Some analysts estimate that anti-obesity medications could grow into a $100 billion industry by the end of the decade.
In 2020, Ro switched to obesity management and, after Wegovy was approved by the Food and Drug Adminstration the following year, Reitano said patient inquiries started pouring in by the "tens of thousands." In December, the company entered the GLP-1 market, with a behavioral-support program that's available through its general membership subscription, starting at $23 per month. Members can participate whether they get a GLP-1 prescription through their primary care physician or through the new WeightWatchers Clinic, introduced alongside the behavioral program.
It hasn't been enough to change WeightWatchers' trajectory. The stock has plummeted 83% this year on concerns about the company's debt load, its core weight loss business and Oprah Winfrey's Average weight loss among patients was 16.2% at 12 months in the program, 17.3% at 18 months and 17.9% at 24 months, according to the report.
Reitano said Ro has built up "both technical tools and operations" to help patients navigate supply issues. That includes transferring prescriptions to different pharmacies based on their GLP-1 supply and proximity to a patient. From July to August, the company made 50,000 phone calls to pharmacies across the U.S. to coordinate those transfers, Reitano said.