Patrick Soon-Shiong
Born 1952 · Age 73
South African–American transplant surgeon, medical researcher, entrepreneur and biotech investor; inventor of Abraxane; founder of NantWorks; owner of the Los Angeles Times; minority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Born to Chinese immigrant parents (Hakka) in Port Elizabeth in the then Union of South Africa.
Entered university
Began medical studies early — entered university at age 16 (per biographical accounts).
Graduated MBBCh, University of the Witwatersrand
Received bachelor of medicine (MBBCh) at age 23, graduating near top of class (4th of 189).
Medical internship at Johannesburg General Hospital
Completed medical internship at Johannesburg General Hospital; was among the first Chinese interns permitted to practice there during apartheid.
Worked at Baragwanath Hospital during Soweto unrest
Volunteered to treat injured students during the Soweto uprising and worked in TB clinics, formative experience influencing later philanthropy.
Married Michele B. Chan and moved to Canada
Married Michele Chan and emigrated to Canada to continue training.
Earned MSc, University of British Columbia
Completed a Master of Science degree at the University of British Columbia (master's thesis dated October 1979).
Moved to the United States for surgical training
Relocated to Los Angeles to follow mentor and begin surgical residency/training at UCLA.
Joined UCLA Medical School faculty
Appointed Assistant Professor of Surgery and Assistant Professor of Medicine at UCLA (served on faculty 1983–1991).
Board certified surgeon and associate investigator role
Became board-certified (American Board of Surgery) and served 1984–1987 as an associate investigator at the Center for Ulcer Research and Education.
Performed first whole-pancreas transplant at UCLA (and West Coast milestone)
Credited with performing UCLA's/West Coast's first whole-organ pancreas transplant (dates vary between late 1980s–early 1990s across sources).
Left UCLA to found VivoRx Inc.
Departed academia for industry and founded a diabetes and cancer biotechnology firm, VivoRx.
Performed first encapsulated human islet transplant
Performed the world's first encapsulated-human-islet transplant and also reported pig-to-human islet-cell transplant in diabetic patients.
Invented Abraxane (first human protein nanoparticle chemotherapy)
Devised the albumin-bound nanoparticle formulation of paclitaxel (Abraxane) designed to improve tumor delivery.
Founded APP Pharmaceuticals (American Pharmaceutical Partners)
Founded APP Pharmaceuticals and reportedly held ~80% of outstanding stock; grew injectable generics business.
Purchased Fujisawa injectable generics business
Acquired Fujisawa business that sold injectable generic drugs; step in building APP and manufacturing capabilities.
Founded (or led) Abraxis BioScience (developed Abraxane commercially)
Led/company formed that developed Abraxane into a commercial oncology product (sources date Abraxis activities in late 1990s–2000s).
Abraxane approved by FDA for metastatic breast cancer
Abraxane (albumin-bound paclitaxel) received FDA approval for metastatic breast cancer (first major regulatory approval).
Founded NantHealth
Started NantHealth to provide fiber-optic, cloud-based data infrastructure for healthcare information sharing.
Sold APP to Fresenius for $4.6 billion
APP Pharmaceuticals was acquired by Fresenius AG for up to $4.6 billion; Soon-Shiong reportedly owned ~80% at sale.
Underwrote guarantee for Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital project
Provided a crucial financial guarantee (reported $100M guarantee contingent on county default) to help enable the building/opening of Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital (hospital opened 2015).
Returned to UCLA as professor (circa 2009)
After time in industry, returned to UCLA in 2009 as professor of microbiology, immunology, molecular genetics and bioengineering and executive director of Wireless Health Institute roles around this period.
Named Business Person of the Year (Los Angeles Business Journal)
Recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as Business Person of the Year (2010).
Sold Abraxis to Celgene (cash-and-stock deal)
Abraxis BioScience was acquired by Celgene in 2010 (deal value reported between ~$2.9B and ~$3.8B); Soon-Shiong reportedly made ~$533M profit from the deal.
Purchased minority stake in Los Angeles Lakers
Became a minority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers (bought Magic Johnson's reported ~4.5% stake).
Acquired/led California NanoSystems Institute and NASA research collaborations (ongoing)
During UCLA years and later, led CNSI development and participated in NASA-sponsored stem cell/nanotechnology research (including shuttle program experiments).
Visiting professor at Imperial College London
Held visiting professorship at Imperial College London (recorded in 2011).
Acquired National LambdaRail (NLR) fiber network
Purchased the National LambdaRail to integrate supercomputing data centers and support genomic/AI infrastructure (later evolved to MOX Networks).
Founded NantWorks LLC
Established NantWorks as an ecosystem of healthcare, biotech and AI companies to converge computing, networking and life sciences.
Founded NantOmics
Started NantOmics to develop cancer drugs and protein kinase inhibitors; subsidiary of NantWorks.
Early investor in Zoom Video Communications
Reported as an early investor in Zoom in 2013.
Invested $2.5M in AccuRadio
NantWorks invested $2.5 million in AccuRadio (digital radio service).
Met with Joe Biden to discuss cancer initiatives
Met with then-former VP Joe Biden in 2015 to discuss a large genomic sequencing project and ideas that influenced the U.S. 'Cancer Moonshot'.
Bought Cynviloq rights from Sorrento (NantPharma deal)
NantPharma agreed to buy Cynviloq for $90M upfront plus >$1B in regulatory/sales milestones (later litigation/controversy over development choices).
