FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT for Medtech Insight and Windhover Information's ''IN SPINE & ORTHOPEDICS'' Strategic Partnering and Investment Conference in Dallas, November 2-3, 2005.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- Program to Feature Presentations by More Than 40 Early-Stage Spine and Orthopedic Companies Seeking Funding and/or Strategic Partnership

Medtech Insight, a division of Windhover Information, has announced that more than 40 early-stage spine and orthopedic device companies are confirmed to present at the company's upcoming "IN SPINE & ORTHOPEDICS: Strategic Partnering and Investing in Musculoskeletal Technology" conference, being held November 2nd and 3rd, 2005 at the Westin Stonebriar Resort in North Dallas, TX. The conference, being organized in collaboration with the Texas Back Institute and the Swiss Spine Institute, is recognized as the premier business development, investment, and networking meeting in the ortho/spine space.

The event is bringing together promising emerging companies with an audience representing major venture capitalists, investment bankers, corporate business development executives, and clinicians, for purposes of funding, acquisition, and/or strategic partnership. Presenting companies are developing innovative new technologies in the areas of spine surgery (e.g., dynamic stabilization; disc, nucleus, and annulus repair and replacement; axon regrowth; and gene-based products) and orthopedics (e.g., arthroscopy; soft tissue repair/replacement including cartilage, meniscus, ligaments, and patch materials; image-guided surgery; bone and joint replacement; trauma; and neuromodulation pain therapy, among others).

Presenters confirmed to date include: 3DM, Acologix, Affinergy, Andara Life Science, Angstrom Medica, Axial Biotech, Bioaxone Therapeutique, Biowave, Bone Solutions, CeraPedics, Clearant, CryoLife, Cure Therapeutics, Disc Dynamics, Gentis, HydroCision, Inion, Innovative Spinal Technologies, K2M, Kensey Nash, LDR Spine, Meditrac, MINRAD, N Spine, Omni-Access Technologies, ORTHOCON, OrthoMechanics, Ortho Sol International, Paradigm Spine, Pegasus Biologics, Ranier Technology, Scil Technology, Small Bone Innovations, Spinal Designs International, Spinemark, SpineVision, Spine Wave, SurgiFile, Triage Medical, Twin Star Medical, and US Spinal Technologies. (For regularly updated event details, see the Medtech Insight website at http://www.medtechinsight.com/inspine-02.html.)

Special guest speakers at IN SPINE & ORTHOPEDICS will include James Nicholson, Founder of Mitek, Innovasive Devices, Cortek, and Managing Partner of OrthoPlex, who will speak on "Entrepreneurship and the Musculoskeletal Marketplace;" William J. Plovanic, CFA, Managing Director, Medical Technology Analyst at First Albany Capital, who will present on "Investing in the Spine and Orthopedic Space;" Stefan Widensohler, President & CEO of Krauth Medical, whose presentation is entitled "Keys to Success in Cracking the European Marketplace," and Michael McGurk and Eric Raciti of Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP, who will give a presentation entitled "5 Biggest Mistakes to Avoid in IP." A Surgeon Panel Discussion will also take place, on day two of the meeting, which will be moderated by Sharon O'Reilly, President and CEO of Medtech Insight, and Stephen Hochschuler, M.D., Cofounder and Chairman of the Texas Back Institute.

All the major players in the orthopedics and spine industry will be in the IN SPINE & ORTHOPEDICS audience; attending companies include: Abbott Laboratories, Aesculap, ArthroCare, Baird Venture Partners, Banc of America Securities, Baxter, Blackstone Medical, Cardinal Health, DePuy, Genzyme Biosurgery, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Highland Capital Partners, Johnson & Johnson, Kimberly-Clark, Kyphon, McKinsey & Company, Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Morgan Stanley, Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation, NuVasive, Olympus, Orthovita, Purdue Research Foundation, Regeneration Technologies, Stryker, SV Life Sciences, Synthes Spine, The Advisory Board Company, Thoma Cressey Equity Partners, Thomas Weisel Healthcare Venture Partners, TissueLink Medical, Viscogliosi Bros., and Zimmer, among many others.

Co-sponsors for the event include Battelle; Business Wire; Factory; Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner; KRAUTH Medical; Ronald Trahan Associates; Swiss Spine Institute; Texas Back Institute; and The MedTech Group.

To register to attend or for more information, call Kristy Grimes of Medtech Insight at 480-985-9512, e-mail [e-mail], or visit the Medtech Insight website at http://www.medtechinsight.com/inspine-02.html.

About Medtech Insight

Medtech Insight, a division of Windhover Information Inc., is the leading provider of business information and market intelligence for the medical technology marketplace. For more on the company's products and services, please see www.medtechinsight.com.