Ro is an American telehealth company that diagnoses patients, and subsequently prescribes and delivers treatments and ongoing care.[1][2] The company is headquartered in New York City.[3] Ro has nationwide telehealth, labs, and pharmacy services across the continental United States.[4][5] Ro has been used by at least one patient in every county in the United States and has been utilized in 98% of primary care deserts.[6]
Ro was launched as Roman in October 2017 by Zachariah Reitano, Saman Rahmanian, and Rob Schutz.[7] Reitano's personal experience with a heart condition, and his desire to recreate his father, a doctor, out of software, inspired him to co-found the company.[8][9][10] Ro raised $3.1 million in a seed funding round led by General Catalyst and launched with a telemedicine practice, in addition to a pharmacy, to distribute medications.[11] In September 2018, the company renamed itself Ro and expanded its treatment to additional pathologies like hair loss, cold sores, and premature ejaculation.[12][13]
In 2018, Ro raised $88 million in a Series A funding round led by FirstMark Capital, and added Reddit Founder Alexis Ohanian as a board director.[14] In 2019, Ro expanded to offer services for women.[15] In January 2020, Ro partnered with Pfizer for the sourcing of Sildenafil.[16] In July 2020, Ro raised $200 million in a series C funding round.[17] In March 2021, Ro raised $500 million in a series D funding round led by General Catalyst, FirstMark Capital, and TQ Ventures, giving the company a $5 billion valuation.[18] Margo Giorgiadis, formerly the CEO of Ancestry.com, also joined Ro’s Board of Directors.[19]
In 2021, Ro acquired Modern Fertility and Kit.[20]
In 2024, Ro launched two new compounded erectile dysfunction medications, Daily Rise gummies and Sparks.[21][22][23]
Ro began to treat obesity through supplying Gelesis100.[29] In January 2023, Ro expanded obesity treatment through GLP-1 receptor agonists through its Body Program.[30][31] An ad campaign for Ro’s Body Program on the New York City Subway was criticized for being too "evocative".[32] After the medication gained FDA approval in 2023, Ro began prescribing Zepbound to medically-eligible patients through its Body Program.[33]
In May 2024, in response to continual GLP-1 supply shortages, Ro launched a GLP-1 Supply Tracker to help people crowdsource information about medication supply and availability, receiving tens of thousands of reports from across the country.[34] Later that year, the company also launched a free tool for anyone to learn more about their insurance coverage of GLP-1 receptor agonists.[34]
In December of 2024, Ro announced that they were working with pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly to offer Zepbound vials via the platform through an integration with LillyDirect.[35]
Platform
Ro patients fill out a dynamic online visit answering questions about their health, lifestyle, medical history, and symptoms. A physician then reviews the results and prescribes medication if appropriate. Medications are shipped directly to the patient's home.[36] Ro's platform is vertically integrated with labs and pharmacies in the United States.[37][38]
Research
In October 2022, Ro reached an agreement with the National Institute on Aging to create a registry of patients for future Alzheimer's disease research and clinical trials.[39] Ro has published research on a variety of telehealth topics, including comparable rates of side effects found with treatment via asynchronous and synchronous virtual care.[40]
Acquisitions
In December 2020, the company acquired WorkPath, which sends phlebotomists into patient homes to draw blood for diagnostic tests.[18]
On May 19, 2021, the company announced that it had acquired women's reproductive health company Modern Fertility, in a deal reported to be over $225 million.[41]
On June 30, 2021, the company announced the acquisition of Kit, a startup offering at-home diagnostic tests, including finger prick blood tests and weight measurement tools.[42]
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