymax, Inc.
Affymetrix, Inc.
Agilent Technologies, Inc.
Alkermes, Inc.
Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
American Medical Systems, Inc.
AmerisourceBergen Corporation
AMICAS, Inc.
Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Archus Orthopedics, Inc.
Array BioPharma Inc.
Asuragen, Inc.
athenahealth, Inc.
AtriCure, Inc.
Atritech, Inc.
ATS Medical, Inc.
Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Beckman Coulter, Inc.
Becton, Dickinson and Company
Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
Biogen Idec Inc.
CambridgeSoft Corporation
CardioNet, Inc.
Celera Corporation
Celgene Corporation
Cephalon, Inc.
Cepheid
Cerner Corporation
CONMED Corporation
Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated
Covance Inc.
Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
CVS Caremark Corporation
Cyberonics, Inc.
dbMotion Ltd.
deCODE genetics, Inc.
Devax, Inc.
Dionex Corporation
Dyax Corp.
eHealth, Inc.
eResearchTechnology, Inc.
Eurand (US)
Exactech, Inc.
Exelixis, Inc.
Gen-Probe Incorporated
Genentech, Inc.
Genzyme Corporation
Geron Corporation
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
GlobeImmune, Inc.
Guava Technologies, Inc.
HandyLab, Inc.
Hansen Medical, Inc.
Helicos BioSciences Corp.
HMS Holdings Corp.
Human Genome Sciences, Inc.
iCAD, Inc.
Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Illumina Inc.
Immucor, Inc.
ImmunoGen, Inc.
IMS Health Incorporated
Insulet Corporation
Integra LifeSciences Corporation
InterMune, Inc.
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
ISIS Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
ISTA Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
King Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Light Sciences Oncology Inc.
Lincare Holdings Inc.
Lumen Biomedical, Inc.
Luminex Corporation
Masimo Corporation
McKesson Corporation
Medarex, Inc.
Medco Health Solutions, Inc.
Medicis
Merit Medical Systems, Inc.
Mettler-Toledo International, Inc.
Millipore Corporation
Monogram Biosciences, Inc.
Nanosphere, Inc.
Natus Medical Incorporated
NeoGuide Systems
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.
Neuronetics, Inc.
Novadaq Technologies Inc.
NuVasive, Inc.
NxStage Medical, Inc.
Obagi Medical Products, Inc.
Omnicare, Inc.
Omnicell, Inc.
OmniGuide, Inc.
Orthofix International N.V.
Osiris Therapeutics, Inc.
Owens & Minor, Inc.
Paracor Medical, Inc.
Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
PAREXEL International Corporation
Peplin, Inc.
PerkinElmer, Inc.
Pharmaceutical Product Development, Inc.
Pharmaxis Ltd.
Phase Forward Incorporated
Picis, Inc.
Poniard Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Qiagen N.V.
Reata Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Recoly NV
Regulus Therapeutics LLC
Rib-X Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
ROXRO PHARMA, Inc.
RTI Biologics Inc.
Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.
Santarus, Inc.
Seattle Genetics, Inc.
Sepracor, Inc.
Sequenom, Inc.
SeraCare Life Sciences, Inc.
Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Stiefel Laboratories, Inc.
Stryker Corporation
superDimension, Inc.
SXC Health Solutions Corporation
Symmetry Medical, Inc.
Symyx Technologies, Inc.
Syneron Medical Ltd.
T2 Biosystems, Inc.
Targanta Therapeutics Corporation
Teleflex Incorporated
Theravance, Inc.
Thermage, Inc.
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
TomoTherapy Incorporated
ULURU Inc.
Varian, Inc.
Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
ViroPharma Incorporated
Vital Images, Inc.
Volcano Corporation
Walgreen Co.
Wright Medical Group, Inc.
Xoft Inc.
Zimmer Holdings, Inc.
Zogenix, Inc.

Thomas Weisel Partners Group, Inc. is an investment bank, founded in 1998, focused principally on the growth sectors of the economy. Thomas Weisel Partners Group, Inc. generates revenues from three principal sources: investment banking, brokerage and asset management. The investment banking group is comprised of two disciplines: corporate finance and strategic advisory. The brokerage group provides equity and convertible debt securities sales and trading services to institutional investors, and offers brokerage, advisory and cash management services to high-net-worth individuals and corporate clients. The asset management group consists of: private equity, public equity and distribution management. Thomas Weisel Partners is headquartered in San Francisco with additional offices in Baltimore, Boston, Calgary, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, New York, Portland, Silicon Valley, Toronto, London, Mumbai and Zurich. For more information, please visit www.tweisel.com.