• American Fusion(TM) continues development of its 5MW pre-production Texatron(TM) Fusion Engine(TM) and is progressing toward planned testing activities in Texas.
• Regulatory engagement with the Texas Department of State Health Services remains underway as the company advances certification and licensing requirements.
• The company is expanding its intellectual property strategy to protect future innovations involving reactor architecture, plasma systems, and commercial deployment methods.
• Through its wholly owned subsidiary Kepler Fusion Technologies, the company is developing multiple Texatron(TM) system designs aimed at modular energy deployment.
• The company’s broader commercialization strategy focuses on scalable fusion systems for industrial, commercial, and grid-related energy applications.

American Fusion(TM) (OTC: AMFN), a developer of next-generation fusion energy technologies, has filed an additional patent application as it advances the development of its Texatron(TM) Fusion Engine(TM) platform, marking another step in the company’s effort to build a portfolio of proprietary technologies around future fusion energy systems (https://ibn.fm/lIIYZ).

The new filing, U.S. Patent Application No. 19/701,742, relates to a fusion system architecture incorporating advanced housing and chamber design elements intended to support plasma confinement, pulsed energy delivery, and future commercial applications of the Texatron(TM) platform. According to the company, the filing represents part of a broader intellectual property strategy focused on protecting technologies developed during the evolution of future generations of the Texatron(TM) Fusion Engine(TM).

The announcement comes as American Fusion(TM) continues to advance its 5MW pre-production Texatron(TM) Fusion Engine(TM) program. Management reported that the system’s primary frame has been completed and that final modifications have now completed at a third-party manufacturing facility in the Midland/Odessa region of Texas. This Texatron(TM) is now safely back at the company’s homebase as preparations continue for future testing activities in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

The company also continues to work through regulatory processes associated with planned testing. American Fusion(TM) submitted an application for certification and related approvals to the Texas Department of State Health Services in February 2026 and has reported ongoing engagement regarding licensing and certification requirements.

Beyond regulatory progress, current development activities include planning for testing facilities, acquiring specialized validation equipment, expanding the company’s patent portfolio, and establishing commercial deployment strategies for future Texatron(TM) systems. The company’s fusion strategy is being developed through its wholly owned subsidiary, Kepler Fusion Technologies.

Fusion energy remains an area of significant global research and investment because of its potential to provide long-duration, low-carbon electricity. Numerous companies are pursuing different approaches to achieving practical fusion systems, with varying engineering designs, fuel approaches, and commercialization timelines.

American Fusion(TM) is developing an aneutronic fusion approach through the Texatron(TM) Fusion Engine(TM) architecture. The company is pursuing a modular design strategy, with management indicating that multiple Texatron(TM) models are under development. According to comments from company leadership, the current development roadmap includes a 5-megawatt system intended to demonstrate the technology and several larger 10-20-30-50 and 100-megawatt designs that forms the foundation of its planned commercial-scale platform.

The modular approach is designed around standardized units that could potentially be combined to provide larger levels of power generation. For example, multiple 100-megawatt units could theoretically be deployed together to reach utility-scale energy capacity.

The company’s strategy emphasizes system engineering, intellectual property development, and creating architectures intended for long-term commercial operation. Management has stated that continued patent expansion is an important part of establishing competitive positioning as the technology progresses.

In a recent interview with Small Cap Stocks Today, Executive Chairman Brent Nelson discussed the company’s intellectual property strategy, regulatory progress, testing plans, and broader commercialization objectives. The interview formed part of the company’s ongoing effort to provide updates to investors and the market as development milestones are reached. 

“Intellectual property development, regulatory advancement, and execution of our testing roadmap remain core priorities for the company,” said Nelson. “We believe each additional patent filing strengthens the foundation of the Texatron(TM) Fusion Engine(TM) platform while supporting our broader commercialization strategy. At the same time, we continue advancing toward important testing and validation milestones that we believe will help define the next stage of the company’s development.”

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.AmericanFusionEnergy.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to AMFN are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/AMFN

Disseminated on behalf of ESGold Corp. (CSE: ESAU) (OTCQB: ESAUF) and may include paid advertising.

• ESGold Corp., a development-stage company committed to the acquisition, exploration, and development of high-quality mineral properties worldwide, recently appointed Pierre-Marc Gagnon, P.Eng., as the Operations Director for the Montauban Project
• Mr. Gagnon brings operational and technical expertise in drilling, field coordination, technical planning, mine operations and development, and more
• The appointment comes as continues to advance construction and operational readiness activities at its Montauban Project
• In his role, Mr. Gagnon will support site execution, operational readiness, contractor coordination, technical planning, and continued development at the Quebec facility

ESGold (CSE: ESAU) (OTCQB: ESAUF), a development-stage company committed to acquiring, exploring, and developing high-quality mineral properties worldwide, is advancing its Quebec-situated Montauban Project toward production, with construction and site preparation activities progressing as scheduled. The company is also preparing operational support systems and is installing and integrating key processing equipment. To support this progress, the company has focused on building a practical and technically capable team, recently strengthening it further with the appointment of Pierre-Marc Gagnon, P.Eng. 

Mr. Gagnon will tap into his field experience, technical expertise, and project coordination skills to enhance ESGold’s operational capabilities as the Operations Director for the Montauban Project. In this role, he will oversee and support site execution, operational readiness, contractor coordination, technical planning, and continued development at the Quebec facility. The appointment strengthens the Montauban Project’s execution team and bolsters ESGold’s focus on executing, coordinating, and advancing the infrastructure needed to support the progress toward future production (https://ibn.fm/LyGp0).

“Pierre-Marc brings practical Quebec-based operating experience at an important stage for ESGold,” said CEO Gordon Robb. “His recent hands-on experience at Eleonare, combined with his background in drilling, field coordination, technical planning, and mine operations, strengthens our execution team as we continue advancing Montauban,” he added.

