NASDAQ OMX and Leerink Swann to Co-Host Healthcare Industry Forum

NEW YORK and BOSTON, Nov 25, 2008 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX News Network) -- NASDAQ OMX Group (Nasdaq:NDAQ), the world's largest exchange company, and Leerink Swann, the leading healthcare investment banking firm, today announced they will co-host a one-day conference, The NASDAQ OMX Healthcare Industry Forum, exploring "The Intersection of Healthcare and the Capital Markets," from its NASDAQ MarketSite in Times Square, NY.

The conference will be the exchange's fourth annual forum in this sector and will continue its tradition of including innovative NASDAQ listed healthcare companies and other premier healthcare corporations along with industry influencers at the event. This year, NASDAQ OMX is partnering with Leerink Swann, together with their experienced professionals and other senior healthcare executives. The Forum will cover topics that explore capital markets and creating shareholder value in challenging times, healthcare reform, winning regulatory and clinical strategies, and the reality and promise of healthcare IT. Keynotes and panelists will include officials from Merck (NYSE:MRK), Imclone (Nasdaq:IMCL), Henry Schein (Nasdaq:HSIC), Allscripts (Nasdaq:MDRX), and Athena Healthcare (Nasdaq:ATHN).

The complete agenda for the event can be viewed at: http://www.magnetmail.net/images/clients/NASDAQ/attach/HealthcareForumAgenda1117.pdf

"Leerink's reputation as the healthcare investment bank nicely complements NASDAQ OMX's position as the exchange of choice in this industry and we are excited to partner with them this year for our fourth annual event," said Bruce Aust, Executive Vice President of NASDAQ OMX. "The NASDAQ OMX HealthCare Industry Forum is being hosted at a critical time for the industry in which challenges, key developments and reform are on the horizon. We hope that our Forum's broad focus on the intersection of healthcare and the capital markets provides attendees with interesting, thought provoking perspectives and key insights on the future direction of this critical industry sector."

"Leerink Swann is pleased to join forces with the NASDAQ OMX Group for this interesting exchange of ideas and emerging trends in the healthcare industry at such a pivotal time for the capital markets," said Jeff Leerink, Chairman and CEO of Leerink Swann. "It is increasingly important for institutional investors, venture capitalists, hedge funds, bankers and company executives to better understand how the changing political and economic environment will affect the healthcare industry."

The conference is being held on Monday, December 8, from 9:00 a.m. until 4:15 p.m. at NASDAQ MarketSite in Times Square, New York. The conference will be webcast for interested parties and can be accessed at http://investor.shareholder.com/media/eventdetail.cfm?eventid=62400&CompanyID=NDAQE&e=1&mediaKey=F3F044BEC8EE8CB3E46690AD0E61059F

About the NASDAQ OMX Group

The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. is the world's largest exchange company. It delivers trading, exchange technology and public company services across six continents, with over 3,900 listed companies. NASDAQ OMX Group offers multiple capital raising solutions to companies around the globe, including its U.S. listings market; the OMX Nordic Exchange, including First North; and the 144A PORTAL Market. The company offers trading across multiple asset classes including equities, derivatives, debt, commodities, structured products and ETFs. NASDAQ OMX Group technology supports the operations of over 70 exchanges, clearing organizations and central securities depositories in more than 50 countries. OMX Nordic Exchange is not a legal entity but describes the common offering from NASDAQ OMX Group exchanges in Helsinki, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Iceland, Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius. For more information about NASDAQ OMX, visit http://www.nasdaqomx.com.

About Leerink Swann

Leerink Swann is a healthcare-focused investment banking firm that provides equity research, corporate finance, strategic advisory, and asset management services for institutional, life sciences and high-net-worth clients. Every year since 2001, Institutional Investor has named Leerink Swann "Best of the Boutiques" in several healthcare categories. Through its MEDACorp division, Leerink Swann provides biomedical-consulting services to the institutional investment community. With an internal team of experts and a dedicated external network of academic and community healthcare professionals, MEDACorp assesses the viability of cutting-edge medical technologies, thus giving decision makers the information they need to perform. Leerink Swann is a member of FINRA/SIPC. For more information, visit www.leerink.com.

NDAQG

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SOURCE: The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.

NASDAQ OMX Group
          Silvia Davi
            646-441-5014 
            silvia.davi@nasdaqomx.com
          Jolene Libretto
            646-441-5220
            Jolene.libretto@nasdaqomx.com
          
          Schwartz Communications, Inc.
          Risa Goldman Burgess
          Justin Drake
          781-684-0770
          Leerink@schwartz-pr.com

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