Telehealth company Ro has appointed tennis legend Serena Williams as its celebrity patient ambassador for weight-loss treatments.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion will lead a multi-year national marketing campaign for GLP-1 medications following her retirement from professional tennis in 2022.
“I don’t take shortcuts,“ Williams stated in an NBC News interview, explaining that her previous weight-loss efforts included professional tennis training.
“I was doing everything right … but my body wasn’t responding the way it used to,“ she added.
Williams revealed in an advertisement that the treatments helped her lose 31 pounds (14 kilograms) after struggling with post-pregnancy weight.
“Serena knows people may be surprised to learn that she would use a GLP-1, and that’s exactly why we think she is the perfect person to share her story,“ said a Ro spokesperson.
Ro confirmed that Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, is both an investor in the company and serves on its board.
GLP-1 drugs promote weight loss by reducing appetite and slowing stomach emptying, with Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound demonstrating approximately 20% weight reduction.
Ro sells both medications through its weight-loss program but declined to specify which branded GLP-1 treatment Williams used.
Former Ro strategy analyst Paul Cerro noted that this partnership will enhance Ro’s visibility and credibility in the competitive weight-loss drug market.
“Well known people are willing to put their name with a company that they believe is doing the right thing in the right way,“ said Cerro.
Ro provides cash-pay access to Zepbound and Wegovy through Novo and Lilly’s direct pharmacies while also offering compounded Wegovy for medically eligible patients. – Reuters
