A Dose Ranging Trial of 4 Doses of Indacaterol Delivered Via TWISTHALER® Device in Adult and Adolescent Patients With Persistent Asthma

This study will evaluate the dose response relationship among four doses of indacaterol as well as placebo delivered via the TWISTHALER® device.


Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Male and female adult and adolescent patients aged 12-75 years inclusive (or ≥18-75 years depending upon regulatory and/or Institutional Review Board (IRB)/Independent Ethics Committee (IEC)/Research Ethics Board (REB) approval), who have signed an Informed Consent Form prior to initiation of any study-related procedure, including any adjustments to asthma medication prior to Visit 1. Patients below the legal age of consent are required to have the Informed Consent Form signed by the patient's parent / guardian.
2. Patients with asthma, diagnosed according to Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines (National Institute of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, 2006) and who additionally meet the following criteria:

   1. Patients receiving daily treatment with inhaled corticosteroid up to the maximum dose per day indicated in the package leaflet, in a stable regimen for the month prior to Visit 1.
   2. Patients with a Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1) at Visit 1 of ≥50% of the predicted normal value for the patient. This criterion for FEV1 will have to be demonstrated after a washout period of at least 6 hours during which no short acting β2-agonist has been inhaled, and a minimum of 48 hours for a long acting β2-agonist.
   3. Patients who demonstrate an increase of ≥12% and ≥200 mL in FEV1 over their pre-bronchodilator value within 30 minutes after inhaling a total of 200 µg/180 µg of salbutamol/albuterol Metered Dose Inhaler (MDI) (or equivalent dose of Dry Powder Inhaler \[DPI\]) (the reversibility test). Reversibility will have to be demonstrated after an appropriate washout period of at least 6 hrs prior to the evaluation for a short-acting β2-agonist. The administration of salbutamol/albuterol for the reversibility test is to be within 30 minutes after pre bronchodilator spirometry. Reversibility has to be demonstrated at Visit 1 or between Visits 1 and 2, in order for patients to be included in the trial.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pregnant women, nursing mothers, or females of childbearing potential, regardless of whether or not sexually active, if they are not using a reliable form of contraception.
* Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), or current smokers, or patients who have used tobacco products within the 6 month period prior to Visit 1, or who have a smoking history of greater than 10 pack years.
* Patients:

  1. who's asthma is likely to deteriorate during the study (including seasonal allergy),
  2. hospitalized for an acute asthma attack/asthma exacerbation within 6 months prior to Visit 1,
  3. who have had an emergency room visit for an asthma attack/asthma exacerbation within 6 weeks prior to Visit 1
  4. who have had a respiratory tract infection or emergency room treatment for an asthma attack/asthma exacerbation within 4 weeks prior to Visit 1
  5. Patients who require the use of ≥8 inhalations per day of short acting B2-agonist (100 µg/ 90 µg salbutamol/albuterol MDI or equivalent dose of DPI) on any 2 consecutive days from Screening to Randomization.

Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply