Weight loss pharmaceutical company expanding to Tampa

OrderlyMeds, a Georgia-based medical weight loss and health technology company, is expanding to the Tampa area. It will start leasing a 50,000 sq foot Falkenburg Road facility in August for pharmaceutical manufacturing and office space.

Founder and CEO Chris Spears said his team chose Tampa out of a national search. “Tampa was above and beyond in their receptiveness, just being open, friendly, communicative to what we were trying to accomplish”, he said. “It’s more about the people, I think a facility space is a facility space wherever you put it and manufacturing is probably generally the same … The human capital side is going to be what makes that facility super-successful, and allows us to execute on our mission.”

Chris Spears, CEO & Founder, OrderlyMeds.

OrderlyMeds’ main goal is to help customers reach weight loss milestones by improving their overall health. Spears founded it out of personal experience. As he began a health journey himself, he realized that while weight loss medications work, companies that were selling them were not offering a comprehensive experience for patients. They did not discuss nutrition, fitness or mental health, all of which are a part of the weight loss process.

When Spears and his team launched OrderlyMeds in 2023, they vowed to create an experience they would want themselves. “We decided to start it on the mandate that we would provide all of the things that go around the medication to make you successful,” Spears explained.

Tampa’s influence in the healthcare industry is expanding. According to the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council, the industry in the area is anticipated to grow by more than six percent over the next five years.

Tampa Bay is home to nearly 1100 life sciences companies, supporting more than 25,000 jobs.

“OrderlyMeds is a welcome addition to our growing sector of innovative life sciences companies,” Ron Christaldi, chair of the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council, said in a prepared statement. “With the exceptional talent available here, we are confident that they will find the professionals they need to rapidly expand and succeed in our market.”

The company plans to offer nearly 100 new high-wage jobs over a three year span, contributing to Tampa Bay’s booming market. These roles include pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and executive and operations positions.

Manufacturing will be a key aspect of OrderlyMeds’ operations in Tampa. Spears said it was a strategic move to help make its medications more available to the general public. “The primary driver for us moving into the pharmacy space and doing our own manufacturing is so that we can continue to reduce the costs of these medications for the U.S. consumer … when we are completely in control of our supply chain, we should be able to bring down our current price point dramatically in a way that just opens up a whole new level of access to a consumer that otherwise would never be able to get these medications.”

Once patients go through a screening, they will consult with one of OrderlyMeds’s licensed medical providers. This televisit will determine a healthcare plan for the patient, including what GLP-1 medications would be best suited for their needs.

The company’s health experts will also provide fitness and nutritional guidance.

Since launching, OrderlyMeds has worked with 55,000 patients. Being able to have a life-changing impact motivates the OrderlyMeds team every day to do their best work, Spears said. “Everybody’s inspired by that idea of helping people really thrive.”

Spears and his colleagues are excited about the opportunities that Tampa will bring. “We’re really approaching the Tampa facility as our worldwide headquarters,” he added. “This is going to become the primary platform for us to grow the business.”