Update on montelukast and its role in the treatment of asthma, allergic rhinitis and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction

Abstract

Montelukast sodium (Singulair^®, Merck and Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ) is a selective and orally-active leukotriene receptor antagonist with demonstrated effectiveness for treating allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis in adults and children as young as 12 months of age for allergic asthma and 6 months of age for allergic rhinitis. It was recently approved in the US for prevention of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in patients who are ≥ 15 years of age. This paper updates a prior review of the data on the clinical efficacy of montelukast published in this journal.

Keywords::

• asthma
• allergic rhinitis
• cysteinyl leukotrienes
• exercise-induced bronchoconstriction
• leukotriene receptor antagonist
• montelukast

Acknowledgements

The author would like to acknowledge the editorial assistance and technical expertise of Judith Farrar, PhD, FAAAAI in the preparation of this manuscript.

Disclosure

W Storms has carried out research studies at Alcon, Atlanta, AstraZeneca, BMS, Genentech, GSK, Medpointe, Merck, Novartis, sanofi-aventis and Schering.

He is also a Consultant/Board member for Adams, Alcon, Atlanta, AstraZeneca, Consumer Reports/Consumers Union, Efficas, Exaeris, Genentech, Greer, GSK, Hoffmann-La Roche, Inspire, Isis, Ivax, King, Medpointe, Merck, Nexcura, Novartis, sanofi-aventis, Schering, Sepracor, Strategic Biosciences, Strategic Pharmaceutical Advisors, TREAT Foundation and Wyeth, and serves on the Speaker's Bureau for Abbott, Alcon, AstraZeneca, Genentech, Medpointe, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, sanofi-aventis and Schering.

Notes