Dirk Soenksen and Aperio Technologies Awarded Gold ABBY
CEO Recognized by Peers at ABL’s Sixth Annual Innovations in HealthcareSM Event and Awards Ceremony

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Orange, CA – June 17, 2004 – Dirk Soenksen, Founder and CEO of Aperio Technologies, Inc. took home the Gold Abby Award at Wednesday’s Sixth Annual Innovations in HealthcareSM Event and Awards Ceremony, presented by the Adaptive Business Leaders (ABL) Organization, a membership organization for CEOs and Presidents of healthcare and technology firms.

Soenksen and Aperio, of Vista, CA, were honored with the Gold Abby Award for developing the first practical method for rapidly digitizing entire microscope slides in combination with software to view and analyze virtual slides.  Aperio’s patented ScanScope® is the enabling technology for pathology PACS (picture archiving and communication systems) and the simultaneous review of specimens internationally, when time is a matter of life and death.

Aperio’s ScanScope line-scanning instrument rapidly digitizes entire microscope slides at diagnostic resolution – 20 times faster, with better image quality and at half the cost of competitive systems. In conjunction with proprietary software for viewing and analyzing virtual slides, including via the Internet, Aperio is the leader in virtual microscopy. Given the inevitability of the future digitization of pathology, Aperio is focused on integrating its virtual microscopy products into existing healthcare information management systems such as PACS, providing pathologists with the same productivity benefits realized by radiology PACS, currently a $1 billion annual market. Aperio's "home run" is automating pattern recognition in an estimated 200 million histology slides prepared annually.

“ABL’s Innovations in HealthcareSM ABBY Award was established to honor companies which best exemplify innovative approaches to providing or enabling the timely delivery of quality, cost effective healthcare,” noted ABL President Mimi Grant.  “I know, from personal experience, the dramatic life saving impact concurrent pathology review could have for patients with life threatening illnesses, particularly cancer.  Frankly, the healthcare world will be a better place for all of us, when every major medical center has an Aperio system.”  Dirk Soenksen, Founder and CEO of Aperio Technologies commented, “Receiving the Gold Abby is truly an honor.  We are extremely pleased to be recognized for the technological breakthroughs we have made in developing products that enable the digitization of pathology.”

Approximately 120 attendees – executives and business leaders from healthcare, life science and venture capital industries – listened to presentations by the nine Abby Award nominees and then voted for the person/company they believed should receive the Innovation in Healthcare (ABBY) Award.  The finalists were selected earlier by ABL's Technology Advisory Board from an array of organizations nominated for their innovative medical products, systems, processes and services. 

Also receiving awards Wednesday were Leonard Schaeffer, Chairman and CEO of WellPoint Health Networks, Inc., who received the first-ever “Leadership in Innovation” Award; George Carpenter, CEO of WorkWell Systems, Inc., of Aliso Viejo, who received the Platinum Abby Award; and Loren Shook, CEO of Silverado Senior Living, of San Juan Capistrano, teamed with Yulun Wang, Ph.D., CEO of InTouch Health, who earned the Silver Abby Award.

The remaining award nominees were:  William Huse, M.D., Ph.D., CEO, of Applied Molecular Evolution, San Diego; Michael Perry, CEO, of CardioDynamics, San Diego; Michael Cho, CEO, of DestinationRx, Los Angeles; Abbe Land, Co-EO, of Los Angeles Free Clinic, Los Angeles; Giovanni Colella, M.D., CEO, of RelayHealth Corporation, Emeryville; and Harry Soza, Founder, of Resolution Health, San Jose.


About ABL Organization

For over 21 years, the ABL Organization (originally named SO/CAL/TEN) has facilitated forums and leveraged connections enabling the continuing development of healthcare and technology chief executives. Through focused, confidential, monthly Round Tables and regularly scheduled Conferences, Members help each other capitalize on market trends and generally assure they are well positioned for corporate and personal success. More information on ABL Organization is available at www.abl.org.


About Innovations in HealthcareSM Awards and Event

The Sixth Annual Innovations in HealthcareSM Awards and Event was held Wednesday, June 16, 2004, at The Sutton Place Hotel in Newport Beach, California.  It was open to ABL Members, as well as senior executives of therapeutic, diagnostic, medical device and healthcare payers, providers, information and services firms. 
* Aperio products are FDA cleared for specific clinical applications, and are intended for research use for other applications.