IntelGenx (TSXV:IGX; OTCQB:IGXT) reported that the peer-reviewed International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy published a study on montelukast’s effect on aging.
IntelGenx is currently conducting a Phase 2a clinical study of Montelukast VersaFilm for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
The article presents an observational study investigating if montelukast may alleviate degenerative neurological changes, based on how the use of various medications is associated with neurological health test results.
The study found that previous use of montelukast correlated with improved scores on cognitive or neurological functioning, suggesting that the drug may alleviate degenerative neurological changes associated with human aging.
“This study builds on a similar study conducted in 2017 that suggested that montelukast could alleviate the cognitive decline associated with human aging,” Dr. Ludwig Aigner of Paracelsus Medical University in Salzburg, Austria, and a member of IntelGenx’s scientific advisory board, said in a statement.
“We are very encouraged that the current study, which includes additional prescription database data and results from the Tromsø Study, further supports montelukast’s potential to postpone mental aging,” he added.
In addition, the study argues that the montelukast dosage used for asthma may not be optimal for possible effects on the brain, suggesting a higher dose be used in clinical trials assessing montelukast’s effect on cognitive decline.
Horst G. Zerbe, Ph.D., CEO of IntelGenx, added, “The findings of this study are in agreement with the design of our Phase 2a trial of Montelukast VersaFilm, which is currently enrolling AD patients under an amended protocol using higher doses of montelukast.”
The article, entitled “A possible effect of montelukast on neurological aging examined by the use of register data,” is available here.
