Efficacy of Ciclesonide vs Placebo Administered as Once Daily or Twice Daily in Patients Not Treated With Inhaled Corticosteroid.

Inclusion Criteria: * Males or females 12 years or older * History of persistent bronchial asthma for at least 6 months * Documented use of bronchodilators (short acting only) only or methylxanthines for at least 1 month before screening * At screening, FEV1 60 to 90% of predicted. Reversibility of FEV1 by at least 12% post-bronchodilator * Be able to use oral inhalers * Non-smokers Exclusion Criteria: * History of life-threatening asthma * Other pulmonary diseases * URI within 4 weeks before screening * Use of systemic steroids within 6 months before screening. Use of inhaled steroids within 30 days before screening. More than 2 in-patient hospitalizations or ER visits due to asthma exacerbations in the prior year before screening * Pregnant or breast-feeding females * Females of child-bearing potential not using adequate means of birth control * Clinically relevant cardiovascular, hepatic, neurologic, endocrine, or other major systemic disease * Abnormal clinical laboratory parameters that would limit participation in the study or interfere with interpretation of study results * History of drug or alcohol abuse * Treatment with any investigational product within 30 days prior to study entry