Dose Response Study of Inhaled Ciclesonide (Glucocorticosteroid) to Patients With Persistent Asthma

A Placebo- and Active-Controlled (Ciclesonide Metered-Dose Inhaler), Randomized, Parallel-Group, Dose-Range Finding Study of Ciclesonide Administered by Dry Powder Inhaler (Ultrahaler) in Adult and Adolescent Patients With Persistent Asthma

To investigate the efficacy and safety of ciclesonide inhaled into the lungs in a range of doses in a new dry powder inhaler compared to ciclesonide inhaled into the lungs using a metered dose inhaler

Inclusion Criteria:

• Males or females 12 years or older; History of persistent bronchial asthma for at least 6 months; Documented use of an inhaled steroid for at least 1 month before screening; At screening, FEV1 40% or more of predicted normal and at randomization, FEV1 between 40 and 80% predicted normal; Reversibility of FEV1 by at least 12% and 200 ml post-bronchodilator; Be able to use oral inhalers; Non-smokers

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of life-threatening asthma; other pulmonary diseases; URI within 4 weeks before screening; Use of systemic steroids within 1 month before screening or more than 3 times in previous 6 months; beta-adrenergic blocking agent use; More than 2 in-patient hospitalizations or ER visits due to asthma exacerbations in the prior year before screening; Pregnant or breast-feeding females; Females of child-bearing potential not using adequate means of birth control; Clinically relevant cardiovascular, hepatic, neurologic, endocrine, or other major systemic disease; Abnormal clinical laboratory parameters that would limit participation in the study or interfere with interpretation of study results; History of drug or alcohol abuse; Treatment with any investigational product within 30 days prior to study entry