Reported $148M pay package from NantKwest for 2015
Los Angeles Times reported Soon-Shiong received nearly $148 million compensation from NantKwest in 2015.
Returned public involvement in media and civic causes
Increased philanthropic and civic investments in Los Angeles area hospitals, community institutions, and the press; further philanthropic commitments leading to Giving Pledge membership (date of pledge reported but unspecified).
NantKwest IPO (biotech IPO valued at $2.6B)
Initiated an IPO for NantKwest (formerly ConkWest) with a market value at listing reported around $2.6 billion.
Patent and publications milestone (circa 2016)
Biographical sources circa 2016 cited he had published over 100 scientific papers and held more than 400 patents worldwide.
Announced Cancer Breakthroughs 2020 initiative
Launched a collaboration (Cancer Breakthroughs 2020) to accelerate combination immunotherapy trials and individualized cancer vaccine development.
Launched the National Immunotherapy Coalition
Early-2016 effort to encourage rival pharmaceutical companies to collaborate on combination cancer treatments.
Received Franklin Institute Bower Award (2016)
Awarded the Franklin Institute Bower Award/Leadership in recognition of contributions to digital medical technology and cancer treatment advancement.
Received Pontifical Key Visionary Award (Vatican)
Honored at the Vatican with the Pontifical Key Visionary Award recognizing medical innovation with global impact.
Smithsonian invited him and wife to be part of permanent exhibit
He and his wife were included in the National Museum of American History exhibit 'Many Voices, One Nation'.
Chan Soon-Shiong NantHealth Foundation scrutiny
Politico reported in 2017 that the Chan Soon-Shiong NantHealth Foundation had spent significant funds on organizations he controlled, leading to an audit and critique about procurement/grant practices.
Met with President-elect Donald Trump at Bedminster
Met with Trump during transition to discuss national medical priorities (reported Jan 2017).
Appointed to Health Information Technology Advisory Committee
Named by House Speaker Paul Ryan to the HHS Health Information Technology Advisory Committee (established by the 21st Century Cures Act).
Reached deal to buy the Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union-Tribune
NantCapital announced a deal to purchase the Los Angeles Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune from Tronc Inc. for nearly $500M plus assumption of ~$90M in pension obligations.
Sale of Los Angeles Times closed
Closing date for the acquisition of Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union-Tribune (deal closed June 18, 2018).
NantEnergy announced zinc–air battery development
Announced a zinc–air battery with projected cost of $100/kWh, undercutting standard lithium-ion costs.
Increased stake in Directa Plus (graphene firm)
Reported investor in Directa Plus and owning a 28% stake of the European graphene-based technology company.
Nant/Immunity teams developed COVID-19 vaccine candidates
His teams devoted efforts to a vaccine intended to induce both antibody and T-cell responses; pre-clinical NHP studies showed protection per company statements.
Announced $29M investment in NantRenewables bioplastics plant
Announced a $29 million investment to open a biorenewables/bioplastics facility at SeaPoint in Savannah, Georgia.
ImmunityBio and NantKwest completed merger
Merged publicly traded NantKwest with privately held ImmunityBio; new public company traded under IBRX (ImmunityBio, Inc.).
ImmunityBio COVID vaccine reached Phase III trials in South Africa
By summer 2021 ImmunityBio had a T-cell-inducing universal booster that reached Phase III trials in South Africa, per company statements.
Announced NantSA venture with President Cyril Ramaphosa
Announced NantSA to expand vaccine development/manufacturing capability for Sub-Saharan Africa; signed collaborations with CSIR, SAMRC and CERI.
Opened vaccine manufacturing facility/campus in Cape Town
Opened new NantSA manufacturing campus in Cape Town with President Ramaphosa; reported investment of over 4 billion rand (~$250M) into Africa.
Invested in Sienza (lithium battery company)
Made an investment in Sienza (battery technology firm) in Pasadena, CA (Feb 2022 reporting).
Recognized among 100 most influential celebrities in oncology
Listed by OncoDaily as one of the 100 most influential celebrities in oncology (2023 edition).
Sold San Diego Union-Tribune to MediaNews Group
Sold the San Diego Union-Tribune (originally purchased with the LA Times) to MediaNews Group (July 2023).
Blocked LA Times presidential endorsement (Oct 2024)
Blocked the paper from endorsing a presidential candidate (reported blockade of Kamala Harris endorsement preparations), triggering staff resignations and subscription losses.
Fired entire LA Times editorial board and announced replacement plans
LA Times fired its editorial board and Soon-Shiong announced plans to replace them to pursue a 'fair and balanced' approach, provoking media coverage and controversy.
Announced AI-powered 'bias meter' for LA Times
Announced the newspaper would employ an AI bias meter to measure perceived bias in coverage, part of efforts to reshape the opinion/newsroom mix.
Patents milestone (AATS/biographies updated)
Later institutional biographies (AATS / NantWorks) claim over 675 patents worldwide (figures vary by source and time).
Accused of editing LA Times op-ed to align with his views (Jan 2025)
An author alleged that portions of his op-ed critical of RFK Jr.'s confirmation were removed prior to publication; Soon-Shiong had publicly endorsed RFK Jr.
Net worth per Bloomberg Billionaires Index
Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimated Soon-Shiong's net worth at US$11.3 billion (2025 figure reported).
Key Achievement Ages
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