Montelukast (Singulair®)

Question

Dear expert team,

In “CF-Focus” (issue 4, 2006) [German publication] there was a report about a positive study with regards to the effect of Montelukast in CF.
Since then, I have not heard anything about it anymore. Do you know why this promising approach has not been pursued?

Best regards,
M.

Answer

Hello,

Actually, there is no published data beyond the former studies. These did show anti-inflammatory effects, but long-term effects had not been studied at that time. I am going to contact the protagonists of the former publications and if there is further information I will add it in this answer.

Best regards,
Prof. Dr. TOF Wagner

Dr. Olaf Eickmeier (specialist at the children's university hospital Frankfurt, department of allergology, pneumology and CF), who took part in the preliminary studies, provided the following information:

"Montelukast shows its anti-inflammatory effect especially in cases of allergic asthma. The inflammation in case of CF however differs substantially from the inflammation in case of asthma. The inflammation in case of asthma is dominated by eosinophilic cells, while the inflammation in case of CF is dominated by neutrophilic cells. In the underlying studies which investigated effects of Montelukast in CF patients, a positive effect could be shown in patients who had in addition to their neutrophilic inflammation an allergic inflammatory component. Due to the high prevalence of allergy and asthma, some well selected patients can therefore profit from Monteklukast. The therefore strongly circumscribed aiming group may be a reason for the cessation of the research interest. "

24.05.2011