20 H. pylori-positive patients with gastric or duodenal ulcer disease (n = 16, one with proof of gastric cancer obtained by histology) or severe non-ulcer dyspepsia (n = 4) were entered in a pilot study to examine the effect of a combination of omeprazole (40 mg) before breakfast and ciprofloxacin (2 x 500 mg) 1 hour after meals for 1 week to treat Helicobacter pylori (Hp). The eradication rate was 15% (3 out of 20 patients) 4 weeks after therapy. Ulcer healing occurred in 2 of 3 patients having eradication and 9 of 11 control patients with positive H. pylori urease test and/or culture 4 weeks after treatment. Despite some good theoretical background, this drug combination is inefficient to eradicate H. pylori and cannot be recommended for routine clinical practice. No major side effects of the therapy-regimen were observed.