Crossover Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Different Doses of Indacaterol in Patients With Persistent Asthma

A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Crossover Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Five Different Doses of Inhaled Indacaterol (QAB149) Delivered Via the Single Dose Dry Powder Inhaler (SDDPI) in Patients With Persistent Asthma

The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of indacaterol 55µg once daily (and 27.5 µg twice) in QVA149 compared to 75 µg indacaterol monotherapy.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Asthma for at least 6 months, using inhaled corticosteroid for at least one month, foreced breath test less than below the normal value of the general population, -show an immediate improvement in breathing when given albuterol

Exclusion Criteria:

• patients who have smoked in the past 6 months or are currently smoking, including those who smoked more than a pack of cigarettes a day for at least 10 years, -patients who have a history of life-threatening asthma, -patients who have had an astham attack, in the last 6 weeks, requiring use of systemic steroids, hospitalization, or ER visit, -patients who have had a respiratory tract infection or worsening asthma between screening or run-in periods, patients requring use of other asthma-related drugs during the trial, other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion may apply