Mr. Gagnon brings both operational and technical experience in the mining industry, having previously been involved in pit and underground mining, drilling, exploration, and project development. He has held roles at Dhilmar, Technologies & Services Oxx Inc., Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, FTE Drilling, Newmont Corporation, and G.E.T.T. Gold Inc. There, he developed expertise in drilling coordination, underground mine development, surveying, ground support systems, ventilation, drill-and-blast activities, material handling, technical consulting services, management of multidisciplinary teams, and coordination of field operations. 

At Dhilmar’s Eleonare Mine, for example, Mr. Gagnon was exposed to the realities of underground mine development and production, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the mining cycle. His later stint at G.E.T.T. Gold Inc. involved contributions aimed at enhancing extraction efficiency and decreasing dilution through more selective mining practices. He, therefore, “adds real field experience and technical discipline” to ESGold’s operations group, according to Mr. Robb.

Pierre-Marc’s appointment comes a few months after ESGold appointed Jason Tong, a veteran capital markets executive, as the Chief Financial Officer. At that time, Robb reiterated that the company was “assembling the operational and financial framework required to support ESGold’s next phase of growth, including production, expansion of exploration activities, and continued engagement with the capital markets.” Mr. Tong’s appointment, Robb continued, represented “another important step in that process.” It helped strengthen the company’s financial leadership and corporate structure (https://ibn.fm/mSSHZ).

For company information, visit the company’s website at www.ESGold.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to ESAUF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/ESAUF

• Advances in digital health, cloud computing and data analytics are making it possible to move beyond episodic monitoring toward a more comprehensive understanding of cardiovascular health.
• HeartBeam’s proprietary HeartBeam System reflects the company’s mission to make cardiac monitoring accessible beyond the walls of a medical facility.
• The synthesized 12-lead ECG view provided by the system can help clinicians evaluate rhythm abnormalities and identify rhythm changes that may warrant additional investigation.

Cardiac monitoring is evolving beyond the routine detection of abnormal heart rhythms toward a future where patients and physicians receive timely actionable insights that can guide clinical decisions outside of a healthcare facility. As healthcare increasingly emphasizes earlier intervention and more personalized care, HeartBeam (NASDAQ: BEAT)  is developing technologies designed to transform where and how cardiac data are captured, analyzed and shared, including its proprietary, FDA-cleared HeartBeam System, the first portable, cable-free ECG system capable of synthesizing a 12-lead ECG for assessment of arrhythmias.

For decades, cardiac monitoring has relied on the standard 12-lead ECG but its use has been confined to clinical settings, requiring bulky equipment, adhesive electrodes and trained personnel to administer. This means the most clinically meaningful cardiac data is only available in a doctor’s office or hospital and rarely at the moment symptoms occur. While the 12-lead ECG remains the diagnostic standard, healthcare providers are also seeking tools that provide more timely data and context around the symptoms to support more informed treatment decisions. 

The need for better cardiac insights remains significant. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States, responsible for more than 900,000 deaths each year. At the same time, many patients experience intermittent symptoms that are difficult to capture during a traditional office visit. This disconnect between where symptoms occur and where diagnostic testing is conducted can delay treatment decisions and complicate patient management.

HeartBeam’s technology is designed to address this challenge by enabling patients to capture clinically meaningful cardiac data wherever the patient is when symptoms occur. The HeartBeam System is a cable-free, high-fidelity ECG platform that captures the heart’s electrical signals from three distinct directions. The system uses embedded electrodes within a portable device to record cardiac signals without the wires and adhesive patches typically associated with traditional ECG systems.

A distinguishing feature of the platform is its ability to generate synthesized 12-lead ECG data from those recordings. In December 2025, HeartBeam received FDA clearance for the 12-lead synthesis software for arrhythmia assessment, enabling the company to provide a familiar clinical format that physicians have relied on for decades in evaluating cardiac rhythm conditions. By delivering a synthesized 12-lead ECG from a compact, patient-operated device, the company seeks to bridge the gap between traditional clinical diagnostics and remote cardiac monitoring.

The value of synthesized 12-lead data extends beyond convenience. A standard 12-lead ECG provides significantly more information than single-lead monitoring devices because it captures electrical activity from multiple perspectives. This broader view can help clinicians evaluate rhythm abnormalities and identify changes that may warrant additional investigation. Bringing this level of insight into a portable format has the potential to improve clinical decision-making when symptoms occur outside traditional healthcare settings.

Equally important is the infrastructure that surrounds the ECG data itself. HeartBeam has developed a cloud-based platform intended to support the secure transmission, storage and review of cardiac recordings. Cloud connectivity allows physicians to access patient data remotely, evaluate recordings more readily and integrate information into broader care workflows. As healthcare continues to embrace digital transformation, cloud-based systems are becoming increasingly important in enabling timely communication between patients and providers.

In addition, the company has a partnership with HeartNexus Inc., a network of board-certified cardiologists specializing in cardiac test interpretation, peer-to-peer consultations and on-demand telemedicine visits. Through this collaboration, HeartBeam can provide a 24/7 cardiology reader service designed to support patients experiencing cardiac rhythm symptoms outside of the traditional healthcare system and provide expert, timely assessment during critical moments.

“Working with HeartNexus accelerates our mission to make medical-grade cardiac monitoring accessible beyond the walls of a medical facility,” said HeartBeam CEO Robert Eno. “Together, we’re enabling patients to have the value of an ECG with timely access to a cardiologist’s interpretation in their pocket and giving physicians a powerful tool to deliver the right care at the right moment.”

This focus on actionable information mirrors broader trends across healthcare. Physicians increasingly seek technologies that not only collect data but also help prioritize, organize and contextualize that information. The ultimate goal is to reduce uncertainty and enable faster, more confident clinical decisions. For patients, that can translate into earlier intervention, fewer unnecessary visits and greater confidence in managing their health. For providers, it can mean access to more comprehensive information at the moment decisions need to be made.

