SONO Sonos Inc

Diomed Holdings, Inc. (AMEX: DIO - News), a leading developer and marketer of minimally invasive medical technologies, including its patented EndoVenous Laser Treatment (EVLT(R)) for varicose veins, today announced the formation of a strategic marketing and educational alliance for the US vein care market with SonoSite, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONO), the world leader in hand-carried ultrasound. The agreement is designed to accelerate adoption of both state-of-the-art, hand-carried ultrasound and laser-based venous ablation technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of varicose veins. Under the terms of the three year agreement, the two companies will offer joint physician training and educational activities, with particular emphasis on co-sponsored seminars and workshops, sales force cross-training, lead sharing and other co-marketing activities in the United States. Ultrasound is a critical technology used to diagnose venous disease, identify target areas for vein ablation, and provide image guidance to position the catheter tip for laser therapy. "We believe Diomed is an ideal partner for SonoSite in expanding the use of hand-carried ultrasound in this rapidly growing vein care market," commented Kevin M. Goodwin, SonoSite President and CEO. "Diomed's leadership in laser-based venous ablation therapies is a natural complement to our advanced ultrasound technology." "We are very excited about joining with SonoSite in this marketing alliance. SonoSite is a proven innovator in the ultrasound market, and we are confident that our collaboration will prove beneficial for physicians and patients alike," stated James A. Wylie, Diomed's President and Chief Executive Officer. "We believe this agreement provides yet another example of Diomed's dedication to providing physicians comprehensive solutions for the treatment of venous disease." About Diomed Diomed develops and commercializes minimal and micro-invasive medical procedures that use its proprietary laser technologies and disposable products. Diomed's EVLT(R) laser vein ablation procedure is used in varicose vein treatments. Diomed also provides photodynamic therapy (PDT) for use in cancer treatments, and dental and general surgical applications. The EVLT(R) procedure and the Company's related products were cleared by the United States FDA in January of 2002. Along with lasers and single-use procedure kits for its EVLT(R) laser vein treatment, the Company provides its customers with state of the art physician training and practice development support. Additional information is available on the Company's website: www.evlt.com. EVLT(R) is a registered trademark of Diomed Inc., Andover, MA. Safe Harbor Safe Harbor statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this news release looking forward in time involve risks and uncertainties, including the risks associated with trends in the products markets, reliance on third party distributors in various countries outside the United States, reoccurring orders under OEM contracts, market acceptance risks, technical development risks and other risk factors. These statements relate to our future plans, objectives, expectations and intentions. These statements may be identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "should," "potential," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes" and similar expressions. These statements are based on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed in these statements. Our Annual Report on Form SEC 10-KSB (the "Annual Report") contains a discussion of certain of the risks and uncertainties that affect our business. We refer you to the "Risk Factors" on pages 22 through 37 of the Annual Report for a discussion of certain risks, including those relating to our business as a medical device company without a significant operating record and with operating losses, our risks relating to our commercialization of our current and future products and applications and risks relating to our common stock and its market value. Diomed disclaims any obligation or duty to update or correct any of its forward-looking statements. About SonoSite SonoSite, Inc. (www.sonosite.com) is the innovator and world leader in hand-carried ultrasound, with an installed base of more than 25,000 systems. The company, headquartered near Seattle, is represented by eight subsidiaries and a global distribution network in over 75 countries. SonoSite's small, lightweight systems are expanding the use of ultrasound across the clinical spectrum by cost-effectively bringing high performance ultrasound to the point of patient care. The company employs approximately 470 people worldwide.