Patient description: The patient is a 15-year-old boy with asthma diagnosed a year ago. He presents with shortness of breath, chest tightening and cough. According to his mother, he didn't respond to the usual corticosteroid inhaler. He was admitted to the emergency department with diagnosis of severe asthma exacerbation. He is a candidate for general corticosteroid therapy. Spirometry revealed a forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) of 60% of the predicted. His past medical history is non-significant. His family history is significant for asthma in his mother and his uncle. He used to be treated with combination of inhaled corticosteroids and Zafirlukast.

Clinical trial eligibility criteria: eligible ages (years): 18.0-999.0,  Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Moderate Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Asthma Asthma Physician diagnosis of asthma with history of any or all of the following: recurrent wheezing, recurrent chest tightness, recurrent difficulty breathing, or cough, particularly worse at nighttime Never smoked or former smokers (= 6 months since cessation) ≥18 years of age Prebronchodilator Forced Expiratory Volume in 1sec (FEV1) ≥ 60% Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) predicted, prebronchodilator total lung capacity (TLC) ≥ 80% predicted Intermountain Thoracic Society (ITS), and prebronchodilator single breath carbon monoxide diffusing capacity of the lung (DLco) (unc) ≥70% predicted (Miller) < 30% day-to-day variability in daily morning Peak expiratory Volume (PEF) during the 2-week run-in period Significant improvement in pre to postbronchodilator spirometry (defined as an increase from baseline of ≥ 12% and ≥ 200 mL in FEV1 or Forced Vital Capacity [FVC]) at Screening/Visit 1 or documented significant improvement in pre to postbronchodilator spirometry (as defined above) within past 12 months in subject's medical records or a documented positive methacholine challenge test within the past 12 months COPD Physician diagnosis of COPD (including emphysema and/or chronic bronchitis), history of dyspnea and/or intermittent or daily chronic cough with or without sputum production, not attributable to any other known cause  History of pulmonary exacerbation within 8 weeks of screening/V1 or between V1 and V2 Use of systemic corticosteroids or antibiotics for respiratory illness within 8 weeks of screening/V1 OR between V1 and V2 Increase from baseline in the use of short-acting bronchodilator or short-acting anticholinergic agents, or the combination of the 2, by ≥6 puffs or ≥3 nebulizer treatments per day for ≥ 2 days Treatment with supplemental oxygen therapy, room air oxygen saturation, 94% or history of intubation or ICU admission for respiratory illness in the past 5 yrs Greater than 2 hospitalizations or ER or urgent care visits or required >3 courses of systemic steroid in the past 12 months for respiratory illness Use of Symlin® (pramlintide acetate) within the preceding 90 days Two or more severe hypoglycemic episodes within 6 months of screening or episode of severe hypoglycemia between Screening and Baseline Previous exposure to any inhaled insulin product Currently using an insulin delivery pump Requires significant change (define as initiation of a new medication or change in the dose or frequency of the controller medications) in the asthma or COPD therapeutic regimen within 8 weeks of Screening/Visit 1 (Week -4) or between Visit 1 and Baseline/Visit 2