Ro adds Eli Lilly's Zepbound to its telehealth weight-loss program

On Dec. 13, 2023, the direct-to-patient healthcare company Ro said it had added Zepbound (tirzepatide) injection to its Body Program, its telehealth weight-loss service ^[1]. Zepbound is Eli Lilly's FDA-approved weight-loss drug, and the announcement expanded the list of medications patients can reach through the platform ^[1].

Ro said patients complete an Online Visit and lab testing — through Quest Diagnostics or an at-home collection kit — before a licensed provider assesses whether treatment is appropriate ^[1]. The Body Program launched in January 2023 and has since added medications and tools, according to the company ^[1].

Ro cited a 72-week clinical trial in which Zepbound helped people without diabetes lose an average of 48 pounds, or about 20% of their body weight, when they paired the highest maintenance dose with diet and exercise changes. The comparison group, using diet and exercise alone, lost about 3% ^[1].

Ro said its expanded GLP-1/GIP formulary now includes Wegovy, Ozempic, Saxenda and Zepbound ^[1]. Along with the drug list, the company described benefits verification to help patients understand insurance coverage at the start of treatment and throughout; automated side-effect tracking so patients can tell their care team when more support is needed; AI models used for clerical tasks; and an Apple Health integration that lets patients share weight data with their provider automatically ^[1].

Zachariah Reitano, Ro's co-founder and CEO, said in the announcement: "The possibilities of a world with Zepbound cannot be understated. Hopefully, with more options and more competition, we'll see expanded coverage of these innovative treatments and increased access for patients." ^[1]

Dr. Melynda Barnes, Ro's chief medical officer, said, "Zepbound is poised to be the most impactful anti-obesity medication we've seen so far in our lifetime." She said patients can connect with a provider to evaluate GLP-1 options, understand insurance coverage and get ongoing care and coaching ^[1].

Ro says it has helped millions of patients since 2017, including in areas it describes as covering 98% of primary care deserts ^[1]. The announcement did not disclose pricing for Zepbound through the program, and it did not say how many patients have used it so far ^[1].

Why it matters for patients

Zepbound is approved for people with obesity, defined as a BMI of 30 or higher, or overweight, a BMI of 27 or higher, who also have weight-related medical problems ^[1]. The drug carries a boxed warning: in rodents it causes thyroid C-cell tumors, and the effect in humans is unknown. It should not be used by people who have had medullary thyroid carcinoma or who have Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2, or by anyone whose family has had MTC ^[1].

The safety information lists common side effects including nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach pain, indigestion, injection site reactions, tiredness, allergic reactions, belching, hair loss and heartburn ^[1]. Serious risks listed include severe gastrointestinal disease, acute kidney injury from dehydration, gallbladder disease, pancreatitis, low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes who also take another glucose-lowering medicine, and suicidal behavior and ideation ^[1]. Zepbound should not be used during pregnancy, and it may reduce how well oral hormonal contraceptives work ^[1].

Zepbound arriving on a telehealth platform matters for patients weighing how to get a prescription and how to pay for it. Ro's benefits verification is meant to show coverage before and during treatment, but the announcement did not say what patients without insurance would pay ^[1].

What happens next

No specific dates were given for future changes to the Body Program, and no further milestones were announced ^[1].