West Hills, Calif. (July 8, 2021) – Pharmavite, the makers of Nature Made® vitamins and supplements, announced today that it has acquired leading urinary health brand Uqora as part of its ongoing commitment to providing science-based solutions in the underserved women’s health market. Founded in 2017 by partners Jenna Ryan and Spencer Gordon, Uqora is a San Diego-based company addressing urinary health issues with a combination of reactive solutions and proactive care. Uqora sells its products direct to consumer through www.uqora.com and has experienced triple-digit growth since launch.
“Uqora’s science-based approach to addressing women’s urinary health issues aligns perfectly with our 50-year history of offering high-quality science-based products,” said Jeff Boutelle, CEO of Pharmavite. “Uqora plays a central role in our long-term strategy to offer the most comprehensive women’s health platform in the vitamin, mineral and supplement industry and alongside our existing EQUELLE® brand, furthers our commitment to innovating in the underserved women’s health market.”
Urinary tract infections are the most common bacterial infection requiring medical care in the US, and the second most common infection behind the common cold. UTIs disproportionately impact women – between 50% and 60% will have at least one UTI in their life with a 20-40% chance of UTI recurrence. Current treatments rely heavily on antibiotics with a growing number of UTIs becoming resistant. Uqora was established when the founder became stuck in a cycle of UTIs with no effective, long-term option for relief and decided to focus on ways to support a healthy urinary tract.
“This is an exciting moment for me, Spencer and the Uqora team — this acquisition means we now have access to resources from a leader in the health and wellness space who can help us further our research efforts and accelerate our ability to develop new products,” said Jenna Ryan, CEO and Co-Founder of Uqora. “Our goal has always been to make our products available to every person who needs them. With Pharmavite, we know we can bring that vision to life.”
Ryan added: “Treating our customers like friends and building a community around this hugely underserved topic has always been a top priority for us, and that won’t change as we join Pharmavite. We’re so grateful to all of our customers for helping us build this community, and we will continue to take our responsibility to deliver the best care and solutions very seriously.”
Uqora offers supplements under the product names TARGET, CONTROL, and PROMOTE for proactive urinary health and drugs/medical devices under the product names CLARIFY, COMBAT, and SOOTHE to identify and treat the symptoms of UTIs. Following the acquisition, which closed on July 1, 2021, Uqora will continue to operate from San Diego and the co-founders, as well as the current team, will continue to work on growing the business as part of Pharmavite.
With the closing of this deal, Pharmavite now offers an unrivaled set of solutions in the women’s health space. The company already offers EQUELLE®, a non-prescription dietary supplement that is clinically validated to help in managing multiple menopause symptoms, and along with the acquisition of Uqora is committed to expanding in this area.
“This is an important moment at Pharmavite that underscores our commitment to women’s health. Through research and development, new product innovation and potential further acquisition, we are focused on making long-term investments in providing better solutions for women to proactively manage their own health and wellness,” said Tobe Cohen, Chief Growth Officer at Pharmavite.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. William Hood & Company, LLC served as exclusive financial advisor to Pharmavite in the transaction and Whipstitch Capital Served as Exclusive Financial Advisor to Uqora.
ABOUT PHARMAVITE LLC
Pharmavite is a pioneer in the health and wellness industry, earning the trust of consumers, healthcare professionals and retailers by developing innovative vitamin and supplement solutions backed by science that adhere to strict manufacturing practices. Through its Nature Made®, EQUELLE®, Uqora, and MegaFood® brands, Pharmavite is dedicated to helping people live healthier, more vital lives. Based in California, Pharmavite is a subsidiary of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Visit www.pharmavite.com and follow us on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/pharmavite) for the latest news and information about Pharmavite and its brands.
ABOUT UQORA
Uqora, a Pharmavite company, is a San Diego-based healthcare company specializing in urinary tract health. Uqora’s roots lie in proactive urinary tract care and research, leading the way in the development of next-generation health products. Uqora continues to expand high-quality research in the world of urinary health in cutting-edge, effective ways. With Uqora, consumers can address every aspect of their urinary tract health, from proactive care to diagnostics and UTI symptom management. Visit www.uqora.com to learn more.
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Contacts:
Alan McNamara, Vice President, Communications, Pharmavite: amcnamara@pharmavite.com
Alexandara Cheadle, M Booth PR: Alexandriac@mbooth.com