As cardiac monitoring technologies continue to advance, the industry appears to be moving toward an ecosystem where diagnostics, cloud connectivity, analytics and clinical workflows are tightly integrated. The future may not simply involve detecting an arrhythmia or recording an ECG but delivering the right information to the right clinician at the right time. HeartBeam’s strategy reflects this evolution by combining portable signal acquisition, synthesized 12-lead ECG capabilities and cloud-enabled care coordination into a unified platform.

For more information about the company, visit www.HeartBeam.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to BEAT are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/BEAT

• TechForce Robotics has completed the initial deployment of its LIM-E autonomous laboratory support robot at Oncotelic Therapeutics, marking the company’s first operational entry into pharmaceutical and laboratory automation.
• The deployment fulfills Phase 1 objectives under a joint development agreement designed to evaluate robotics and AI-enhanced systems for future GMP-regulated pharmaceutical manufacturing and laboratory workflows.
• A new strategic alliance with JJ Enterprise adds advanced manufacturing, machine vision, and precision engineering expertise that could support the expansion of high-precision AI-driven applications.

Laboratory and pharmaceutical operations increasingly face the same challenge that has accelerated automation across industries from manufacturing to hospitality: how to improve efficiency while freeing highly trained personnel to focus on higher-value work. Researchers, technicians, and production staff often spend significant time on routine logistics tasks that, while necessary, do not directly advance scientific work, product development, or manufacturing output. As labor costs rise and productivity demands grow, pharmaceutical and biotechnology organizations are exploring automation solutions capable of supporting operational scalability without disrupting tightly regulated workflows.

TechForce Robotics, Inc. (“TechForce”), the acting subsidiary of Nightfood Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: NGTF), is positioning itself to address that opportunity by extending its Robotics-as-a-Service (“RaaS”) platform into pharmaceutical and laboratory automation.

Extending an Established Automation Platform

TechForce has built its platform around autonomous mobile systems designed to improve operational efficiency across commercial environments. Much of its initial focus centered on hospitality and service-industry applications, where robots transport linens, waste, supplies, and other materials throughout facilities while reducing repetitive manual tasks. The company’s latest deployment shows how that same underlying technology may be adapted for an entirely different operating environment.

In June, TechForce announced the completion of Phase 1 objectives under a joint development agreement with Oncotelic Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQB: OTLC) through the initial deployment of LIM-E, an autonomous laboratory support robot built to assist with approved laboratory logistics workflows. The deployment marks TechForce’s first operational expansion into pharmaceutical automation and demonstrates the platform’s flexibility across industry verticals. Rather than moving hospitality materials, LIM-E is configured to transport approved laboratory supplies and properly contained materials within designated laboratory environments. The application differs from hospitality settings, but the underlying objective remains the same: improving workflow efficiency through autonomous logistics support.

The Significance of the Oncotelic Collaboration

The deployment is part of a broader collaboration aimed at evaluating how robotics and AI-enhanced automation may support future pharmaceutical manufacturing and laboratory operations. The agreement extends beyond a single deployment. The framework is intended to generate operational data, workflow observations, and performance feedback that can inform future automation initiatives within regulated pharmaceutical environments. Future areas of evaluation may include laboratory logistics, manufacturing support processes, AI-enhanced workflows, and other initiatives designed to improve consistency, efficiency, and scalability.

For organizations operating under Good Manufacturing Practice (“GMP”) requirements, even incremental workflow improvements can produce meaningful benefits. Automation that handles repetitive support functions may allow scientific personnel to dedicate more time to research, development, quality control, and manufacturing.

Why Robotics-as-a-Service Matters

One of the more notable aspects of TechForce’s strategy is its reliance on a Robotics-as-a-Service model. Robotics adoption has historically required substantial upfront capital, specialized integration, and ongoing maintenance commitments that can discourage organizations from pursuing automation. The RaaS model seeks to address those barriers by providing access to robotic systems through recurring service arrangements rather than large initial purchases.

For pharmaceutical and biotechnology organizations weighing automation initiatives, that approach may offer greater flexibility while reducing implementation risk. Companies can potentially deploy systems without significant capital commitments, while providers such as TechForce retain responsibility for support, updates, and optimization. Management believes the model can be applied across multiple industries using a common technology foundation, opening new vertical markets without requiring entirely separate robotics platforms.

Building a Multi-Industry Growth Strategy

The company’s expansion into pharmaceutical automation is also supported by efforts to strengthen its underlying engineering and manufacturing capabilities. This week, TechForce announced a strategic supply and development agreement with Taiwan-based JJ Enterprise, a precision engineering and advanced manufacturing company serving the semiconductor, automation, and specialty materials industries. Management believes the relationship will provide access to expertise in areas such as precision automation, machine vision, advanced materials processing, and semiconductor-grade manufacturing disciplines that are increasingly relevant to laboratory and pharmaceutical environments. The collaboration is expected to support future development initiatives across pharmaceutical automation, laboratory robotics, intelligent manufacturing systems, and other high-precision applications.

The pharmaceutical deployment arrives amid broader efforts to expand TechForce’s automation ecosystem and establish the engineering infrastructure needed to support increasingly sophisticated automation projects. Recent initiatives include the launch of an Enterprise Automation Division aimed at larger-scale projects and a strategic partnership with deployment provider ToDo Robotics, which has completed more than 300 robotic system deployments nationwide. Together, those moves reflect a strategy built around a diversified automation platform serving multiple sectors through robotics hardware, AI-enhanced software, deployment expertise, and recurring service relationships.

