Twelve healthy volunteers (6 females, 6 males) between 26 and 36 years of age were enroled in this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, three-way cross-over study. The objective was to determine the influence of lansoprazole (Agopton, Takeda Pharma GmbH, Aachen), a novel proton pump inhibitor, in doses of 30 and 60 mg, on the intragastric pH, on meal-stimulated gastric acid secretion and on the concentration of gastrointestinal hormones and enzymes in serum and gastric juice. Active drug or placebo had to be taken as single daily morning doses on an empty stomach for 7 days. Each wash-out period between drug application periods was 2 weeks long. Lansoprazole induced a dose-related increase in intragastric pH as well as a relevant reduction of basal acid output, meal-stimulated acid output and meal-stimulated secretion volume. 60 mg lansoprazole was significantly superior to 30 mg in increasing intragastric pH. The basal secretion volume in volunteers on 30 and 60 mg lansoprazole were lower than in volunteers on placebo. Serum gastrin and serum pepsinogen concentrations increased in a dose-dependent manner. Pepsin output and pepsin activity in gastric juice were slightly decreased in volunteers on 30 mg lansoprazole and markedly suppressed in volunteers on 60 mg lansoprazole 2 h after meal stimulation. Intrinsic factor concentration increased in volunteers on lansoprazole with a clear dose relationship. The evaluation of laboratory data and reported nonserious adverse events proved the relative safety of this new antiulcer agent.