Nearly 30 Emerging Medical Device, Biomaterials, and Pharma Companies Confirmed to Date to Present at Medtech Insight's 'In3 WEST' Medical Technology Investment and Partnering Conference, Feb. 23-24, Irvine, Calif.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- Medtech Insight and Windhover Information have announced that nearly 30 early-stage medical technology companies are confirmed to present to date at their upcoming "Investment In Innovation (In3) WEST: A Preview of Early-Stage Medical Technology Companies" conference, being held Feb. 23-24, 2006, at the Hyatt Regency Irvine in Irvine, Calif., out of the 50 companies that will be on the program in total. These companies will present to a focused audience of senior executives representing most of the major medical technology and investment firms, for purposes of funding and/or strategic partnership.

Presenting companies confirmed thus far include (most presenting at a Medtech Insight event for the first time; more being added regularly): ACell, AerovectRx, AION Diagnostics, Biosan Medical, Brain Matters, Cardiovascular Systems, CleveX, CVAC Systems, Cytograft Tissue Engineering, Design Medical, EndoCor, Gluco Stats System, HemoBioTech, InfraScan, InnerVision Medical Technologies, IYIA Technologies, Lingualcare, MedicalCV, Novomedica, OtisMed, Paradigm Spine, PhotoImmune Biotechnology, SpinX Technologies, Symphony Medical, Tekia, Urovalve, VasoGenix Pharmaceuticals, and Vision Solutions Technologies, among others. See the Medtech Insight Web site for full event details: http://www.medtechinsight.com/in3-16.html.

In3 WEST will also feature tabletop exhibits and product prototypes by presenting companies during a networking dinner, and a keynote presentation by Michael Henson, General Partner at MedFocus Fund and founder/CEO/Chairman/Board Member of 16 emerging healthcare companies titled "From Invention to Commercialization ... and Beyond." Scott Wolf, M.D., Partner at Prospect Venture Partners and founder of Percardia, Cardiac Dimensions, Archus Orthopedics and Endogastric Solutions, will give the "State of Medtech Investing - 2006" presentation.

The event will also feature an informative, interactive panel discussion titled "The Big Company Perspective on Deal-Making." The high-powered panel, which will take place on Friday, Feb. 24, will explore the medical device deal-making phenomenon from a number of angles, including examining what the appetite for big companies will be in the coming years; how much will deal-making remain within a company's historic technology/clinical spaces, and how much will they use it to extend beyond; how have deal-making strategies, approaches, and structures changed over the past several years; what criteria do big companies use in identifying and targeting small companies; and how have the strong IPO market and other factors affected valuations. The panel will be moderated by David Cassak, Managing Partner at Windhover Information, and will feature a number of prominent industry decision makers including Stuart Foster, Corporate VP, Technology & Discovery at Edwards Lifesciences, and a top executive from Stryker, among others to be announced.

Event co-sponsors include AdvaMed, Battelle, Business Wire, Medmarc and The Hartford, Ronald Trahan Associates, Rutan & Tucker LLP, Teledyne Medical Microsystems, The MedTech Group, and Underwriters Laboratories.

Medtech Insight's conferences have drawn over 5,600 attendees and over 630 innovative early-stage presenting companies over the past five years, making them the premier investment, partnering, and networking event in the medical technology industry. To register to attend or if your emerging company is interested in presenting, call Kristy Grimes of Medtech Insight at 480-985-9512, 888-202-5939 toll-free in the U.S., e-mail [e-mail], or visit www.medtechinsight.com. Through Jan. 23, 2006, attendees registering for the conference can save $200 off the $1,495 registration fee.

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, and to see the company's 2006 conference schedule, please visit www.medtechinsight.com.