Ro Telehealth Platform Demonstrates Clinical Trial-Level Semaglutide Outcomes in Real-World Study
Key Insights
Ro's peer-reviewed study published in Obesity journal shows patients achieved 16.6% average body weight loss over 68 weeks with semaglutide via telehealth.
The study represents the first evaluation of long-term weight loss and safety outcomes for semaglutide treatment through telehealth platforms.
Results demonstrate that 95.4% of patients achieved ≥5% weight loss and 82.0% achieved ≥10% weight loss, with safety profiles consistent with clinical trials.
Ro, a direct-to-patient healthcare company, has published the first peer-reviewed study evaluating long-term weight loss and safety outcomes of semaglutide treatment delivered via telehealth. The research, published in Obesity, the official journal of The Obesity Society, demonstrates that patients achieved weight loss outcomes and safety profiles consistent with clinical trials, with an average body weight reduction of 16.6% over 68 weeks.
Study Design and Patient Population
The study included a random nationwide sample of 655 patients treated with branded semaglutide (Wegovy or Ozempic) through Ro's platform who persisted with treatment and reported their weight at 68 weeks (±14 days). The patient population was 67.9% women with a mean age of 45.8 years, median baseline body mass index (BMI) of 32.3 kg/m² (IQR 30.2-35.5), and baseline median weight of 94.3 kg. At 68 weeks, 52.1% of patients were on a 2.4 mg dose of semaglutide.
The research was conducted by Ro in collaboration with clinical advisors Dr. Beverly Tchang, MD, and Professor David B. Allison, PhD. Dr. Tchang, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and triple board-certified physician in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, and Obesity Medicine, served as lead author of the study.
Weight Loss Outcomes
Among the 655 participants (445 women and 210 men), the average body weight reduction was 16.6% (SD 7.5; 95% CI: −17.1 to −16.0). The study achieved significant weight loss milestones across the patient population: 95.4% (95% CI 93.5-96.9) achieved ≥5% body weight loss, 82.0% achieved ≥10% body weight loss (95% CI 78.8-84.9), and 32.8% achieved ≥20% body weight loss (95% CI 29.2-36.6) over the study period.
Safety Profile and Platform Features
The most frequently reported side effects were nausea or vomiting (37.3%) and constipation (15.6%), with no new safety concerns identified. The study was able to assess safety using structured side effect check-ins that patients regularly complete throughout their treatment on Ro's platform, enabling evaluation of the type, rate, and severity of side effects that were consistent with other real-world evidence and the STEP trials.
Ro's platform features uniquely enabled the research through patient dose-logging capabilities that tracked exact dates for first doses and ongoing weight reporting. Patients had access to Ro's comprehensive obesity care offering, including ongoing clinician support, 24/7 messaging, side effect monitoring, personalized medication adjustment, educational resources, and 1-to-1 coaching from nurses.
Clinical Significance for Telehealth
"As GLP-1s have transformed the obesity treatment landscape, it's become clear that telehealth is a crucial tool to meet the need for large-scale weight management care," said Dr. Beverly Tchang. "Now, this study not only reinforces the evidence base for telehealth, but shows that Ro can help patients reach the kinds of outcomes seen in clinical trials."
The study represents the largest sample of patients with overweight or obesity treated with semaglutide for more than a year via telehealth. According to Zach Reitano, CEO and Co-founder of Ro, "Every single part of Ro's platform is designed to deliver the best experience possible and make it easier for millions of patients to get the care they need, without compromising on efficacy or safety."
Research Foundation and Future Directions
This study builds on Ro's clinical research foundation, including eight abstracts presented at ObesityWeek® 2025 in November. The research topics spanned from AI applications to improve patient experience, including evaluation of Ro's LLM-enabled adverse event reporting tool, to outcomes among patients treated with GLP-1s for conditions such as osteoarthritis.
The company has also collaborated with leading obesity experts, including Professor Allison and Emily Dhurandhar, PhD, who developed the 'Ro Allison Indiana Dhurandhar Food Noise' (RAID-FN) Inventory, a clinically-validated scale to measure 'food noise.' Ro's platform enabled precise real-world measurement of safety and outcomes, providing clear evidence of the quality of obesity care available through telehealth delivery.