A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of QMF149 (Indacaterol Acetate/Mometasone Furoate) Versus Budesonide in Children From 6 to Less Than 12 Years of Age With Asthma

1. Prior intubation for asthma.

2. Patients who have had a severe asthma exacerbation requiring in the previous month either systemic steroids or hospitalization due to asthma (\>24h) or emergency room visit (≤24 hours).

3. Subjects receiving any medications in the classes specified in Table 6 6 unless they undergo the required washout period prior to Treatment Visit (Day 1) and follow the adjustment through the treatment period.

4. Use of other investigational drugs within 5 half-lives of enrollment, or within 30 days, whichever is longer.

5. History of malignancy of any organ system (other than localized basal cell carcinoma of the skin or in situ cervical cancer), treated or untreated, within the past 5 years prior to screening, regardless of whether there is evidence of local recurrence or metastases.

6. History or presence of impaired renal function as indicated by clinically significant abnormal creatinine or blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and/or urea values, or abnormal urinary constituents (e.g. albuminuria) according to investigator's judgement.

* Evidence of urinary obstruction, or difficulty in voiding

* Evidence of congenital renal abnormalities with an established effect on renal function

* Calculated eGFR \<60 mL/min/1.73m2 using the Bedside Schwartz formula.

7. Patients who have had a respiratory tract infection as determined by the investigator within 4 weeks prior to Visit 1, or between Visit 1 and Visit 30.

Patients may be re-screened once, 4 weeks after recovery from their respiratory tract infection.

8. Any chronic condition of the respiratory tract which in the opinion of the investigator may interfere with study evaluation or optimal participation in the study.

9. Patient with evidence upon visual inspection (laboratory culture not required) of clinically significant (upon the opinion of the investigator) oropharyngeal candidiasis at Visit 30 or earlier, with or without treatment, Patients may be rescreened once their candidiasis has been treated and has resolved.

10. History of chronic lung disease other than asthma such as and not limited to, sarcoidosis interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis, mycobacterial or other infection (including active tuberculosis or atypical mycobacterial disease), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma/COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS).

11. Patients with a history of long QT syndrome or whose corrected QT interval (QTc) measured at start of Run-in or Baseline (Fridericia method) is prolonged (≥ 450 msec for boys and girls) and confirmed by a central assessor (these patients should not be rescreened).

12. Subjects who have a clinically significant ECG abnormality reported before Visit 30 (End of Run-in).

13. Subjects who have a clinically significant abnormal laboratory values as per investigator judgement or abnormal liver chemistry results (i.e. ALT, AST, total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, GGT and albumin above the upper limit of normal) reported before Visit 30 (End of Run-in).

14. Any surgical or medical condition which might significantly alter the absorption, distribution, metabolism, or excretion of drugs, or which may jeopardize the subject in case of participation in the study.

15. Subjects who, in the opinion of the investigator, are not able to be compliant with study treatment or who have any medical or mental disorder, situation, or diagnosis which could interfere with the proper completion of the protocol requirements or risk the subject's safety while participating in the study.

16. Subject is an immediate family member of the participating investigator, sub-investigator, study coordinator, or employee of the participating investigator.

17. Patients who have been treated with long-acting theophylline preparations within four weeks prior to Screening and/or during the screening period or who have been treated with short-acting theophylline preparations within two weeks prior to Screening.

18. Patients who have been treated with non-approved and according to international guidelines not recommended experimental drugs for routine asthma therapy within four weeks prior to Visit 1 and/or during the screening period.

19. Use of Long-Acting Muscarinic Antagonist (LAMA) as maintenance treatment within 3 months prior to Screening.

20. Evidence of unstable disease within 4 weeks prior to Screening (Visit 1) that in the opinion of the investigator would put the safety of the subject at risk through study participation or would confound the interpretation of the results if the condition/disease exacerbated during the study.

21. History of hypersensitivity to any ingredients of the study drugs including fluticasone propionate, indacaterol acetate, mometasone furoate, budesonide and salmeterol/albuterol or drug of similar chemical classes. This includes any known hypersensitivity or intolerance to the excipients, including lactose.

22. Patients with Type I diabetes or uncontrolled Type II diabetes either by HBA1c\>8 or as per judgement of investigator prior to End of Run-In (Visit 30)

23. Patients receiving any asthma-related or non asthma-related prohibited medications as specified in the protocol.

24. Immunotherapy or desensitization for allergies started within 3 months prior to Visit 20, or where the maintenance dose is expected to change during the study.

Effective contraception methods include:

Total abstinence (when this is in line with the preferred and usual lifestyle of the subject. Periodic abstinence (e.g., calendar, ovulation, symptothermal, post-ovulation methods) and withdrawal are not acceptable methods of contraception

Barrier methods of contraception: Condom or Occlusive cap (diaphragm or cervical/vault caps). For UK: with spermicidal foam/gel/film/cream/ vaginal suppository

Use of oral, (estrogen and progesterone), injected or implanted hormonal methods of contraception or other forms of hormonal contraception that have comparable efficacy (failure rate \<1%), for example hormone vaginal ring or transdermal hormone contraception or placement of an intrauterine device (IUD) or intrauterine system (IUS) If using oral contraception females should have been stable on the same pill for a minimum of 3 months before taking investigational drug. The decision on the contraceptive method should be reviewed at least every 3 months to evaluate the individual need and compatibility of the method chosen.

What this study is about