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