MOntelukast as a Potential CHondroprotective Treatment Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (MOCHA Trial) (MOCHA)
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04572256 |
Recruitment Status :
Recruiting
First Posted : October 1, 2020
Last Update Posted : September 15, 2022
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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ACL Injury Meniscus Tear Post-traumatic Osteoarthritis | Drug: Montelukast Drug: Placebo | Early Phase 1 |
After anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, patient-reported outcomes are improved 10 years post-surgery. Cytokine concentrations, however, remain elevated years after surgery; over 80% of patients with combined ACL and meniscus injuries have post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) within 10-15 years after injury. Since pain nociceptors are not located in the articular cartilage, patient-reported outcomes improve despite progressive, irreversible cartilage loss, thus making PTOA a "silent killer." Because early cartilage loss progresses without pain and dysfunction, the prevalence of PTOA continues to increase. PTOA now represents the most common cause of military disability.
Our recent results illustrate the downstream cytokine and degradative enzyme activity following ACL reconstruction. ACL and meniscus injury initiate a biochemical cascade resulting in cartilage degradation and this process involves an up-regulated pro-inflammatory response with a dysregulated anti-inflammatory response. Single-dose intra-articular anti-inflammatory treatment appears to reduce hyaline cartilage degradation shortly after the time of injury based on synovial fluid measures of type II collagen degradation. The intra-articular inflammatory milieu at the time of surgery appears to predict the patient symptom state two years later; however, the effectiveness of preoperative anti-inflammatory treatments in impacting patient symptoms or slowing long-term PTOA progression is as yet unclear. A lack of efficacy in preoperative interventions may be attributed to a profound inflammatory stimulus from surgical reconstruction of the ACL. The postoperative inflammatory cascade results in articular cartilage and meniscus degradation due to matrix degrading enzymes, especially those which breakdown type II collagen.
PTOA affects the whole joint organ including the cartilage, synovium, and bone. PTOA progression is multifaceted and includes activation of the pro-inflammatory Nuclear Factor Kappa-B (NFkB) pathway, an increase in pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages, cell senescence, and bone remodeling. Limiting the biochemical cascade through an innovative disease modifying treatment to target upstream activity will potentially treat all components of the knee, thereby lessening the inflammatory response, reducing cartilage catabolism, and potentially improving pathologic bony remodeling observed after ACL reconstruction. The early proteomic PTOA response is more similar to inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis than idiopathic OA; thus, long-acting agents which better regulate pro-inflammatory cytokine activity may more successfully limit tissue destruction. By re-purposing approved therapeutics with proven immune efficacy, a readily-available and cost-effective strategy for disease modification may be possible.
Montelukast was first approved for clinical use in 1998 for prophylaxis and chronic treatment of asthma. The drug selectively inhibits the cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLT1). Montelukast blocks the actions of cysteinyl leukotriene D4 (LTD4), which is produced through the arachidonic acid pathway. This pro-inflammatory signal is released from several cells including the inflammatory mast cells and eosinophils. Montelukast also appears to address multiple PTOA mechanisms by inhibiting cysteinyl leukotrienes. Cysteinyl leukotriene inhibition in animal and laboratory models of PTOA resulted in the elimination of senescent cells, reduced NFkB activation, decreased concentrations of pro-inflammatory and catabolic factors and reactive oxygen species (ROS) while increasing expression of anti-inflammatory factors (inducing anti-inflammatory M2 macrophage infiltration), inhibiting osteoclastogenesis and improving bone quality. The novel use of oral montelukast offers the potential of a disease modifying treatment to prevent irreversible cartilage loss after ACL injury.
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Estimated Enrollment : | 30 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | MOntelukast as a Potential CHondroprotective Treatment Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (MOCHA Trial) |
Actual Study Start Date : | February 1, 2021 |
Estimated Primary Completion Date : | April 1, 2024 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | April 1, 2024 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Experimental: Montelukast
Patients will receive oral montelukast (10 mg) daily for 6 months after surgery.
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Drug: Montelukast
The novel use of oral montelukast offers the potential of a disease modifying treatment to prevent irreversible cartilage loss after ACL injury. 10mg of oral Montelukast will be taken daily for 6 months post surgery.
Other Name: Singulair |
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Patients will receive an oral placebo daily for 6 months after surgery.
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Drug: Placebo
An oral placebo will be taken daily for 6 months post surgery. |
- Serum prostaglandin E2 [ Time Frame: Change between Visit 3 (10 days post surgery) and Visit 6 (1 year post surgery) ]Prostaglandin E2 is a potential inflammatory mediator, and it is being measured to directly assess whether treatment reduces this systemic inflammatory marker. Greater serum prostaglandin is associated with greater inflammation.
- T1rho relaxation time on MRI [ Time Frame: Change between Visit 4 (4 weeks post surgery) and Visit 6 (1 year post surgery) ]T1rho relaxation time is a validated measure of proteoglycan content within the cartilage, and can be assessed on MRI. Increased T1rho relaxation time is associated with increased cartilage degeneration.
- Shape of the medial femoral condyle on MRI [ Time Frame: Change between Visit 4 (4 weeks post surgery) and Visit 6 (1 year post surgery) ]The shape of the medial femoral condyle has been previously demonstrated to change after ACL reconstruction and is predictive of later cartilage changes. Flattening and widening of the medial femoral condyle are considered to be indicative of later cartilage changes.
- Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) [ Time Frame: Change between Visit 3 (10 days post surgery) and Visit 6 (1 year post surgery) ]The KOOS is a patient-reported outcome instrument that is comprised of 5 subscales (Pain, Symptoms, Activities of Daily Living, Sports and Recreation, and Quality of Life) with each scale being scored from 0 to 100 with higher scores being indicative of a superior outcome.

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 25 Years to 50 Years (Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Undergoing primary ACL reconstruction
- Age between 25-50
- Concomitant meniscus injury
Exclusion Criteria:
- Undergoing revision procedures
- Multiple ligament injuries requiring multiple ligament reconstruction/repair
- Depressive symptoms and/or those who endorse suicidal ideation at the time of enrollment (PHQ-9 score >= 15)
- Found to not have a meniscus tear at the time of surgery

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT04572256
Contact: Cale Jacobs, PhD | 8597978197 | cale.jacobs@uky.edu |
United States, Kentucky | |
UK Healthcare at Turfland | Recruiting |
Lexington, Kentucky, United States, 40504 | |
Contact: Cale Jacobs, PhD 859-218-0839 cale.jacobs@uky.edu | |
Principal Investigator: Cale Jacobs, PhD | |
Sub-Investigator: Austin Stone, MD |
Responsible Party: | Austin V Stone, Director of Research Orthopedic Surgery, University of Kentucky |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT04572256 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
60266 |
First Posted: | October 1, 2020 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | September 15, 2022 |
Last Verified: | September 2022 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | Yes |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
Product Manufactured in and Exported from the U.S.: | Yes |
knee ligament osteoarthritis |
Osteoarthritis Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries Arthritis Joint Diseases Musculoskeletal Diseases Rheumatic Diseases Knee Injuries Leg Injuries Wounds and Injuries Montelukast |
Anti-Asthmatic Agents Respiratory System Agents Leukotriene Antagonists Hormone Antagonists Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists Physiological Effects of Drugs Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A2 Inducers Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme Inducers Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action |