<br>        Inclusion Criteria:<br><br>          -  Signed informed consent,<br><br>          -  Men or women aged 18 to 75 years,<br><br>          -  Active ulcerative colitis, except proctitis limited to 15 cm ab ano, confirmed by<br>             endoscopy and histology,<br><br>          -  Established disease,<br><br>        Exclusion Criteria:<br><br>          -  Crohn's disease, indeterminate colitis, ischaemic colitis, radiation colitis,<br>             microscopic colitis (i.e., collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis, incomplete<br>             microscopic colitis), diverticular disease associated colitis,<br><br>          -  Toxic megacolon or fulminant colitis,<br><br>          -  Colon resection,<br><br>          -  Evidence of infectious colitis (e.g., pathogenic bacteria or Clostridium difficile<br>             toxin in stool culture at screening),<br><br>          -  Malabsorption syndromes,<br><br>          -  Celiac disease,<br><br>          -  Bleeding hemorrhoids,<br><br>          -  Active peptic ulcer disease<br><br>          -  Other inflammatory or bleeding disorders of the colon and intestine, or diseases that<br>             may cause diarrhea or gastrointestinal bleeding,<br><br>          -  Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, peptic ulcer disease, glaucoma,<br>             cataract, or infection if careful medical monitoring is not ensured,<br><br>          -  Any severe infectious disease (e.g., tuberculosis, AIDS),<br><br>          -  Severe co-morbidity substantially reducing life expectancy,<br><br>          -  History of colorectal cancer,<br><br>          -  History of cancer (other than colorectal) in the last 5 years, except for basal cell<br>             carcinoma<br>      ;<br>        Inclusion Criteria:<br><br>          -  Signed informed consent,<br><br>          -  Men or women aged 18 to 75 years,<br><br>          -  Active ulcerative colitis, except proctitis limited to 15 cm ab ano, confirmed by<br>             endoscopy and histology,<br><br>          -  Established disease,<br><br>        Exclusion Criteria:<br><br>          -  Crohn's disease, indeterminate colitis, ischaemic colitis, radiation colitis,<br>             microscopic colitis (i.e., collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis, incomplete<br>             microscopic colitis), diverticular disease associated colitis,<br><br>          -  Toxic megacolon or fulminant colitis,<br><br>          -  Colon resection,<br><br>          -  Evidence of infectious colitis (e.g., pathogenic bacteria or Clostridium difficile<br>             toxin in stool culture at screening),<br><br>          -  Malabsorption syndromes,<br><br>          -  Celiac disease,<br><br>          -  Bleeding hemorrhoids,<br><br>          -  Active peptic ulcer disease<br><br>          -  Other inflammatory or bleeding disorders of the colon and intestine, or diseases that<br>             may cause diarrhea or gastrointestinal bleeding,<br><br>          -  Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, peptic ulcer disease, glaucoma,<br>             cataract, or infection if careful medical monitoring is not ensured,<br><br>          -  Any severe infectious disease (e.g., tuberculosis, AIDS),<br><br>          -  Severe co-morbidity substantially reducing life expectancy,<br><br>          -  History of colorectal cancer,<br><br>          -  History of cancer (other than colorectal) in the last 5 years, except for basal cell<br>             carcinoma<br>      ;<br>        Inclusion Criteria:<br><br>          -  Signed informed consent,<br><br>          -  Men or women aged 18 to 75 years,<br><br>          -  Active ulcerative colitis, except proctitis limited to 15 cm ab ano, confirmed by<br>             endoscopy and histology,<br><br>          -  Established disease,<br><br>        Exclusion Criteria:<br><br>          -  Crohn's disease, indeterminate colitis, ischaemic colitis, radiation colitis,<br>             microscopic colitis (i.e., collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis, incomplete<br>             microscopic colitis), diverticular disease associated colitis,<br><br>          -  Toxic megacolon or fulminant colitis,<br><br>          -  Colon resection,<br><br>          -  Evidence of infectious colitis (e.g., pathogenic bacteria or Clostridium difficile<br>             toxin in stool culture at screening),<br><br>          -  Malabsorption syndromes,<br><br>          -  Celiac disease,<br><br>          -  Bleeding hemorrhoids,<br><br>          -  Active peptic ulcer disease<br><br>          -  Other inflammatory or bleeding disorders of the colon and intestine, or diseases that<br>             may cause diarrhea or gastrointestinal bleeding,<br><br>          -  Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, peptic ulcer disease, glaucoma,<br>             cataract, or infection if careful medical monitoring is not ensured,<br><br>          -  Any severe infectious disease (e.g., tuberculosis, AIDS),<br><br>          -  Severe co-morbidity substantially reducing life expectancy,<br><br>          -  History of colorectal cancer,<br><br>          -  History of cancer (other than colorectal) in the last 5 years, except for basal cell<br>             carcinoma<br>      ;<br>        Inclusion Criteria:<br><br>          -  Signed informed consent,<br><br>          -  Men or women aged 18 to 75 years,<br><br>          -  Active ulcerative colitis, except proctitis limited to 15 cm ab ano, confirmed by<br>             endoscopy and histology,<br><br>          -  Established disease,<br><br>        Exclusion Criteria:<br><br>          -  Crohn's disease, indeterminate colitis, ischaemic colitis, radiation colitis,<br>             microscopic colitis (i.e., collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis, incomplete<br>             microscopic colitis), diverticular disease associated colitis,<br><br>          -  Toxic megacolon or fulminant colitis,<br><br>          -  Colon resection,<br><br>          -  Evidence of infectious colitis (e.g., pathogenic bacteria or Clostridium difficile<br>             toxin in stool culture at screening),<br><br>          -  Malabsorption syndromes,<br><br>          -  Celiac disease,<br><br>          -  Bleeding hemorrhoids,<br><br>          -  Active peptic ulcer disease<br><br>          -  Other inflammatory or bleeding disorders of the colon and intestine, or diseases that<br>             may cause diarrhea or gastrointestinal bleeding,<br><br>          -  Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, peptic ulcer disease, glaucoma,<br>             cataract, or infection if careful medical monitoring is not ensured,<br><br>          -  Any severe infectious disease (e.g., tuberculosis, AIDS),<br><br>          -  Severe co-morbidity substantially reducing life expectancy,<br><br>          -  History of colorectal cancer,<br><br>          -  History of cancer (other than colorectal) in the last 5 years, except for basal cell<br>             carcinoma<br>