Actress Holly Robinson Peete and her husband, former professional quarterback Rodney Peete, are hitting the road for another starring role in Sumitomo Pharma America’s Gemtesa campaign, “Time To Go.”
In “Pit Stops with the Peetes,” the couple, who serve as “Gemtesa Go-Getters,” share how the overactive bladder (OAB) drug has helped them return to one of their favorite activities, road trips, without worrying about frequent bathroom stops.
“Holly and I love taking road trips together but, in the past, because of my OAB, we often had to make unplanned stops—I even started carrying a ‘Travel John,’” Peete said in a Nov. 2 press release. “Now with symptom relief thanks to Gemtesa, I don’t have to worry about stopping so often to go to the bathroom and can be more in the moment with Holly.”
Robinson Peete, for her part, is “excited to continue the partnership” with Gemtesa and Sumitomo and to “continue to raise awareness about this condition that impacts so many people,” she said, adding that her symptoms have decreased “significantly” since starting Gemtesa.
The campaign website features a new video of the couple traveling along California’s Pacific Coast Highway, armed with Gemtesa and “pausing for the views—not OAB symptoms.” In the video, the couple discuss their previous experiences planning bathroom stops and dealing with urinary urgency during trips before getting their symptoms under control. The site also offers a self-assessment tool and other patient resources.
“21 Jump Street” actress Robinson Peete has been involved with the educational “Time To Go” campaign since 2023, when Gemtesa was marketed by Sumitomo subsidiary Urovant Sciences. Sumitomo continued the marketing push under the Sumitomo Pharma America name after the Japanese drugmaker combined seven of its business units into one U.S. entity later that year.
Robinson Peete later became the first “Gemtesa Go-Getter” and helped break down OAB stigma alongside other patients in the “Go-Getters” patient ambassador program. Last year, the Peetes made Gemtesa promotion a family affair when Rodney, who also takes Gemtesa, joined his wife in the campaign.
Rodney Peete also takes medication for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), aligning with Gemtesa’s 2024 label expansion for men with OAB symptoms who are receiving treatment for BPH. Robinson Peete’s own experience with OAB led her to recognize the signs in her husband’s changing bathroom habits, the couple explained at the time.
OAB affects both men and women in the U.S., but embarrassment can be a barrier to seeking care. Sumitomo has cited research showing that 46% of men consider embarrassment a primary barrier to being completely honest with their doctors. Peete’s involvement with the campaign helps represent “men everywhere who are impacted by OAB but might be too embarrassed or scared to talk about it,” Sumitomo Pharma America Vice President of Marketing Alana Darden Powell has said.
In the newest road trip-themed chapter of the campaign, the company is “helping spotlight how OAB can interrupt everyday moments, from road trips to time with loved ones, and encouraging men and women to have conversations with their doctor about treatment options,” Darden Powell explained. “Our hope is to reduce stigma surrounding bladder health and empower patients with the information they need to spend less time planning around their symptoms and more time enjoying the moments that matter.”
Sumitomo Pharma is focusing on “maximizing the value” of Gemtesa and its prostate cancer drug Orgovyx under its 2028 growth strategy by “actively highlighting their clinical benefits,” the company said in March. Sumitomo expects the two drugs to generate more than 350 billion yen ($2.2 billion) in combined annual sales in fiscal 2028.
Parent company Sumitomo Chemical raised its full-year sales forecast Nov. 2 from 2.36 trillion yen ($14.9 billion) to 2.49 trillion yen ($15.7 billion), a 5.5% increase in anticipated revenue. The company attributed the higher forecast in part to growing North American Gemtesa sales within its pharmaceutical business.