The X PRIZE Foundation,
an educational nonprofit prize institute dedicated to fostering radical breakthroughs
for the benefit of humanity, today announced the appointment of Patrick Soon-Shiong,
M.D., as Chairman of its Life Sciences Prize Group Steering Committee (GSC).
Under Dr. Soon-Shiong's direction, the GSC will steer the direction of future
Life Science related X PRIZEs to ensure that they address the audacious grand
challenges where market failures currently exist. The Life Sciences GSC will
address such subjects as healthcare, genomics, proteonomics, bionics/human augmentation,
rapid disease detection, disease prevention, human longevity and artificial
intelligence in medical diagnosis.
Dr. Soon-Shiong, who also serves as Chairman and CEO for Abraxis BioScience
Inc., a global pharmaceutical company, will soon expand the group to include
other key individuals that represent the breadth of the life sciences areas.
"The need to transform healthcare in our country is a national, moral
and economic imperative. Stimulating innovation through nonprofit organizations
such as The X PRIZE Foundation is an important catalyst. It is my vision that
X PRIZEs will help transform healthcare in the United States," said Soon-Shiong.
"This transformation will require the integration of many disciplines both
within life sciences and others that encompass math, informatics and energy
to achieve accelerated outcomes to solve some of the most complex challenges
we face today. My role as Chairman of the Group Steering Committee will be to
ensure that the Foundation remains focused on the grand challenges facing humanity
and applies X PRIZEs to areas that could have meaningful impact in changing
the lives of all."
The X PRIZE Foundation is currently operating a single prize in the Life Sciences
area -- the Archon Genomic X PRIZE -- which challenges scientists and bioengineers
to be the first to sequence 100 human genomes within 10 days or less. Several
others are in development, including a Healthcare X PRIZE in partnership with
WellPoint Inc., one of the nation's largest health benefits companies. Other
potential prizes include: point-of-care tuberculosis diagnosis, bionics and
vision restoration. Life Sciences currently represents the Foundation's most
active portfolio of prize development.
"Dr. Soon-Shiong's vision for healthcare, coupled with his extraordinary
credentials as a scientist, physician and innovator, makes him ideal to lead
the Foundation's Life Sciences Prize Group Steering Committee," said Robert
K. Weiss, President, The X PRIZE Foundation. "We're thrilled that he will
champion the X PRIZE model for innovation in Life Sciences."
Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, Chairman and CEO, The X PRIZE Foundation, adds, "Dr.
Soon-Shiong has a breadth of interests and expertise that spans all the areas
of Life Sciences prize development that the Foundation is pursuing. The audacity
of his vision and his desire to boldly change the future of Life Sciences makes
him a natural partner for The X PRIZE Foundation and the best choice for Chairman
of our Group Steering Committee. I'm excited to be working with him."
ABOUT PATRICK SOON-SHIONG
Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong is Chairman and CEO of the global pharmaceutical company,
Abraxis BioScience Inc. A noted researcher, physician and surgeon, Soon-Shiong
developed and co-invented the nanoparticle delivery technology known as Abraxane,
which is used in the treatment of advanced metastatic breast cancer. This technology
is also being developed for lung, ovarian, prostate, melanoma, head and neck
cancers.
Dr. Soon-Shiong's research has received numerous national awards, including:
the American College of Surgeons Schering Award, the Peter Kiewit Distinguished
Membership in Medicine Award, and the International J.W. Hyatt Award for Service
to Mankind. He is the recipient of the Gilda Club Award for the advancement
of cancer medicine, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the St. Mary Medical Center
Life Achievement Award, the St. John's Health Center Caritas Award, and the
Medical Visionary Award from the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. His work
has also been recognized by such noted organizations as the Association for
Academic Surgery and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Dr. Soon-Shiong currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National
Institute of Transplantation, the Technology Council for the new Center for
Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence at Northwestern University and advisory boards
for the RAND Corporation, the RAND Center for Asia Pacific Policy, the RAND
Health Board, and The President's Council at RAND. He is also a member of the
Board of Trustees for the Saint John's Health Center in Los Angeles, the Advisory
Board of the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA, and the USC Viterbi School
of Engineering.
Dr. Soon-Shiong has turned his attention more intensively onto the widening
gap between the rapid advancements in medicine and physicians' cognitive abilities
to process and interpret large amounts of information at a rapid pace. As Chairman
of the newly formed Chan Soon-Shiong Family Foundation, Dr. Soon-Shiong is focused
on charitable endeavors that will transform healthcare in America.
Posted March 9th, 2009
