First Albany Capital to Host 2nd Annual Orthopedics Conference.

Conference will delve into industry and specific company growth drivers for the near term and what new technologies are on the horizon across the spectrum of orthopedic specialties

NEW YORK -- First Albany Capital Inc., the broker/dealer subsidiary of First Albany Companies Inc. (NASDAQ: FACT), announced that it will host an Orthopedics Conference today, February 13, 2007, at the Marina Village Conference Center in San Diego.

With participants from both industry and academia, the conference will delve into emerging technologies and trends for 2007 and beyond in the fast-growing areas of orthopedics.

Topics of discussion will include the overall state of the orthopedics market; emerging technologies in the sports medicine, spine, and minimally invasive surgery areas; and what these new technologies will mean to the quickly evolving orthopedics industry.

"As the fastest-growing demographic in the United States, the 55-and-over age group is driving the demand for more orthopedic procedures as they maintain a more active lifestyle. In addition to demographics, technological advances are allowing more people to have a better lifestyle in their golden years. We expect the orthopedics market in 2007 to maintain momentum gained in late 2006, driven by a better pricing environment, favorable foreign exchange rates, and new technologies," explained William J. Plovanic, CFA, Managing Director and Medical Technology Analyst for First Albany Capital.

Conference regulatory, clinical, and IP panel participants include: Gary Lowery, expertise in Research & Technology; Glenn Stiegman, expertise in Regulatory Affairs; Doug Plunkett, expertise in Clinical Affairs; and Tram Nguyen, expertise in Intellectual Property.

Conference physician panel participants include: Robert A. Pedowitz, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman of Orthopedic Surgery at USF College of Medicine in Tampa; Steven R. Garfin, M.D., Head of Orthopaedic Surgery at UCSD, and Richard F. Santore M.D., Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at UCSD.

Public companies scheduled to present include: Alphatec Holdings, Inc., BioMimetic Therapeutics, Inc., CONMED Corporation, Cytori Therapeutics, Inc., DJO, Incorporated, Exactech, Inc., I-FLOW Corporation, Integra LifeSciences Corporation, Kensey Nash Corporation, Kyphon, Inc., NEUROMetrix, Inc., NuVasive, Inc., Orthofix International N.V., Orthovita, Inc., Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., Osteotech, Inc., ReGen Biologics, Inc., Regeneration Technologies, Inc., Tutogen Medical, Inc., and Wright Medical Group, Inc.

Private companies scheduled to present include: Amedica Corporation, Ascension Orthopedic, Inc., BioniCare Medical Technologies, Inc., Cayenne Medical, Inc., Cervitech, Inc., Fziomed, Inc., Impliant, Inc., Innovative Spinal Technologies, Inc., K2M, Inc., KFx Medical Corp., LDR Spine, MAKO Surgical Corp., ORTHOCON, Inc., Pegasus Biologics, Inc., Scandius BioMedical, Inc., Scient'x, SeaSpine, Inc., Small Bone Innovations, Inc., TissueLink Medical, Inc., TranS1, Inc., and US Spine.

The conference commences on February 13 at 7:00 AM PST and concludes at 4:30 PM PST. The Marina Village Conference Center is located at 1936 Quivira Way, San Diego, CA 92109.

About First Albany

Founded in 1953, First Albany is a leading institutionally focused independent investment bank. Through its Equity Capital Markets, Municipal and Taxable Fixed Income Divisions, as well as its subsidiary Descap Securities, First Albany focuses on serving the institutional market, the growing corporate middle market and public institutions by providing clients with strategic, research-based, innovative investment opportunities. First Albany offers a diverse range of products and advisory services in the areas of corporate and public finance, as well as fixed income and equity sales and trading. FA Technology Ventures is a leading early stage investor, providing venture capital, management and guidance for companies in the emerging growth sectors of information technology and energy technology. First Albany is traded on NASDAQ under the symbol FACT with offices in major business and commercial markets.