Dr. Alan Lotvin, right, celebrates the launch of twiist. (Photo by Scott Merrill)
Sequel, the Manchester-based medical technology startup co-founded by innovator Dean Kamen, marked a major milestone April 30 as it onboarded the first users of its new insulin delivery system, twiist. But these weren’t customers—they were employees, stepping up as the first to use the device outside a clinical trial.
“This is the culmination of everything we’ve worked for,” says co-founder Dr. Alan Lotvin, addressing employees and guests. “And what’s more meaningful than 37 of our team members—nearly 15% of the company—saying, ‘We trust this device with our health’? That speaks volumes.”
The twiist Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) system, powered by Tidepool, is cleared for those six and older with type 1 diabetes and is the first of its kind to measure the volume of insulin delivered with each microdose. The system uses sound waves to precisely track delivery and detect blockages faster than any other AID system on the market, the company states.
While the idea of wearable insulin pumps is not new, twiist distinguishes itself with its speed, accuracy, and user-focused design, which is also waterproof, according to the company. The device adjusts insulin delivery in real-time based on glucose sensor data and can be used with an Apple Watch app, or an iOS app. “You’re not guessing anymore,” says Lotvin. “We know exactly how much insulin was delivered every single time. That opens the door for better control and, eventually, more responsive algorithms.”
Sequel was founded in 2023 by Kamen, Lotvin, entrepreneur Pablo Legorreta, and medical device executive Bill Doyle. All of Sequel’s engineering and manufacturing is in Manchester. “Dean Kamen walked in just this morning with a prototype I asked for yesterday,” Lotvin says. “That kind of speed and collaboration doesn’t happen in most places.”
While a broader commercial rollout is expected in the coming months, Lotvin says, scalability is a priority: “If 25,000 people want this on July 1st, we can’t support that day one. But we’re building toward it.”
The mood at Sequel’s recent launch was celebratory with employees lined up to begin training on a device their colleagues spent years designing. “In two years, our team has built a company and launched a product,” says Lotvin. “It was far harder than I thought, but more rewarding than I could’ve ever imagined.” For more information, visit twiist.com.
