In a heart-wrenching turn of events in 1996, Martine Rothblatt’s six-year-old daughter was diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension, a disease with no cure. Determined to save her daughter’s life, Rothblatt, who co-founded Sirius Satellite Radio, founded her own biotech firm with the sole purpose of finding a cure for the rare illness. Fast forward nearly three decades, and Rothblatt’s daughter is now healthy in her 30s, thanks to the efforts of United Therapeutics, the publicly traded firm launched by Rothblatt. The company’s shares have skyrocketed, making Rothblatt the world’s newest billionaire.
United Therapeutics, based in Silver Spring, Maryland, generated $2.1 billion in sales last year by selling FDA-approved drugs to help people like Rothblatt’s daughter treat pulmonary arterial hypertension. The firm has seen its shares soar this year, with a 50% increase in 2024 alone. Rothblatt, now 69, has been instrumental in leading the company as CEO and has also played a key role in pushing its subsidiary Revivicor into xenotransplantation, specifically manufacturing pig organs to transplant into humans with end-stage renal and cardiac diseases.
Rothblatt’s net worth has seen a significant increase over the years, from $390 million in 2015 to $1 billion in 2021. With 650,000 shares in United Therapeutics, options to acquire more stock, cash from her decades in business, and houses in multiple states, Rothblatt has joined the ranks of America’s self-made women billionaires. However, her path to success has been far from straightforward. Born in San Diego in 1954, Rothblatt embarked on a journey that led her to co-found Sirius Satellite Radio in 1990, followed by the launch of United Therapeutics in 1999 in pursuit of a cure for PAH.
United Therapeutics has made significant strides in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension, with FDA-approved drugs such as Remodulin and Tyvaso, which have helped push the company’s sales beyond $2 billion in 2023. Despite concerns about competition from other treatments, United Therapeutics continues to innovate and expand its reach, with ongoing trials for new treatments and investments in xenotransplantation. Rothblatt’s dedication to saving lives through groundbreaking research and development has proven to be not only lifesaving but also financially rewarding.
Rothblatt’s personal journey as a transgender woman and advocate for LGBTQ rights has been just as remarkable as her professional success. As a licensed helicopter pilot and advocate for transhumanism, Rothblatt’s vision for the future includes the potential for people to upload their minds to computers and create computer-run doppelgangers. Through her work with the Terasem Movement and her wife Bina, Rothblatt continues to explore innovative and visionary ideas that push the boundaries of what is possible. Ultimately, Rothblatt’s relentless pursuit of solutions, from satellite radio to xenotransplantation, has not only saved lives but also propelled her into the billionaire ranks, solidifying her status as a pioneering figure in the world of biotechnology and beyond.