As automation adoption expands across healthcare, life sciences, logistics, and hospitality, TechForce’s pharmaceutical deployment offers an early example of how robotics platforms developed for one industry can be adapted to serve another. Combined with the company’s strategic alliance with JJ Enterprise to support advanced manufacturing and precision automation initiatives, the LIM-E deployment represents another step in TechForce’s efforts to expand its Robotics-as-a-Service platform into new high-value industrial and life sciences markets.

For more information, visit the company’s website at TechForceRobotics.com

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to NGTF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/NGTF

Disseminated on behalf of Onco-Innovations Ltd. (CBOE CA: ONCO) (OTCQB: ONNVF) and may include paid advertising.

• Onco-Innovations is advancing a new class of DNA Damage Response (“DDR”) therapies through the development of Polynucleotide Kinase Phosphatase (“PNKP”) inhibitors designed to disrupt cancer cells’ ability to repair DNA damage.
• The company recently achieved a key manufacturing milestone with the successful advancement toward kilogram-scale production of the active pharmaceutical ingredient in its lead drug candidate, ONC010.
• A newly signed Letter of Intent with Nanosoft Polymers is expected to support polymer development, drug delivery optimization and formulation work for the ONC010 program.

Cancers frequently exhibit defective repair of damaged DNA, leading to the accumulation of mutations that can give rise to unchecked growth, evasion of the immune system, and the capacity to spread. Conventional DNA damaging therapies, like radiation treatment or some chemotherapies, can overwhelm a cancer’s limited repair capacity resulting in cancer cell death. However, some cancers retain sufficient DNA repair capacity to resist these treatments at doses patients can tolerate.

As researchers continue searching for new ways to overcome that resistance, increasing attention is being directed toward DNA Damage Response inhibitors, an emerging field focused on disabling the repair mechanisms that cancer cells rely on to survive. Such treatments can enhance the effects of DNA damaging therapies, overcoming resistance.

Onco-Innovations (CBOE CA: ONCO) (OTCQB: ONNVF) is positioning itself within this rapidly evolving area of oncology through the development of Polynucleotide Kinase Phosphatase (“PNKP”) inhibitors. PNKP plays a critical role in repairing damaged DNA, and the company’s lead drug candidate, ONC010, is designed to interfere with that process, potentially causing DNA damage to accumulate within cancer cells while enhancing treatment effectiveness.

Beyond its therapeutic pipeline, Onco-Innovations is pursuing a dual-platform strategy that combines proprietary drug development with AI-enabled technologies intended to support oncology research, clinical development and evidence generation. The approach reflects the growing convergence of precision medicine, advanced analytics and targeted therapeutics within modern cancer care.

As ONC010 advances toward future clinical development, the company has continued to make progress on the manufacturing and formulation infrastructure required to support long-term commercialization efforts. Most recently, Onco-Innovations announced the successful advancement of kilogram-scale manufacturing activities for the B4 precursor component used in synthesis of its active pharmaceutical ingredient, A83B4C63.

The milestone represents an important step toward establishing the scalable manufacturing processes needed for formulation development, engineering batches, future GMP production and planned clinical studies. The company’s broader development strategy has also continued to advance on multiple fronts. Earlier this year, Onco-Innovations engaged Nucro-Technics to support bioanalytical method development and validation activities for ONC010, helping generate data intended to support future regulatory submissions and clinical planning efforts. According to the company, the achievement further validates the scalability of its manufacturing approach while supporting the development of a reproducible production process for future clinical supply.

In a separate development, Onco-Innovations signed a Letter of Intent with Nanosoft Polymers aimed at advancing polymer and drug delivery development for ONC010. The agreement outlines the parties’ intention to negotiate a definitive services agreement covering polymer process development, analytical characterization and formulation optimization activities.

The company has also begun laying the groundwork for future clinical evaluation. Through a recently announced engagement with Avance Clinical, a leading Australian contract research organization, Onco-Innovations is advancing clinical and regulatory planning activities intended to support the eventual transition of ONC010 into first-in-human studies. To facilitate these efforts, the company has established an Australian subsidiary, creating a regional presence that may support future clinical operations and development initiatives as the program progresses toward human testing.

While the LOI remains non-binding, it highlights the company’s focus on refining the delivery and formulation characteristics of ONC010 as development progresses. Drug delivery systems can play a critical role in the effectiveness of oncology therapies, particularly when seeking to optimize drug stability, targeting capabilities and overall therapeutic performance.

Taken together, these developments illustrate a coordinated effort to advance ONC010 across multiple stages of the drug development process. From manufacturing scale-up and formulation optimization to preclinical testing and clinical readiness initiatives, Onco-Innovations is continuing to build the infrastructure necessary to support future regulatory engagement and first-in-human evaluation of its PNKP inhibitor platform.

With interest in DNA Damage Response therapies continuing to grow across the oncology landscape, Onco-Innovations is working to establish itself within a promising segment of precision medicine. The company’s recent manufacturing and development achievements demonstrate ongoing progress toward bringing its PNKP inhibitor platform closer to the next stage of development.

For more information, visit https://oncoinnovations.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to ONNVF are available in the company’s newsroom at ibn.fm/ONNVF

Disseminated on behalf of LaFleur Minerals Inc. (CSE: LFLR) (OTCQB: LFLRF) and may include paid advertising.

• Consumer prices have risen notably during recent months, linked by many to the United States’ involvement in launching the Iran War and the resulting strictures on international energy transports
• Gold bullion prices have, with expected variations, enjoyed a significant rise since January of last year, and the precious metal is anticipated to continue acting as a long-term “hedge” or “safe haven” against inflationary pressures
• Near-term gold producer LaFleur Minerals is preparing to restart its recommissioned Beacon Gold Mill and to draw on mineralized material from its Swanson Gold Deposit in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt
• LaFleur’s all-in sustaining cost estimates anticipate profits based on base case pricing of gold from before the recent growth factors, and economists expect the foundational upward pressure on gold prices to persist

Consumers in the United States have watched prices grow at a “moderate to strong pace” in recent weeks as an apparent response to the ongoing Iran War, according to federal policy makers (https://ibn.fm/h06l8), which has a potential downstream effect on investor interest in precious metals such as gold that enjoy a reputation as a long-term “hedge” against currency debasement and inflation (https://ibn.fm/EeHdo).

