Early Life
Patrick Soon-Shiong was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, on July 29, 1952. He is of Chinese heritage. Growing up in apartheid South Africa, he experienced the injustices of the system firsthand, which shaped his perspective and fueled his passion for helping underdogs. He graduated from high school at 16 and completed his medical degree at the University of the Witwatersrand at the age of 23.
Rise to Success
Soon-Shiong immigrated to the United States and became a board-certified surgeon in 1984. He is best known for inventing the cancer drug Abraxane, a protein-bound form of the chemotherapy drug paclitaxel, which he developed through his company Abraxis BioScience. Abraxis was sold to Celgene in 2010 for $2.9 billion. He also founded American Pharmaceutical Partners (APP) which was sold to Fresenius in 2008 for $4.6 billion. Soon-Shiong has since founded NantWorks, a network of companies focused on healthcare, biotech, and AI. He is also the owner and executive chairman of the Los Angeles Times and has a minority ownership stake in the Los Angeles Lakers.
Key Business Strategies
Soon-Shiong's business strategy centers on innovation, particularly in the fields of medicine and technology. His ventures focus on converging technologies to improve healthcare outcomes. Key strategies include the development of new drugs and therapies, and the use of data and technology to improve healthcare delivery. He has a history of acquiring companies and taking them public to raise capital.
Philanthropy
Soon-Shiong is committed to philanthropy and has pledged to give away at least half of his wealth through the Chan Soon-Shiong Family Foundation. His philanthropic initiatives include supporting medical research, healthcare access, and education. He has established NantAfrica, Nant South Africa (NantSA), and Nant Botswana (NantBW) to advance health in Africa.
