Inclusion Criteria:

• Provision of written informed consent
• Type 2 diabetic patients (age: 30 to 75 years) treated by one or two oral agents at fixed dose (sulfonylureas, metformin, alpha glucosidase inhibitors) for at least 6 months
• Fasting triglycerides >= 150 mg/dl
• HDL-C < 40 mg/dl in men and < 50 mg/dl in women (NCEP ATPIII lipid criteria for the metabolic syndrome)
• Patients not receiving hypolipidemic agents since at least 6 months
• Diabetic patients with stable HbA1c during the last 6 months
• Subjects willing to follow all study procedures including attendance at clinic for scheduled study visits and compliance with study treatment regimen

Exclusion Criteria:

• HbA1c > 9 %
• LDL-C > 190 mg/dl
• Known heterozygous or homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia or known type III hyperlipoproteinaemia (familial dysbetalipoproteinaemia
• Documented secondary hypercholesterolaemia of any cause
• History of serious adverse effect or hypersensitivity reactions to other HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, in particular any history of myopathy
• Pregnant women, women who are breast feeding and women of childbearing potential who are not using chemical or mechanical contraception (prescription oral contraceptives, abstinence, condoms with spermicide, surgical sterilisation, diaphragm with spermicide or intrauterine device) or have positive pregnancy test
• History of malignancy, except subjects who have been disease free for more than 10 years or whose only malignancy has been basal or squamous cell skin carcinoma. Women with a history of cervical dysplasia should be excluded unless 3 consecutive normal cervical smears have subsequently been recorded before entry into the study
• History of alcohol and/or drug abuse
• Active liver disease or hepatic dysfunction as defined by elevations of AST or ALT * 2 times the ULN. In this case, a second determination of hepatic tests will be performed after one week. If the dysfunction is confirmed, the subject must not be included in the study
• Patient with acromegaly or Cushing syndrome
• Patient receiving insulin treatment
• Use of drugs known to affect lipid metabolism: corticoids, retinoids, antiproteases, estrogens, cyclosporin, glitazones, statins other than rosuvastatin, fibrates, cholestyramine, nicotinic acid, omega 3 or phytosterols
• Renal impairment as defined by creatinine clearance < 30 ml/min.
• Unstable angina or manifestation of severe atherosclerosis.
• Uncontrolled hypertension defined as either resting diastolic blood pressure of >95mmHg or resting systolic blood pressure of >200 mmHg.
• Unexplained serum CK > 3 times ULN (eg. not due to recent trauma, intramuscular injections, heavy exercise, etc).
• Participation in another investigational drug trial within 4 weeks prior to randomization.
• Subjects with serious or unstable medical or psychological condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would compromise the subject's safety or successful participation in the trial.
• Subjects with serious or unstable medical or psychological condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would compromise the subject's safety or successful participation in the trial.