Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Beclomethasone Dipropionate in Adolescent and Adult Patients 12 Years of Age and Older With Persistent Asthma

Change from baseline in the weekly average of daily trough morning (pre-dose and pre-rescue bronchodilator) PEF by handheld spirometer over the 6-week treatment period. PEF were determined twice daily, in the morning and in the evening, before administration of study drug or rescue medications. A handheld spirometer was provided to patients and used to determine the morning and evening PEF throughout the study. The spirometer was programmed to record the highest PEF obtained from 3 valid attempts. Baseline was defined as the average of recorded trough morning PEF assessments over the 7 days prior to the first dose of double-blind study treatment, including the morning assessment at the randomization visit. The LS means, difference of LS means and its 95% confidence interval, and p value are obtained from the mixed model for repeated measures analysis with covariate adjustment for baseline, sex, age, current asthma therapy, treatment, week, and treatment by week interaction.

Change from baseline in the weekly average of daily trough morning (pre-dose and pre-rescue bronchodilator) FEV1 by handheld spirometer over the 6-week treatment period. FEV1 were determined twice daily, in the morning and in the evening, before administration of study drug or rescue medications. A handheld spirometer was provided to patients and used to determine the morning and evening FEV1 throughout the study. The spirometer was programmed to record the highest FEV1 obtained from 3 valid attempts. Baseline was defined as the average of recorded trough morning FEV1 assessments over the 7 days prior to the first dose of double-blind study treatment, including the morning assessment at the randomization visit. The LS means, difference of LS means and its 95% confidence interval, and p value are obtained from the mixed model for repeated measures analysis with covariate adjustment for baseline, sex, age, current asthma therapy, treatment, week, and treatment by week interaction.

Change from baseline in the weekly average of total daily (24-hour) use of albuterol/salbutamol inhalation aerosol over weeks 1 through 6. Patients recorded the number of inhalations (puffs used) of rescue medication (albuterol/salbutamol HFA MDI [90 mcg ex-actuator] or equivalent) each morning and evening in the diary. The average number of daily inhalations over the 7 days before the randomization visit was the baseline value and was compared with the rescue medication use during the 6-week treatment period.

Asthma symptom scores were recorded in the patient's diary each morning and evening before determining FEV1 and PEF and before administration of study or rescue medications. The Daytime Symptom Score was recorded in the evening on a scale of 0 (No symptoms during the day) to 5 (Symptoms so severe that I could not go to work or perform normal daily activities) plus the Nighttime Symptom Score in the morning on a scale of 0 (No symptoms during the night) to 4 (Symptoms so severe that I did not sleep at all) for a total score range of 0-9. Baseline was defined as the average of recorded daily asthma symptom scores (average of daytime and nighttime score) over the 7 days prior to the first dose of double-blind study treatment, including the morning assessment at the randomization visit. The LS means, difference of LS means and its 95% CI, and p value are obtained from the mixed model for repeated measures analysis with covariate adjustment for baseline, sex, age, current asth

Number of participants who were withdrawn from study drug due to worsening asthma. Alert criteria for individual patients with worsening asthma were designed to ensure patient safety. The investigator determined whether the patient's overall clinical picture was consistent with worsening asthma and if the patient should be withdrawn from study drug treatment (but not the study) and be placed on appropriate asthma therapy in the interest of patient safety. An example of an alert criteria is:

• Morning FEV1 by handheld spirometer as measured at home falls below the FEV1 stability limit (FEV1 <80%) as calculated at the screening visit for the Run-in Period and at the randomization visit (Day 0) for the Treatment Period on 4 or more days out of any 7-day period.

An adverse event was defined in the protocol as any untoward medical occurrence that develops or worsens in severity during the conduct of a clinical study and does not necessarily have a causal relationship to the study drug. Severity was rated by the investigator on a scale of mild, moderate and severe, with severe= an inability to carry out usual activities. Relation of AE to treatment was determined by the investigator. Serious AEs include death, a life-threatening adverse event, inpatient hospitalization or prolongation of existing hospitalization, persistent or significant disability or incapacity, a congenital anomaly/birth defect, or an important medical event that may not result in death, be life-threatening, or require hospitalization, but may jeopardize the patient and may require medical intervention to prevent one of the outcomes listed in this definition.