Conceptus Appoints Glen K. Furuta Chief Financial Officer.

Business Editors & Health/Medical Writers

SAN CARLOS, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--Feb. 21, 2001

Conceptus Inc. (Nasdaq:CPTS), developer of the STOP(TM) (Selective Tubal Occlusion Procedure) non-surgical permanent contraception procedure for women, today announced the appointment of Glen K. Furuta to the position of Chief Financial Officer.

Furuta, a Certified Public Accountant, has more than 15 years of financial experience, primarily with medical device companies.

From 1998 to February 2001, Furuta was Vice President of Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer of Solution Soft Systems, a privately held software company based in San Jose, California. Prior to that, for two years he served as Vice President of Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer of Progressive Angioplasty Systems Inc., where he supported the company through its venture financing and its $150 million acquisition by U.S. Surgical Corp.

From 1994 to 1996, Furuta was at Lumentec Corp., a company he co-founded. He also served as Controller and Officer of Heart Technology Inc. during the company's IPO and prior to its purchase by Boston Scientific Corporation.

Furuta received his MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from the University of Washington.

"We are very pleased to welcome Glen to Conceptus and look forward to benefiting from his financial acumen," commented Steven Bacich, chief executive officer. "As we make the transition from a research and development company to a commercial entity, we will rely heavily on his ability in financial systems, establishing appropriate internal controls, and his experience interacting with members of the investment community."

Permanent Contraception

Surgical tubal ligation has become the most common form of contraception worldwide, despite the fact that it is invasive and costly. In the U.S., about 93% of such procedures are performed in a hospital or surgi-center under general anesthesia, requiring 4-5 hours of hospital recovery time and resulting in 3-4 days off work. A STOP procedure does not require cutting or penetration of the abdomen, is typically performed with local anesthetic and can be performed in a less costly office setting. Accordingly, a woman is expected to spend about 2-3 hours of her day for a STOP procedure, with a rapid return to normal activities.

About Conceptus

Conceptus Inc. is developing STOP, an innovative medical device and procedure designed to provide a non-surgical alternative to tubal ligation, the leading form of contraception worldwide. The STOP device is a unique and proprietary micro-coil designed to be deployed permanently into each fallopian tube using the Company's minimally invasive transcervical tubal access catheter system. Once in place, clinical studies have shown that the STOP device induces an occlusive tissue response.

Data from the United Nations show that worldwide, 30% of reproductive couples using contraception rely on surgical tubal ligation. Additionally, a survey performed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that surgical tubal ligation continues to be the most prevalent form of contraception in the U.S., and that 35% of women age 35-44 have had a surgical tubal sterilization. An estimated 800,000 surgical tubal ligations are performed each year in the U.S. Additional information about the Company and the STOP device is available at www.conceptus.com.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release are forward-looking statements, the accuracy of which is necessarily subject to risks and uncertainties. The receipt of regulatory approvals, results of product development programs, and clinical efficacy of and market demand for products, among other matters discussed in this release, may differ significantly from the discussion of such matters in the forward-looking statements. Such differences may be based upon factors within the Company's control, such as strategic planning decisions by management and re-allocation of internal resources, or on factors outside of the Company's control, such as delays by regulatory authorities, scientific advances by third parties and introduction of competitive products, as well as those factors set forth in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999 and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.