Patrick Soon-Shiong (born July 29, 1952) is a South African-born American surgeon, scientist, inventor, biotech entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is best known for inventing Abraxane (nab-paclitaxel), a protein nanoparticle drug approved for treating breast, lung, and pancreatic cancers.
Early Life and Education
Born in Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha), South Africa, to Chinese immigrant parents who fled Japan’s occupation of China during World War II, he grew up under apartheid. His family ran a small shop. Despite systemic barriers, he excelled academically: he entered medical school at age 16, graduated fourth in his class of about 200 from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg with an MBBCh degree in 1975 (at age 23), and completed further training including an MSc.
As a Chinese South African, he faced discrimination (e.g., needing government permission to practice and receiving lower pay), but he worked in challenging settings like a tuberculosis clinic. He later moved to Canada and the U.S. for advanced surgical training, becoming one of the youngest professors of surgery at UCLA and performing pioneering pancreas and kidney transplants.
Career and Achievements
- Medical Innovations: He developed techniques for pancreatic islet cell transplantation for diabetes and focused on cancer therapies. Abraxane, commercialized through his companies (American Pharmaceutical Partners and Abraxis BioScience), became a major success. He sold these for billions (around $9.1 billion combined).
- Biotech Ventures: Founder of NantWorks, an ecosystem of companies in healthcare, biotech, AI, and more. He is Executive Chairman and Global Chief Scientific and Medical Officer of ImmunityBio, which focuses on immunotherapies (e.g., Anktiva, approved in 2024 for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer). He has over 500 patents and 100+ scientific publications.
- Media and Other Interests: Owner and Executive Chairman of the Los Angeles Times (and The San Diego Union-Tribune) since 2018. He has investments in areas like AI, batteries, and bioplastics.
- Philanthropy and Africa Ties: Through the Chan Soon-Shiong Family Foundation and initiatives like NantSA, he supports vaccine development, health infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa, and other causes. He remains connected to his South African roots.
Personal Life and Net Worth
He is married to Michele Chan-Soon-Shiong (also a Wits alumna), and they have two children. The family resides in the Los Angeles area. His net worth is estimated in the billions (e.g., around $8.6B as of recent Forbes data), largely from biotech exits.
Soon-Shiong exemplifies a path from modest beginnings under apartheid to global impact in medicine and business, emphasizing immune-based approaches to cancer and innovation across disciplines
