Patrick Soon-Shiong, often described as the “world’s richest doctor”, has built his career at the intersection of medicine, technology and bold entrepreneurship. Born in South Africa to Chinese immigrant parents, he became a surgeon, researcher, and later a biotech billionaire. Today, he is best known as the founder of NantWorks, a network of companies pushing the boundaries of cancer treatment, artificial intelligence in healthcare, and vaccine development.
A surgeon turned biotech pioneer
After moving to the United States, Soon-Shiong became a professor of surgery at UCLA, where his early research focused on cancer and diabetes. In the 1990s, he developed Abraxane, a revolutionary chemotherapy drug that delivers treatment more effectively with fewer side effects. The success of Abraxane transformed the biotech landscape and earned him billions when his company was acquired by Celgene in 2010.
But wealth was never his only goal. Soon-Shiong has consistently emphasised the need to bring scientific innovation closer to patients at a global scale.
NantWorks: building the future of medicine
Through NantWorks and its subsidiaries, Soon-Shiong is reshaping modern healthcare:
Cancer “moonshot”: His ambitious project aims to turn cancer into a manageable chronic disease by leveraging genomic data, immunotherapy, and nanotechnology. Artificial intelligence for health: NantHealth applies AI and big data to accelerate diagnostics and tailor treatments, creating personalised medicine for patients. Next-generation vaccines: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Soon-Shiong invested heavily in vaccine research and production in both the US and South Africa, ensuring local manufacturing capacity for future pandemics.
Philanthropy and public health leadership
Soon-Shiong has donated billions to medical research and healthcare equity, funding initiatives that bridge the gap between advanced science and underserved populations. In his native South Africa, he invested in vaccine facilities to strengthen the continent’s autonomy in medical production.
Through the Chan Soon-Shiong Family Foundation, he supports education, digital literacy, and public health initiatives worldwide. His philosophy echoes his own immigrant journey: science should never be a privilege of the few, but a right for all.
Recognition and controversies
His bold vision has earned him both admiration and criticism. Admirers see him as a medical visionary capable of revolutionising cancer care, while critics question whether some of his projects are too ambitious or over-promised.
Nevertheless, his influence is undeniable: from the US government’s cancer “moonshot” initiative to Africa’s vaccine security, Soon-Shiong has shaped global healthcare conversations for decades.
The bigger picture: a disruptor with a global lens
Patrick Soon-Shiong represents the fusion of medicine and entrepreneurship. By combining cutting-edge science with large-scale philanthropy, he has redefined what it means to be a physician in the 21st century — not confined to the operating room, but influencing industries, governments, and societies.
At a time when cancer, pandemics, and inequality dominate the global agenda, his work is a reminder that the future of medicine lies in integration: between data and biology, profit and purpose, science and humanity.
