Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of AIN457 in Patients With Uncontrolled Asthma

Inclusion Criteria: * Adult patients with asthma \>1 year duration diagnosed according to the GINA guidelines (GINA 2010). * Daily treatment with \> 1000μg beclomethasone dipropionate or equivalent, plus a long acting beta agonist for ≥ 3 months prior to Day 1, that has been stable for at least 4 weeks prior to screening. * Asthma which is not adequately controlled on current treatment * Peripheral blood eosinophil count \< 400/μl at screening Exclusion Criteria: * Women of child-bearing potential unwilling to use effective contraception during the study and for 16 weeks after stopping treatment. * Use of other investigational drugs at the time of screening, or within 30 days of screening. * Smokers