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): 12.0-999.0,  Asthma Subjects eligible for enrollment in the study must meet all of the following Type of Subject: Outpatient Age: 12 years of age or older at Visit 1. For sites in the following countries, subjects recruited will be ≥18 years of age: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, New Zealand, Russian Federation, Turkey and any other countries where local regulations or the regulatory status of study medication permit enrollment of adults only Gender: Male or Eligible Female To be eligible for entry into the study, females of childbearing potential must commit to consistent and correct use of an acceptable method of birth control, as defined by the following Male partner who is sterile prior to the female subject's entry into the study and is the sole sexual partner for that female subject Implants of levonorgestrel Injectable progestogen Oral contraceptive (either combined estrogen/progestin or progestin only) Any intrauterine device (IUD) with a documented failure rate of less than 1% per year  History of Life-threatening asthma: Defined for this protocol as an asthma episode that required intubation and/or was associated with hypercapnia, respiratory arrest or hypoxic seizures Respiratory Infection: Culture-documented or suspected bacterial or viral infection of the upper or lower respiratory tract, sinus or middle ear that is not resolved within 4 weeks before Visit 1 and led to a change in asthma management, or in the opinion of the Investigator is expected to affect the subjects asthma status or the subjects ability to participate in the study Asthma Exacerbation: Any asthma exacerbation requiring oral corticosteroids within 3 months of Visit 1. A subject must not have had any hospitalization for asthma within 6 months prior to Visit 1 Concurrent Diseases/Abnormalities: Historical or current evidence of clinically significant uncontrolled disease including, but not limited to: cardiovascular disease, hepatic disease, renal disease, hematological disease, neurological disease, or pulmonary disease (including, but not confined to chronic bronchitis, emphysema, bronchiectasis with the need of treatment, cystic fibrosis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Significant is defined as any disease that, in the opinion of the investigator, would put the safety of the subject at risk through participation, or which would affect the efficacy or safety analysis if the disease/condition exacerbated during the study. The list of additional excluded conditions/diseases includes, but is not limited to the following: congestive heart failure, clinically significant coronary heart disease, stroke within 3 months of Visit 1, poorly controlled peptic ulcer, immunologic compromise, tuberculosis (current or untreated), Addison's disease, uncontrolled thyroid disorder, known aortic aneurysm, clinically significant cardiac arrhythmia, uncontrolled hypertension1, hematological, hepatic, or renal disease, current malignancy2, cushings disease, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, recent history of drug or alcohol abuse systolic blood pressure ≥160, or diastolic blood pressure >100 history of malignancy is acceptable only if subject has been in remission for one year prior to Visit 1 (remission = no current evidence of malignancy and no treatment for the malignancy in the 12 months prior to Visit 1) Patients with a history of tuberculosis who have received an approved prophylactic treatment regimen or an approved active treatment regimen and who have had no evidence of active disease for a minimum of 2 years may be enrolled [American Thoracic Society, 2003; American Thoracic Society, 2005]" Oropharyngeal Examination: A subject will not be eligible for the run-in if he/she has clinical visual evidence of oral candidiasis at Visit 1 Investigational Medications: A subject must not have participated in a study or used any investigational drug within 30 days prior to Visit 1 Drug Allergy: Any adverse reaction including immediate or delayed hypersensitivity to any beta2-agonist, sympathomimetic drug, or any intranasal, inhaled, or systemic corticosteroid therapy. Known or suspected sensitivity to the constituents of the novel dry powder inhaler or (i.e., lactose or magnesium stearate)