Distribution of neutrophils in bronchial mucosal tissue in asthma patients before and after 4 weeks treatment with AZD 5069

Inclusion Criteria

• 1.)Male or female patients of Caucasian origin, aged between 18 to 65 years, inclusive, at the time informed consent is obtained.
• 2.)Physician based (according to GINA 2011) diagnosis of asthma for at least 6 months prior to the date informed consent is obtained and confirmed by 1 of the detailed respiratory criteria stated in the CSP
• 3.)Morning prebronchodilator (ie, after abstinence from short-acting and long-acting ß-agonist treatment for ≥ 6 and ≥ 12 hours, respectively) FEV1 of ≥70% of predicted normal (PN) for age, sex and height at enrolment
• 4.)Increased number of neutrophils in induced sputum samples at baseline, with a relative neutrophil count of ≥ 50% of total sputum cell count
• 5.)Physician prescribed daily use of medium or high dose ICS (≥ fluticasone 250 μg to ≤ 1.000 µg or the equivalent daily, as defined in GINA 2011; see CSP Appendix E) plus LABA.