Zhao Ning Obituary, Death – Zhao Ning, the wealthy cofounder of the Shanghai and Hong Kong-listed pharmaceutical research firm WuXi AppTec, died at the age of 56 following a 20-year battle with cancer. Zhao died on Tuesday, and the company expressed gratitude to her for helping to strengthen its analytical talents and championing its talent plans.
“During her long battle against cancer, Dr. Ning Zhao’s strong sense of purpose led to her tireless global philanthropic efforts to support cancer research and foster future leaders so that new treatments and cures will benefit patients around the world,” according to the obituary. Zhao cofounded Wuxi AppTec with her husband Li Ge, who holds a doctorate in organic chemistry from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Peking University. According to Forbes, the 56-year-old Li, who also holds a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Columbia University, is a billionaire worth $5.1 billion.
Over the previous 20 years, the couple has grown Wuxi Apptec into one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical research organizations. With offices in Asia, Europe, and North America, the organization provides services such as new medication discovery, preclinical testing, and clinical research. Revenues increased 5.8% year on year to roughly 9 billion yuan ($1.3 billion) in the first quarter of 2023, according to the company, whose partners include multinational Johnson & Johnson and U.S.-based biotechnology company Wugen Inc. And it made a net profit of $310 million, up 32% over the same period last year.
According to the company, it serves over 6,000 clients in over 30 countries. However, the rate of rise is likely to be significantly slower than in 2022, when revenue increased 73% to $5.7 billion, thanks in part to robust demand for Covid-related drug testing services. The corporation is now trying to grow in Singapore, where it aims to invest $1.4 billion in labs and research facilities over the next decade.