The Iran War is the most recent in a series of incidents in which the U.S. government has used or threatened to use military force against other nations. Inflation fears, shifting economic policies and the increasing geopolitical tensions accompanying administration activities since January 2025 have been met with repeated record price spikes in the price of gold, taking it from a strong baseline of about $2,600 per ounce to over $5,600 per ounce in a year’s time (https://ibn.fm/RU486).

While gold prices have seen some instability during recent months as the market factors in short-term conditions, gold continues to remain far above the prices it recorded in previous years (https://ibn.fm/NY6Vq). And economists expect Inflation to worsen (https://ibn.fm/sNNRS).

Near-term gold producer LaFleur Minerals (CSE: LFLR) (OTCQB: LFLRF) is preparing to take advantage of the market’s interest in gold as well as its own strategic financing and asset acquisition. LaFleur is on the cusp of restarting its Beacon Gold Mill during the next few months (https://ibn.fm/oF93j), initially drawing on approximately 100,000 metric tonnes from a bulk sample from its nearby Swanson Gold Project to incrementally increase the mill’s capacity from 750 metric tons per day (“TPD”) to 1,250 TPD. 

LaFleur’s Beacon Gold Mill, Swanson Gold Project and newly acquired McKenzie East Gold Project are all situated within the prolific Abitibi Greenstone Belt within southwestern Quebec, which is a premier global mining district renowned for its massive gold, copper, zinc, and silver deposits as one of the world’s largest, oldest and most richly mineralized Archean greenstone belts (https://ibn.fm/9Cgml).

Gold miners continue to anticipate price growth during the coming months despite the recent instability in the market. Metals consultancy Metals Focus’ newly released Gold Focus 2026 report states “We are confident that, once the Iran war dust settles, gold will resume its bull run. Crucially, all other factors that underpinned gold last year are likely to remain in place over the rest of 2026 and beyond,” as reported by The Northern Miner (https://ibn.fm/JS8vB).

LaFleur CEO and Director Paul Ténière told investors in March that the company expects to be easily profitable, given the market factors and forecasts in company with LaFleur’s low CAPEX plan.

“We’re looking at an all-in sustaining cost of just under $1,600 an ounce,” he said. “This is at a base case of $2,750. Our technical report will be looking at a sensitivity of up-to-$5,000 gold. … We can certainly be running (our Swanson gold project) for the next few years and be a very cost-effective and profitable operation.”

For more information, visit the company’s website at LaFleurMinerals.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to LFLRF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/LFLRF

Qualified Person Statement:

All scientific and technical information contained in this article has been reviewed and approved by Louis Martin, P.Geo. (OGQ), Exploration Manager and Technical Advisor of the company and considered a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101.

• Cardio Diagnostics has positioned the science of epigenetics at the center of its diagnostic platform.
• Looking at an individual person’s epigenetics can provide invaluable insight into the impact of their lifestyle, behavior, and environment.
• Epigenetics does more than pinpoint a problem, says CEO; it also provides some level of solution.

When most people think about their risk for heart disease, they think about family history. Did a parent or grandparent have a heart attack? Is heart disease “in their genes”? It’s an understandable assumption, and genetics does play a role in cardiovascular risk. But a growing body of research suggests that DNA sequence alone tells only part of the story, and increasingly, scientists believe it may be the smaller part. The rest of the story is largely written in epigenetics, a field of biology that examines how genes are switched on or off, turned up or down, without any change to the underlying DNA code itself. Cardio Diagnostics Holdings (NASDAQ: CDIO), a medical technology company built around epigenetics-based cardiovascular testing, has positioned this science at the center of its diagnostic platform.

Understanding the basic concept of epigenetics is key. Think of DNA as a massive instruction manual containing every gene a person could ever use. That manual does not change much over a lifetime. What does change is which pages get read, how often and how loudly. Epigenetics is essentially the bookmark and highlighter system layered on top of that manual, determined by a combination of inherited tendencies, age, diet, exercise, sleep, stress, smoking and other lifestyle factors, and environmental exposures.

“In the case of heart disease, the reason why epigenetics becomes really powerful is, if we took a step back and we had to dissect heart disease, about 20% of it is genetic,” explains Cardio Diagnostics cofounder and CEO Dr. Meesha Dogan. “So, when we talk about family history, a lot of times we’re talking about genetics. But if you pause, a lot of people would realize the way you eat, the way you grew up, your certain environment and lifestyle, that’s also family history. 

Genetics alone is not your family history.

“The reason I emphasize lifestyle and environment is because that’s what epigenetics captures,” Dogan continues. “It captures what we’re doing in our day-to-day lives, whether it’s a certain behavior, what we’re eating, what’s happening around us [and] how is that affecting this specific DNA biomarker that is dynamic in nature. And that’s critical for heart disease because 80% of heart disease is nongenetic and largely comes from our lifestyle and environment.”

As a result, Dogan notes, looking at an individual person’s epigenetics can provide invaluable insight into the impact of their behavior and environment. “The other aspect that really excites me about epigenetics in the context of heart disease is that . . . as much as its pointing out a problem, there are insights into where the problem is coming from. And that is powerful because we’re not just pinpointing a problem, but inherently built into that information is some level of solution,” she states.

This is part of why epigenetics is a foundational piece of Cardio Diagnostics’ approach. The company has built its commercial testing portfolio around the concept that genetics is inherited and is not modifiable while epigenetics reflects how an individual’s lifestyle and environment shape the expression of their genes.

