A New Modified-release Tablet Formulation of Prednisone (Lodotra®) in Patients With Nocturnal Asthma

Inclusion Criteria: * The subject must be able to understand the terms of the written informed consent form, and must provide a dated and signed form before the start of any study procedure * At least 18 years old * Patient having a diagnosis of asthma dating back more than 6 months at the time of inclusion * Asthma necessitating a continuous treatment by oral corticoids * A minimum of 3 nocturnal awakenings due to asthma during the last screening week * Stable dose of oral glucocorticoids for at least 4 weeks prior to inclusion into the study * No change in asthma medication during the last 4 weeks prior to V0 * Non-smoker or ex-smoker (having stopped smoking more than one year previously and with a smoking history of less than 10 pack years ) * Female patients of childbearing potential must be using a medically accepted contraceptive regimen * Able to perform the required study procedures including handling of medication containers and diaries Exclusion Criteria: * Poorly controlled asthma, defined as meeting at least one of the following within the 4 weeks prior to Visit V0: * hospital admission for asthma (including treatment in an emergency room), * a lower airway infection, * Diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other relevant lung diseases (e.g. history of bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, bronchiolitis, lung resection, lung cancer, active tuberculosis, interstitial lung disease) * Clinically significant abnormalities of the hematological or biochemical constants * Pregnancy or breastfeeding * Participation in another clinical study within 30 days preceding Visit V0, * Re-entry of patients previously enrolled in this trial, * Suspected inability or unwillingness to comply with the study procedures * Alcohol or drug abuse * Need to take a non-authorised concomitant treatment (cf. list of medicaments not authorised during the study) in the course of the study * Other disease requiring treatment with corticosteroids * Subject is the investigator or any subinvestigator, research assistant, pharmacist, study coordinator, other staff or relative thereof directly involved in the conduct of the protocol * Patient with a hospitalisation scheduled during the study period * Any uncontrolled concomitant disease requiring further clinical evaluation (e.g. uncontrolled diabetes, uncontrolled hypertension, etc.)