TWPG Thomas Weisel Prtns Grp (MM)

Thomas Weisel Partners (NASDAQ: TWPG), a global growth-focused investment bank, will host its Annual Healthcare Conference, September 9-11 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 for the remainder of 2009 and beyond.

The conference will showcase presentations from 200 established and emerging public and private companies, including those engaged in biotechnology, diagnostics, healthcare information technology, healthcare services, pharmaceutical services, life science tools, medical devices and specialty pharmaceuticals.

"We remain committed to focused coverage of Healthcare, one of the most important areas of growth in the U.S. economy. Despite broad economic weakness over the last year, healthcare spending continues to increase as a percentage of GDP. Aggregate healthcare spending is expected to reach 20% by 2018, up from 16% in 2008. Accordingly, many healthcare companies continue to show signs of significant growth with solid performance and we believe long-term healthcare demand trends remain positive," said Keith Gay, Head of TWP's Research Group.

The conference commences Wednesday morning and will be led by Thomas Weisel Partners seven senior health care research analysts: Raj Denhoy, medical devices; Alan Fishman, healthcare services; Steven Halper, healthcare information technology and pharmaceutical services; Peter Lawson, life science tools and diagnostics; Annabel Samimy, specialty pharmaceuticals; 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 includes:

Acclarent, Inc.
Achillion Pharmaceuticals
Advanced Pharmacy
Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Affymax, Inc.
Affymetrix, Inc.
Agilent Technologies, Inc.
Alder Biopharmaceuticals Inc.
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Alkermes, Inc.
Allergan, Inc.
Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Alphatec Holdings, Inc.
Ambit Biosciences
Ambrx
Amgen, Inc.
Amira Pharmaceuticals
Anadys Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Ardea Biosciences, Inc.
Array BioPharma Inc.
Arstasis
athenahealth, Inc.
Atritech, Inc.
AutoGenomics, Inc.
Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Avanir Pharmaceuticals
Beckman Coulter, Inc.
Becton, Dickinson and Company
Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
Biogen Idec Inc.
Biolex Therapeutics
BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc.
Biovail Corporation
Boston Scientific Corporation
Bruker Corporation
CambridgeSoft Corporation
Cardinal Health, Inc.
Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
Celator Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Celera Corporation
Celgene Corporation
Cephalon, Inc.
Cepheid
Cerner Corporation
Concert Pharmaceuticals Inc.
CONMED Corporation
Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated
Cornerstone Therapeutics, Inc.
CorNova, Inc.
Covance Inc.
Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
CVS Caremark Corporation
Cytochroma Inc.
dbMotion Ltd.
Devax, Inc.
diaDexus, Inc.
Dicerna Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Dionex Corporation
Discovery Laboratories, Inc.
Dyax Corp.
eBioscience
Eclipsys Corporation
EGEN, Inc.
eHealth, Inc.
EKR Therapeutics, Inc.
Endo Pharmaceuticals
Enzo Biochem, Inc.
Eurand (US)
ev3 Inc.
Exactech, Inc.
Exagen Diagnostics, Inc.
Exelixis, Inc.
Exiqon A/S
Express Scripts, Inc.
Facet Biotech Corporation
Fluidigm Corporation
ForteBio
Gen-Probe Incorporated
Genomic Health, Inc.
Genzyme Corporation
Geron Corporation
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
GlobeImmune, Inc.
Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc.
Human Genome Sciences, Inc.
Icagen, Inc.
Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Ikonisys Inc.
Illumina Inc.
ImmunoGen, Inc.
IMS Health Incorporated
Insulet Corporation
Integra LifeSciences Corporation
InterMune, Inc.
Interventional Spine, Inc.
ISIS Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Kinetic Concepts, Inc.
Knome, Inc.
LDR Spine
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Light Sciences Oncology Inc.
Lincare Holdings Inc.
Luminex Corporation
Lux Biosciences, Inc.
MacroGenics Inc.
MAKO Surgical Corp.
MAP Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Masimo Corporation
McKesson Corporation
MedAptus, Inc.
Medco Health Solutions, Inc.
Medicis
MEDNAX, Inc.
Merit Medical Systems, Inc.
Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Millipore Corporation
Natus Medical Incorporated
NeurAxon Inc.
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.
Neuronetics, Inc.
NuVasive, Inc.
Obagi Medical Products, Inc.
Omnicare, Inc.
Omnicell, Inc.
OmniGuide, Inc.
OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals Inc
Onyx Pharmaceuticals
Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Orthofix International N.V.
OSI Pharmaceuticals Inc
Owens & Minor, Inc.
Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
PAREXEL International Corporation
PatientKeeper, Inc.
PEAK Surgical
Penwest Pharmaceuticals Co.
PerkinElmer, Inc.
Pharmaceutical Product Development, Inc.
Pharmacyclics, Inc.
Phase Forward Incorporated
Picis, Inc.
POZEN Inc.
Psychiatric Solutions, Inc.
Qiagen N.V.
Quality Systems, Inc.
RainDance Technologies
Reata Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Regado Biosciences, Inc.
Regulus Therapeutics Inc.
RehabCare Group, Inc.
Revance Therapeutics, Inc.
Rib-X Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
ROXRO PHARMA, Inc.
RTI Biologics Inc.
S*BIO Pte Ltd.
Salient Surgical Technologies, Inc.
Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.
Santarus, Inc.
Seattle Genetics, Inc.
SenoRx, Inc.
Sepracor Inc.
Sigma-Aldrich Corporation
SonoSite, Inc.
St. Jude Medical, Inc.
StemCells, Inc.
superDimension, Inc.
Symmetry Medical, Inc.
T2 Biosystems, Inc.
Teleflex Incorporated
The Cooper Companies, Inc.
Theravance, Inc.
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
TomoTherapy Incorporated
TranS1, Inc.
Transdel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Tranzyme Pharma
USGI Medical
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Vical Incorporated
ViroPharma Incorporated
VisualSonics Inc.
Vitae Pharmaceuticals
Vital Images, Inc.
Vivus, Inc.
Volcano Corporation
Waters Corporation
Wright Medical Group, Inc.
XDx
Xoft, Inc.
Zimmer Holdings, Inc.
ZymoGenetics, Inc.

About Thomas Weisel Partners Group, 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, Denver, New York, Portland, Toronto, London and Zurich. For more information, please visit www.tweisel.com.