Pharmaceutical company Tolmar has partnered with direct-to-consumer telehealth company UpScriptHealth to provide telehealth consultations for Jatenzo, an oral testosterone-replacement therapy (TRT) for adult men.

Tolmar, which acquired Jatenzo in 2022, is positioning the TRT treatment as suited for patients who lack testosterone or have low testosterone levels due to hypogonadism or other medical conditions.

The treatment protocol for patients seeking testosterone, including Jatenzo, includes a series of lab tests to determine whether testosterone is the correct treatment for the patient. 

Peter Ax, founder and CEO of UpScriptHealth, told MobiHealthNews that the streamlined digital experience lets patients connect with licensed providers to receive treatment and ongoing care management from home.

"By making the entire process more accessible and convenient, we expect better adherence rates for patients receiving testosterone replacement therapy," he explained. He said the collaboration with Tolmar was representative of a broader shift in how treatments for complex conditions can reach more patients.

"Patients increasingly expect healthcare to fit their lifestyle, not the other way around," Ax said. "There's growing recognition that telehealth can provide more consistent monitoring and support than traditional models."

THE LARGER TREND

UpScriptHealth has launched more than 50 partnerships with pharma and has been expanding into rare diseases and complex care models, including on-site diagnostic testing for esophageal cancer, infusion care and the coordination of care with Alternative Sites of Care. 

The company works in a complicated regulatory environment, having to comply with fifty state laws and various federal laws regarding the delivery of care, patient safety and privacy, steering and other areas of regulation.

"Compliance is fundamental to everything we do at UpScriptHealth," Ax said. "We have prioritized adherence since its inception and helped shape many of the regulations now guiding the industry."

He explained that patient safety and data privacy are paramount and that focusing on compliance is critical in building trust with patients and partners.

"UpScriptHealth’s clinicians are not incentivized to write prescriptions or to encourage the use of a specific therapy," he said.

The company also offers treatments for hair loss and erectile dysfunction, and Ax noted that men who historically avoided seeking treatment due to stigma or inconvenience are now actively engaging with their health through UpScriptHealth’s platform.

"Our goal is to make UpScriptHealth the comprehensive digital home for men's health, where patients can access the full spectrum of care they need with the convenience they expect," Ax said.

In July, Axena Health and UpScriptHealth partnered to offer women online consultations with UpScriptHealth providers. This allows them to receive prescriptions for Axena’s Leva Pelvic Health System.

The company has teamed up with medical device companies, including Spark Biomedical, to provide telehealth for its FDA-cleared opioid-withdrawal wearable, and Lucid Diagnostics, to expand access to esophageal pre-cancer testing, while it also enables telehealth consultations for Spark Biomedical's Sparrow Ascent wearable.