Neovasc Announces Agreement With LeMaitre Vascular for Exclusive Distribution Rights to its Biological Vascu...( --Vascular Device Leader LeMaitre V...),Health

    --Vascular Device Leader LeMaitre Vascular to Distribute Neovasc's
    Biological Vascular Strips in the U.S. and Europe, With Option to
    Purchase the Product Line--

VANCOUVER, Jan. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Neovasc Inc. (TSXV: NVC), a new specialty vascular device company, today announced that it has entered into a distribution agreement with LeMaitre Vascular, Inc. (Nasdaq: LMAT) for Neovasc's biological vascular strip for use in vascular surgery procedures. Under the terms of the seven-year agreement, LeMaitre Vascular has exclusive rights to market and sell certain sizes of Neovasc's tissue patch products used for vascular surgery in the United States and Europe.

"LeMaitre Vascular has a well-earned reputation among vascular surgeons for technical innovation and strong sales and customer support, and we are delighted that they will be distributing our vascular strip products" said Alexei Marko, chief executive officer of Neovasc. "The performance and exceptional handling characteristics of our tissue products make them appropriate for a number of vascular applications, including carotid endarterectomy, which should complement LeMaitre Vascular's gold-standard Pruitt-Inahara Carotid Shunt line. We are very pleased that this superior product will now benefit from the expertise and reach of the high quality sales and marketing professionals at LeMaitre Vascular."

The Neovasc biologic vascular strip is derived from bovine pericardial tissue, a biocompatible and versatile material that has been shown to have exceptional strength and handling characteristics, allowing surgeons the flexibility to implant with ease. This biocompatible material also has a 20-year safety record of use in cardiac indications. The strip is well-suited for use in carotid endarterectomy as well as other precision vascular applications.