The company’s Epi+Gen CHD test analyzes a combination of epigenetic and genetic biomarkers to assess a patient’s three-year risk of a coronary heart disease event, including a heart attack. Research indicates that DNA methylation patterns can reflect environmental exposures and lifestyle influences while also serving as early indicators of disease risk. Because epigenetic markers can change over time, they offer a more dynamic view of cardiovascular health than genetics alone. The company’s PrecisionCHD test similarly combines epigenetic and genetic information, supported by artificial intelligence, to help detect signal associated with coronary heart disease.

For patients and healthcare providers alike, the practical takeaway is straightforward. Genetics is the starting point, not the whole picture. Choices made every day, from what is eaten and how often someone moves to whether they smoke or how they manage stress, leave a measurable trace on the genome itself. Cardio Diagnostics’ approach is rooted in the idea that reading that trace, alongside genetic information, offers a more current and more complete view of cardiovascular risk than either piece of information could provide on its own.

For more information, visit www.CDIO.ai.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to CDIO are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/CDIO

• SS Innovations reported record first-quarter 2026 revenue of $11.1 million, up 116.8% year over year, driven by growing adoption of its SSi Mantra surgical robotic system.
• The installed base reached 194 SSi Mantra systems across 11 countries, with nearly 9,750 cumulative robotic procedures completed.
• Regulatory approvals in Sri Lanka, Kenya, Indonesia, and the Philippines, expanded the company’s international market access during the quarter.
• SS Innovations recently completed the world’s longest-distance robotic cardiac telesurgery in history, demonstrating the capabilities of its remote surgery platform.
• The company continues pursuing regulatory clearance in both the United States and Europe while expanding its presence in emerging healthcare markets.

SS Innovations International (NASDAQ: SSII), a developer of innovative surgical robotic technologies to aid in cardiac and other surgeries, including telesurgeries, reported record first-quarter 2026 financial results, highlighting accelerating commercial adoption of its SSi Mantra surgical robotic platform as the company continues expanding internationally and pursuing regulatory approvals in major healthcare markets.

According to the company’s first-quarter earnings announcement, revenue increased 116.8% year over year to $11.1 million, driven primarily by higher installations of the SSi Mantra surgical robotic system and increased procedure volumes. Gross profit rose to $5.3 million from $1.1 million a year earlier, while gross margin expanded to 48.0%, reflecting greater operating scale and manufacturing efficiency (https://ibn.fm/z0I6H).

The company also reported continued improvement in its financial position, ending the quarter with approximately $16 million in cash and cash equivalents and no long-term debt. Earlier this year, the company completed a private placement that generated approximately $18.6 million in gross proceeds to support future growth initiatives.

During the quarter, SS Innovations installed 26 additional SSi Mantra systems, representing a 73% increase compared with the first quarter of 2025. As of March 31, the company’s installed base had grown to 194 systems operating across eleven countries. Clinical utilization also continued to increase. The company reported that surgeons have now completed 9,744 procedures using the SSi Mantra platform, including 482 cardiac surgeries, 161 pediatric procedures and 157 telesurgeries.

Chief Executive Officer Dr. Sudhir Srivastava said the results reflected growing acceptance of the platform among hospitals and physicians, citing its combination of advanced robotic capabilities, ease of use, integrated training features, and lower cost relative to many established robotic surgery systems.

The first quarter also brought several regulatory milestones. SS Innovations received approval for the SSi Mantra system in Sri Lanka and Kenya while Indonesia and the Philippines authorized the platform for telesurgery applications. Those approvals form part of the company’s broader strategy to expand access to robotic surgery in regions where healthcare providers have historically faced financial barriers to adopting robotic technologies.

The company is also working toward entry into larger regulated markets. Management expects the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to complete review of its 510(k) submission during 2026 while continuing efforts to obtain CE Mark certification for the European Union. “Looking ahead, we aim to fortify our position as a leader in the substantial Indian market, expand our global footprint in underserved countries, and secure entry into the United States and European Union markets,” Dr. Srivastava said. “We are very excited about the growth runway ahead and remain steadfast in our commitment to democratizing access to advanced surgical robotic care.”

More recently, SS Innovations attracted attention with another striking demonstration of its telesurgery capabilities. In early June, the company announced the successful completion of what it described as the world’s longest-distance robotic telesurgery, performed over approximately 12,500 miles (20,000 kilometers) between Guyana and India (https://ibn.fm/2wm2B).

The cardiac operation was performed by Dr. Srivastava, operating remotely from Guyana in South America, using the company’s portable SSi MantrAsana tele-surgeon console. Robotic equipment positioned with the patient in India replicated the surgeon’s delicate movements in real time while operating across an international fiber-optic network. The procedure involved a cardiac operation known as a Left Internal Mammary Artery (“LIMA”) takedown. According to the company, the system operated with network latency of approximately 290 to 300 milliseconds while maintaining surgical precision.

Although telesurgery currently represents a relatively small portion of the company’s overall commercial applications, management views the technology as an important long-term opportunity for expanding access to specialized surgical expertise in many remote and underserved regions. To date, SS Innovations reports that 173 robotic telesurgeries have been completed using the SSi Mantra platform, including 22 cardiac telesurgeries. According to the company, the SSi Mantra remains the only robotic surgical system that has been used for robotic cardiac telesurgery.

The company’s broader business remains centered on hospital adoption of robotic systems to aid in a wide variety of surgeries. The SSi Mantra platform is designed as a modular robotic surgery system capable of supporting three to five robotic arms, depending on procedural requirements. The system includes an open-console surgeon workstation, three-dimensional 4K visualization, integrated imaging capabilities, and a growing portfolio of more than 40 robotic surgical instruments supporting multiple specialties.

Unlike many robotic surgery platforms initially focused on a narrow range of procedures, the SSi Mantra has been clinically validated across more than 170 surgical procedures in India, including general surgery, gynecology, urology, thoracic surgery, cardiac surgery, pediatric procedures and ear, nose and throat operations.

