Pacific Growth Equities Adds Sector Sales Professional in Biotechnology & Emerging Pharma

Market Wire, January, 2006

Pacific Growth Equities, an investment bank specializing in and focused on emerging growth companies, announced today Tim Wilson, Ph.D., has joined the firm as a sector sales professional in biotechnology and emerging pharmaceuticals.

"We are very excited to have such a highly experienced individual with years of Wall Street experience and a formidable track record in identifying growth stocks in the biotechnology and emerging pharma space," said Thomas J. Dietz, Co-Chief Executive Officer. "His sellside and venture capital experience is a perfect combination for his inclusion in our Sector Sales department. Tim's insights will provide opportunities for our buyside customers as well as offering his world class expertise to be utilized and absorbed by our corporate clients."

Pacific Growth Equities has created a first of its kind department called Sector Sales. Sector Sales works directly with the Firm's most valuable institutional clients to provide unpublished, proprietary insights and investment ideas within specific sectors. Several of Pacific Growth Equities' senior research analysts have already transitioned from its Research Department to become Sector Sales professionals including Erik Suppiger in IP networking & security, Brian Alger in multimedia technologies, Joe Noel in telecommunications, and Andy Graves in specialty retail. Tim is the first expert to join Pacific Growth Equities' Sector Sales department from outside the Firm.

Tim joins Pacific Growth Equities with almost 20 years of investment experience analyzing, investing in and raising capital for the biotechnology industry. Most recently, Tim was a Senior Partner with Atlas Ventures in its London office responsible for making biotechnology venture capital investments. Previously with Bear Stearns, Tim was a Senior Managing Director responsible for equity research of the global biotechnology and European healthcare sectors. He has also served as a Managing Director covering the biotechnology sector on both sides of the Atlantic with SG Cowen, UBS Securities and Hambrecht & Quist. Tim began his career as an investment advisor with Rothschild Asset Management focused on the biotechnology industry. Tim received his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Cambridge University and a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry from Imperial College, London.

About Pacific Growth Equities, LLC

Pacific Growth Equities is an investment bank specializing in and focused on emerging growth companies. With offices in San Francisco and Boston, the Firm's principal areas of focus are within the life sciences and technology sectors as well as identifying special growth situations. Employee owned, Pacific Growth Equities offers a full range of investment banking and brokerage services including public equity offerings, private equity offerings, proprietary sell-side research, and M&A and strategic advisory services. For more information, please visit the website at www.pacificgrowthequities.com. Member NASD, SIPC.

For more information please contact: Rich Horn 415-274-6869 Email Contact