American Stock Exchange to Trade Options on an Additional Seven Securities

American Stock Exchange to Trade Options on an Additional Seven
Securities 


NEW YORK, July 19  /PRNewswire/ -- The American Stock Exchange(R) (Amex(R))
will launch trading in options on Tuesday, July 20, 2004 on the following
American Stock Exchange, Nasdaq Stock Market and New York Stock Exchange listed
stocks of:

   *  Discovery Laboratories, Inc. (Option Symbol: AQW/Stock Symbol: DSCO)
   *  dj Orthopedics, Inc. (Symbol: DJO)
   *  Ionics, Incorporated (Symbol: ION)
   *  K2 Inc. (Symbol: KTO)
   *  SFBC International, Inc. (Option Symbol: JQE/Stock Symbol: SFCC)
   *  Sonic Innovations, Inc.  (Option Symbol: SNCI/Stock Symbol: FQY)
   *  Western Silver Corporation  (Symbol: WTZ)



Discovery Laboratories, Inc. options will open with strike prices of 5 - 7 1/2
- 10 and position limits of 3,150,000 shares.  The options will trade on the
March expiration cycle with initial expirations in August, September, December
and March. The specialist will be Fogel Group, LLC. Discovery Laboratories,
Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes medically
novel therapeutics for critical care.

dj Orthopedics, Inc. options will open with strike prices of 20 - 22 1/2 - 25
and position limits of 2,250,000 shares.  The options will trade on the March
expiration cycle with initial expirations in August, September, December and
March. The specialist will be LaBranche Structured Products, LLC.  dj
Orthopedics, Inc. is a sports medicine company.

Ionics, Incorporated options will open with strike prices of 22 1/2 - 25 - 30
and position limits of 1,350,000 shares.  The options will trade on the March
expiration cycle with initial expirations in August, September, December and
March. The specialist will be Highland Securities Corp. Ionics, Incorporated
develops and manufactures systems and provides related services for water
treatment.

K2 Inc. options will open with strike prices of 121/2 - 15 - 17 1/2 and
position limits of 2,250,000 shares.  The options will trade on the March
expiration cycle with initial expirations in August, September, December and
March. The specialist will be Charlton Specialist Partners, LLC. K2 Inc.
designs, manufactures and markets sporting goods, as well as recreational and
industrial products.

SFBC International, Inc. options will open with strike prices of 25 - 30 - 35
and position limits of 2,250,000 shares.  The options will trade on the March
expiration cycle with initial expirations in August, September, December and
March. The specialist will be Bowery Specialist Group, LLC.  SFBC
International, Inc. is an contract research organization that conducts clinical
research and provides drug development services for clients in the
pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

Sonic Innovations, Inc. options will open with strike prices of 2 1/2 - 5 - 7
1/2 and position limits of 3,150,000 shares.  The options will trade on the
March expiration cycle with initial expirations in August, September, December
and March. The specialist will be Wolverine Trading L.P. Sonic Innovations,
Inc. designs, manufactures and markets advanced digital hearing aids and
hearing aid components.

Western Silver Corporation options will open with strike prices of 5 - 7 1/2 -
10 and position limits of 2,250,000 shares.  The options will trade on the
March expiration cycle with initial expirations in August, September, December
and March. The specialist will be Highland Securities Corp. Amex-listed Western
Silver Corporation is a silver and base metal exploration company with advanced
projects in Mexico and Canada.

The American Stock Exchange(R) (Amex(R)) is the only primary exchange that
offers trading across a full range of equities, options and exchange traded
funds (ETFs), including structured products and HOLDRS(SM). In addition to its
role as a national equities market, the Amex is the pioneer of the ETF,
responsible for bringing the first domestic product to market in 1993. Leading
the industry in ETF listings, the Amex lists 138 ETFs to date. The Amex is also
one of the largest options exchanges in the U.S., trading options on
broad-based and sector indexes as well as domestic and foreign stocks. 

DATASOURCE: American Stock Exchange



CONTACT:  Lynn Duffy of American Stock Exchange, [phone], or





Web site:  http://www.amex.com/ 

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