(via TheNewswire)

Landmark partnership deploys hub-and-spoke model to close the cardiac care gap for Indigenous and underserved populations in British Columbia — with national and global expansion planned.

Toronto, Ontario – TheNewswire - March 17, 2026 - Ventripoint Diagnostics Ltd. (" Ventripoint ", “ VPT ” or the " Company "), (TSXV:VPT; OTC:VPTDF) a leader in AI-assisted cardiac imaging, today announced a partnership with First Light Health (“FLH”) to extend life-saving heart diagnostics to Indigenous and remote communities that have long faced barriers to specialist cardiac care. The collaboration marks a pivotal milestone in Ventripoint’s mission to make advanced, accurate cardiac imaging universally accessible - regardless of geography.

The partnership operates on a “hub-and-spoke” model: a central hub with advanced cardiac capabilities supports a network of connected sites in smaller, remote, and Indigenous communities. Using Ventripoint’s VMS+™ system, local healthcare providers can capture and enhance ultrasound scans on-site, then transmit them digitally to hub specialists for rapid interpretation and consultation - eliminating the need for patients to travel hundreds of kilometres for basic cardiac assessments.

FLH will be a key delivery partner within this expanding network, anchored by operations in Vancouver. From there, FLH will extend services to remote communities across British Columbia, Yukon, Alberta, Manitoba, and New Brunswick. The impact of the model is straightforward: Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients alike receive advanced cardiac imaging in their own communities - without long-distance travel, prohibitive costs, or months-long wait times. For communities where cardiovascular disease disproportionately affects outcomes, timely access to accurate diagnostics can be the difference between early intervention and preventable harm.

Central to this model is Ventripoint’s VMS+™ system, which achieves MRI-level cardiac measurement accuracy by converting standard 2D echocardiograms into precise 3D volumetric images - at a fraction of the cost and time of an MRI. Already deployed across multiple countries, VMS+™ is used to support the diagnosis and monitoring of cardiac conditions. Publications from users include studies covering a range of cardiac indications including congenital heart disease, heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, and chemotherapy-related cardiac complications.

“Cardiovascular disease doesn’t respect geography - but too often, access to cardiac care does,” said Hugh MacNaught, CEO of Ventripoint. “Our work with First Light Health and other First Nations partners such as the Nisg̱a’a Valley Health Authority demonstrates the need for a made-in-Canada innovation that can close that gap.  We see the potential for this solution to be widely deployed - from the Arctic to the Amazon. This is what scalable, equitable heart care looks like.”

Dr. Ripenjot Rai, Medical Director, “At First Light Health, our mission is to help close long-standing gaps in access to care while advancing reconciliation through meaningful partnerships and responsible private enterprise. By combining innovative technologies with culturally safe, trauma-informed care models, we can bring advanced diagnostics and clinical expertise closer to the communities that need them most. Collaborations like this help ensure patients in Indigenous and remote communities receive timely, high-quality care while remaining connected to their communities.”

Ventripoint is actively expanding this hub-and-spoke model across Canada and into international markets where VMS+ is approved for use with the goal of ensuring that every patient - wherever they live -  has access to the highly accurate cardiac diagnostics.

About Ventripoint Diagnostics Ltd.

Ventripoint is a Toronto-based medical technology company and industry leader in the application of artificial intelligence to echocardiography. Its flagship VMS+™ product line is powered by proprietary Knowledge Based Reconstruction technology — the result of over a decade of development — delivering volumetric cardiac measurements with accuracy equivalent to MRI. Approved for use in the U.S., Canada, and Europe, VMS+™ works with ultrasound systems from any vendor, making gold-standard cardiac imaging accessible and affordable for clinicians and patients worldwide.

First Light Health

First Light Health (“FLH”) is an Indigenous-owned healthcare company dedicated to improving access to high-quality medical services while advancing reconciliation through socially responsible private enterprise. The organization develops and supports innovative healthcare models that bring advanced diagnostics, clinical services, and medical expertise closer to Indigenous and remote communities across British Columbia and the Yukon.

Grounded in principles of cultural safety and trauma-informed care, First Light Health works collaboratively with communities and health providers to design services that respect Indigenous values, traditions, and community priorities. In addition to developing clinical infrastructure and care programs, FLH provides medical oversight, governance, and strategic direction for healthcare initiatives and private sector partners seeking to deliver equitable health services.

Through these efforts, First Light Health aims to reduce barriers to care, improve health outcomes, and build sustainable healthcare solutions that support long-term community wellness.

For further information, please contact:

Hugh MacNaught

hmacnaught@ventripoint.com

604-671-4201

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