Denmark’s Novo Nordisk, the world’s biggest maker of insulin, said on Friday a phase II study showed promising results for its diabetes drug liraglutide.

“The impressive clinical data for liraglutide holds great promise for improving the treatment of type 2 diabetes; simultaneous glucose control and weight loss in the absence of hypoglycaemic events,” Novo Nordisk chief science officer Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen said in a statement.

NovoNordisk said phase III studies with liraglutide would begin in February 2006.