Effect of Ectoin® Inhalation Solution on Subjects With Mild Bronchial Asthma

A Single Center, Dose Finding, Safety, and Feasibility Study to Investigate the Effect of Ectoin® Inhalation Solution on Subjects With Mild Bronchial Asthma

In this single center, dose finding, safety study the effect of inhaled Ectoin® inhalation solution will be investigated in subjects with mild bronchial asthma. This dose-finding study will estimate the minimum effective dose and will assess the safe dosage, in terms of the quantity given to patients. The results will be compared to baseline measurements. The results regarding Sputum measurements will be compared to measurements after placebo administration.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Asthma
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Drug-like Medical Device: Ectoin Inhalation Solution

Detailed Description

Based on the anti-inflammatory effects of inhaled Ectoin® shown in previous animal studies, this trial aims to investigate the effects in terms of a reduction of the unspecific bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) to Methacholine challenge test on subjects with mild bronchial asthma. In addition, measurements of exhaled nitric oxide level as an indicator of bronchial inflammation will be investigated.

This study will focus primarily on safety and dose finding in 12 to 18 subjects with mild bronchial asthma.

After a screening visit, subjects will be treated with placebo, followed by increasing doses of Ectoin® (low, medium and high dose). All doses of Ectoin® inhalation solution and placebo will be administered for 5 - 7 days.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 18
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Germany
  • Bavaria
    • Gauting, Bavaria, Germany, 82131
      • Inamed Research GmbH & Co KG

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults (18 - 65 years)
• FEV1 ≥ 80% of predicted for patient's normal value pre bronchodilator (according to European Coal and Steel Community reference values)
• Positive Methacholine challenge test (PD20 ≤ 0.5 mg)
• A general practitioner or consultant diagnosed mild bronchial asthma
• Non or ex smoker (for more than 6 months, pack years (PY) ≤ 5)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant or lactating females
• Participation in another clinical study in the previous month
• Severe concomitant disease which may have an impact on the study participation
• Hypersensibility against Ectoin®
• Patients who have had treatment with live attenuated vaccinations within 14 days prior to screening visit (Inactivated influenza vaccination is acceptable, provided it is not administered within 7 days prior to screening visit).
• Other respiratory diseases (e.g. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, alpha-1-Antitrypsin deficiency, sarcoidosis, bronchiectasis, allergic alveolitis, tuberculosis, etc.)
• Upper and lower airway respiratory infection within 4 weeks prior to study start

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Ectoin Inhalation Solution; After baseline visit subjects will receive 0.9% saline inhalation solution for placebo. Patients will be instructed to inhale once daily with the AKITA2® APIXNEB® inhalation system for 5 - 7 days. The treatment phase with low dose of Ectoin® will follow subsequently without any washout phase. This treatment phase will be repeated for medium and a high Ectoin® dose. All doses of Ectoin® inhalation solution will be administered for 5 - 7 days without any washout phase. Sputum inductions will be conducted on the last but one day of placebo treatment phase and on the last but one day of treatment phase with the highest Ectoin® dose.

Other: Drug-like Medical Device: Ectoin Inhalation Solution; After baseline visit subjects will receive 0.9% saline inhalation solution for placebo. Patients will be instructed to inhale once daily with the AKITA2® APIXNEB® inhalation system for 5 - 7 days. The treatment phase with low dose of Ectoin® will follow subsequently without any washout phase. This treatment phase will be repeated for medium and a high Ectoin® dose. All doses of Ectoin® inhalation solution will be administered for 5 - 7 days without any washout phase. To minimize circadian variations Methacholine challenge tests will be performed always at the approximately same time. Sputum inductions will be conducted on the last but one day of placebo treatment phase and on the last but one day of treatment phase with the highest Ectoin® dose.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Dose of Metacholine needed to produce a 20% drop in FEV1 as reflection of airway hyperreagibility	Methacholine cumulative dose producing a 20% decrease in Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1) (defined as PD20)	5 to 7 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Bitop AG
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Thomas Meyer, MD, Inamed Research GmbH

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 1, 2009
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2009
• Study Completion (Actual): February 1, 2010

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 17, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 21, 2011
• First Posted (Estimated): November 23, 2011

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 29, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 27, 2026
• Last Verified: January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Asthma; Ectoin; Ectoine; FeNO; Metacholin; sRaw
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Immune System Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Lung Diseases; Bronchial Diseases; Lung Diseases, Obstructive; Respiratory Hypersensitivity; Hypersensitivity, Immediate; Hypersensitivity; Asthma
• Other Study ID Numbers: K-AN