The following study is based on a previous clinical trial performed at ikfe GmbH in Mainz in 2006 and 2007 (PIOswitch). [2] The purpose of this trial was to demonstrate that type 2 diabetes patients treated with insulin can be effectively switched to a pioglitazone/glimepiride combination without loss of glycemic control. The study was performed with 100 patients, out of whom 76 were finally successfully switched, resulting in a cheaper and more convenient therapy with indications of an improved laboratory cardiovascular risk biomarker profile (Hohberg et al., Diabetes Obes. Metab. 11:464-471, 2009). [2] Glimeperide is an agent with unspecific stimulating effect on the ß-cell and is considered to accelerate the progression of the disease while still controlling blood glucose. In addition, it may cause hypoglycemia. The combination of pioglitazone with glimepiride was selected, because pioglitazone requires approx. 5-6 weeks for developing its full anti-diabetic efficacy and an immediate effect on glucose was required to avoid glycemic deterioration.