M42’s Imperial College London Diabetes & Endocrine Centre and Medtronic to establish Middle East Centre of Reference for Automated Insulin Delivery

Announced on the sidelines of the DistinctPRO Diabetes Innovation Summit 2026 in Dubai, the initiative supports broader regional access to advanced diabetes technologies through expanded healthcare professional training and education.

Imperial College London Diabetes & Endocrine Centre (ICLDEC), part of M42’s outpatient care portfolio, and Medtronic, a global healthcare technology company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalise a strategic collaboration to establish a Centre of Reference (COR) for automated insulin delivery (AID) in the Middle East. The agreement was signed during the DistinctPRO Diabetes Innovation Summit 2026, held in Dubai.

The collaboration is designed to strengthen regional capabilities in insulin pump therapy and automated insulin delivery through structured clinical collaboration, shared best practices, and professional education. The COR will support the development of care pathways, and facilitate knowledge exchange, and build long-term capacity for advanced diabetes and metabolic care across the regional healthcare ecosystem.

Diabetes remains a major health challenge across the Middle East and North Africa, according to the International Diabetes Federation1.Recent updates to the American Diabetes Association’s 2006 Standards of Care have reinforced the role of automated insulin delivery systems in type 1 diabetes and strengthened recommendations for insulin pump use in selected people with type 2 diabetes.

Dr. Mai Ahmed Al Jaber, Chief Executive Officer, Outpatient Care, M42, said: “Becoming a Centre of Reference for Automated Insulin Delivery reflects ICLDEC’s long-term commitment to advancing diabetes care through innovation, education, and collaboration. Our partnership with Medtronic underscores a shared focus on developing practical, scalable models that strengthen care delivery and support improved outcomes for people living with diabetes across the region and beyond.”

Hülya Tiner, Vice President for Strategic Marketing for Medtronic in the EurAsia region said: At Medtronic, we aim to improve outcomes for people living with diabetes by making innovative technologies more accessible. Partnering with ICLDEC to establish a Center of Reference for Automated Insulin Delivery strengthens our commitment to expanding access to proven, intelligent insulin delivery solutions in the Middle East. By combining our global leadership with ICLDEC’s regional expertise, we are creating a powerful platform to support clinicians and accelerate personalised diabetes care across the region.

The MoU was announced during the DistinctPRO Diabetes Innovation Summit 2026, a Dubai Health Authority–accredited and International Diabetes Federation–endorsed forum, now in its fourth edition. The two-day summit brought together 150 clinicians, researchers, and healthcare leaders from the Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe, Australia, and other international markets to examine how innovation and collaboration are shaping the future of personalised diabetes care.

DistinctPRO 2026 featured a curated scientific programme developed by a joint ICLDEC-Medtronic committee, with sessions spanning automated insulin delivery, time-in-range optimisation, AI-enabled clinical decision-making, digital health platforms, and technology-enabled care for special populations. Through plenaries, panel discussions, and masterclasses, participants explored the practical application of innovation in diverse clinical settings.

Hosted at the Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City, the summit highlighted Dubai’s role as a global convening location for diabetes innovation, while reinforcing ICLDEC’s position as a regional and international centre for cutting-edge diabetes technology, research, and education. The event reflected a shared commitment by ICLDEC and Medtronic to support the continued evolution of personalised, data-driven care models that deliver meaningful value for people living with diabetes, healthcare systems, and wider communities.