The company’s strategy emphasizes affordability alongside functionality. By developing a lower-cost robotic platform, SS Innovations aims to broaden adoption among hospitals that have traditionally found robotic surgery systems financially difficult to acquire. That approach may be particularly relevant across emerging healthcare markets, where demand for minimally invasive surgery continues to grow while healthcare budgets remain constrained.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.SSInnovations.com.

Update: 

As of June 22, 2026, the cumulative number of multi-specialty procedures completed with the SSi Mantra surgical robotic system totaled 11,719, including 612 cardiac procedures, 175 telesurgeries, and 212 pediatric surgeries. Additionally, approximately 2,100 physicians have been trained on the SSi Mantra, which has been utilized to perform over 170 different types of procedures.

• Market Street Capital has evolved from its origins in investor relations into a diversified financial services platform spanning advisory, investment banking, capital raising, restructuring, valuation, and real estate services.
• The company focuses on established middle-market businesses with enterprise values ranging from $10 million to $1 billion, serving a defined client base that frequently requires sophisticated financial and strategic advisory services.
• Market Street Capital’s platform combines strategic advisory and transaction execution capabilities, allowing the firm to support clients across multiple stages of the corporate lifecycle.
• The leadership team brings experience across capital markets, structured finance, mergers and acquisitions, private credit, public company transactions, corporate development, and business operations.
• Institutional-grade compliance and governance standards are embedded across the firm’s operations, with regulated activities conducted through established broker-dealer and investment advisory frameworks.
• The company has advised on more than $3 billion in completed transactions, reports a multi-billion-dollar active pipeline, and maintains relationships across institutional investors, private equity firms, family offices, lenders, and strategic acquirers.

Market Street Capital is a boutique capital markets and financial advisory firm that works with established middle-market businesses navigating pivotal moments in their development. The company serves founder-led, family-owned, and private equity-backed enterprises seeking guidance on strategic transactions, capital formation, governance matters, and long-term value creation.

Founded in 2012 as Market Street Investor Relations, the firm initially focused on helping companies build investor confidence and strengthen public perception. In 2021, it rebranded as Market Street Capital to reflect its expansion into a broader financial services platform encompassing advisory, investment banking, wealth management, and private equity capabilities.

Today, Market Street Capital combines institutional-quality expertise with the personalized service of a boutique firm, delivering strategic insight and disciplined transaction execution across the corporate lifecycle.

The company is headquartered in Houston, Texas, and maintains additional locations across California, Louisiana, New York, and Switzerland.

Advisory & Capital Markets Platform

Market Street Capital provides strategic advisory services to boards, executives, shareholders, and investors facing significant business, governance, and capital allocation decisions. The firm’s Strategic Planning & Advisory practice supports clients through restructurings, recapitalizations, divestitures, joint ventures, executive leadership transitions, governance initiatives, and public market readiness efforts. The practice also advises on strategic alternatives, capital structure optimization, succession planning, and post-transaction integration.

The company’s investment banking platform spans mergers and acquisitions, private equity raises, debt capital markets, specialty lending, valuation services, and restructuring advisory. Market Street Capital advises clients on buy-side and sell-side transactions, capital raising initiatives, debt financing structures, liquidity events, and special situations requiring complex stakeholder coordination. The firm’s valuation capabilities support transaction planning, capital events, strategic decision-making, litigation matters, and the valuation of businesses, securities, financial instruments, and tangible and intangible assets.

Market Street Capital also assists companies preparing for the public markets through IPO readiness assessments, capital structure planning, syndicate organization, valuation strategy, investor positioning, and roadshow preparation. Beyond traditional corporate advisory services, the firm maintains a real estate practice focused on capital markets advisory, strategic planning, recapitalizations, restructurings, acquisitions, dispositions, and financing solutions across multiple property sectors. The firm’s wealth management platform complements these capabilities, offering qualified investors tax-efficient access to private market strategies, including insurance dedicated fund (“IDF”) and credit enhancement fund structures.

Market Opportunity

Market Street Capital focuses on established businesses with enterprise values ranging from $10 million to $1 billion, including founder-led, private equity-backed, and family-owned companies pursuing growth initiatives, recapitalizations, ownership transitions, liquidity events, and strategic transactions. The firm’s advisory and capital markets platform is designed to support clients through a broad range of financial and operational inflection points.

According to PwC, global M&A deal values increased 36% between 2024 and 2025, driven in part by a rise in transactions valued at more than $5 billion. PwC reported that megadeals increased from 63 transactions in 2024 to 111 transactions in 2025, while the Americas accounted for approximately 60% of global deal value. The firm also noted that deal values in the Americas increased 55% year over year, reflecting continued activity across the transaction landscape despite broader economic and geopolitical uncertainty. This sustained level of deal activity, alongside generational ownership transitions occurring across the middle market, supports continued demand for the independent advisory and capital markets services Market Street Capital provides.

Leadership Team

Stan Abiassi, Founder and CEO, brings more than 30 years of experience helping businesses pursue transformational growth and navigate capital markets opportunities. Prior to founding Market Street Capital, he built and led a small-cap and middle-market firm that assisted companies through public listings, sales at premium valuations, strategic transactions, and other significant corporate milestones. During the past 14 years, he has led Market Street Capital’s efforts in capital raising, strategic partnerships, initial public offerings, and merger and acquisition transactions. He holds Series 7, 63, and 65 licenses and is widely regarded as a trusted advisor within the business and investment community.

Daniel Langston, Managing Partner and Chief Business Officer, is an entrepreneur and executive whose career has spanned entertainment, sports marketing, real estate, technology, and business development. His experience includes founding and exiting a national sports marketing firm operating in 12 cities, leading a 240-person sales organization serving more than 800 clients, consulting across multiple industries, and serving as chairman of a technology company. At Market Street Capital, he focuses on strategic growth, innovation, and business development initiatives.

