A year to the day after declaring the FDA’s clearance of its automated insulin pump, Sequel Med Tech announced that its first connected continuous glucose monitor will be Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus.
Greenlit for people ages six and older with Type 1 diabetes, Sequel’s twiist system is slated to begin its commercial launch by the end of June. The pump—designed by inventor Dean Kamen’s Deka Research & Development—also incorporates the FDA-cleared Tidepool Loop software program, to record CGM blood sugar readings, make predictions based on trends and adjust its background insulin levels accordingly.
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“This collaboration highlights our commitment to making advanced diabetes management more accessible and flexible for people living with diabetes,” Sequel co-founder and CEO Alan Lotvin said in a statement. “Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre technology, known for its user-friendly design and broad accessibility, complements our innovative system.”
sequel twiist deka pump
The twiist pump. (Sequel Med Tech)
According to the Manchester, New Hampshire-based company, the twiist is the first automated insulin delivery system, or AID, to directly measure the volume of each dose, helping to ensure accurate delivery and alert users to potential blockages.
Sequel also outlined plans to offer a savings program for U.S. twiist users covered by commercial insurance, who subscribe to the system through a retail pharmacy. According to the company, most people with Type 1 diabetes will be able to obtain the pump for no more than $50 per month, based on their copay and coinsurance costs, and without a multi-year commitment.
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Deka previously collaborated with Eli Lilly to develop an automated insulin pump for people with Type 1 diabetes, but that work ended in 2020. Lilly would also later end its own pump R&D efforts two years later, as well as a collaboration with Ypsomed, in order to focus on its digital insulin pen.
Meanwhile, Deka would first put its AID system up for FDA review in late 2021. After an initial clearance in July 2023, it received a new 510(k) green light in early 2024 that expanded its use from children as young as 13 to those as young as 6, alongside additional nods for the Tidepool controlling software and insulin tubing sets.