Dourgam Kummer, Managing Partner and Chief Financial Officer, has more than 30 years of executive leadership and strategic development experience focused on structured finance, mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, and multinational operations. His background includes overseeing international business units, managing teams of more than 100 employees, and helping guide a technology company through an initial public offering on both the Swiss Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. He has also served on multiple boards and brings experience in venture capital, corporate finance, and strategic management.

Ari Raskas, Head of Credit, is a credit investor and entrepreneur with more than 16 years of experience structuring, financing, and operating both private and public companies. His experience includes sourcing, underwriting, and executing complex credit and capital markets transactions, as well as raising capital for growth-oriented businesses. Throughout his career, he has been credited with helping growth companies secure more than $2 billion in new capital across industries including healthcare, technology, education, and natural resources. His prior leadership roles include positions at RK Equity Advisors and Broadband Capital Management.

Amanda Abiassi, Partner and Head of Corporate Development, leads business development strategy, corporate partnerships, and client engagement initiatives for Market Street Capital. She brings more than 20 years of experience in event planning, fundraising, organizational growth, and relationship development. Her work focuses on strengthening strategic partnerships, supporting client growth initiatives, and advancing the company’s mission of bridging Wall Street expertise with Main Street values through long-term relationship building and organizational development.

For more information, visit the company’s website at https://www.marketstreetcp.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Market Street are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/MarketSt

• For decades, cardiovascular risk assessment has centered on a checklist of factors never designed to capture the full biological picture of how heart disease develops.
• What makes CHD numbers particularly troubling is that so much of this is preventable.
• Cardio Diagnostics has developed clinical tests rooted in epigenetics and genetics fields that examine how genes are expressed and regulated at the molecular level.

Coronary heart disease (“CHD”) remains the leading cause of death in the United States, but the tools doctors have long relied on to detect it early are proving less reliable than many patients assume. Cardio Diagnostics Holdings (NASDAQ: CDIO) reports that approximately 50% of individuals with coronary heart disease do not present with traditional risk factors and conventional risk calculators have an average sensitivity of 39%. In practical terms, that means that many who “look healthy” go on to have CHD and preventable cardiac events such as a heart attack.

For decades, cardiovascular risk assessment has centered on a checklist. Healthcare providers ask about cholesterol levels, blood pressure, smoking history, diabetes status, family history and weight. While these factors matter and are useful pieces of the puzzle, they were never designed to capture the full biological picture of how heart disease develops, and the data increasingly shows the gaps this leaves behind. Coronary heart disease is the most common form of cardiovascular disease (“CVD”) and often develops without symptoms, with a heart attack frequently serving as the first indication of disease. For many patients, by the time a traditional risk factor shows up, the disease may already be well underway.

The scale of the problem is significant. In the United States, one in 20 adults over the age of 20 lives with CHD, and it is the second leading cause of hospitalization, adding approximately $13,000 in annual healthcare costs per patient. The human toll is even starker. Heart attacks occur approximately every 40 seconds in the U.S., with more than 800,000 events annually, and one in five occurring without warning. There is also a lesser-known subset of the disease that adds further complexity. An additional three to four million Americans are affected by ischemia with no obstructive coronary arteries (“INOCA”), a subset of CHD.

What makes these numbers particularly troubling is that so much of this is preventable. An estimated 80% of cardiovascular disease is preventable through early detection and proactive management, yet the tools used to identify who needs that early intervention are missing more cases than they catch. A risk calculator with an average sensitivity of 39% means that for every 100 people who will experience a CHD event, on average, 39 of them would be flagged. Many patients walk out of a routine checkup with a clean bill of health, even as the disease quietly progresses.

This is the gap that Cardio Diagnostics is focusing on addressing. Rather than relying solely on the conventional risk factor checklist, the company has developed clinical tests rooted in genetics, the DNA blueprint, and epigenetics, the field that examines how genes are expressed and regulated at the molecular level, often in response to lifestyle, environment and underlying disease processes long before signs and symptoms may appear.

The company’s flagship offering, Epi+Gen CHD, is a blood-based test that assesses a patient’s three-year risk of experiencing a coronary heart disease event, including a heart attack, by analyzing a targeted panel of three epigenetic and five genetic biomarkers. Because these biomarkers can reflect biological changes happening regardless of the shifts in traditional markers, the test is designed to identify risk in people who may otherwise be classified as lower risk using standard tools.

The company also offers PrecisionCHD, which is also a clinical blood test designed to aid in the diagnosis of CHD. This solution analyzes a targeted panel of six epigenetic and 10 genetic biomarkers that are closely associated with CHD. Using artificial intelligence, the test predicts CHD signal with high sensitivity, supporting management of stable ischemic heart disease.

These tests are not a wholesale replacement for existing cardiology practice but rather an attempt to fill a documented and substantial blind spot. Traditional risk factors remain clinically relevant and continue to play a role in patient evaluation. What molecular biomarker testing adds is a second lens, one that can pick up signals the first lens was never built to detect.

For a disease that often gives no warning before a heart attack occurs, any tool that shifts the odds toward earlier detection carries meaningful weight. With more than 800,000 CHD events annually, and one in five heart attacks occurring without warning, and with the majority of cardiovascular disease considered preventable when caught early, the cost of missed detection is measured not just in healthcare dollars but in lives.

Cardio Diagnostics is positioning its epigenetics-based testing as part of the answer to that gap, offering physicians and patients a way to see risk that conventional tools have consistently struggled to capture. As the data on traditional risk calculator performance continues to circulate among clinicians and researchers, the case for incorporating molecular diagnostics into routine cardiovascular testing may continue to build.

For more information, visit www.CDIO.ai.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to CDIO are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/CDIO