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Generic Singulair
It is now possible to buy Singulair (montelukast) in generic form. The generic versions are made by several manufacturers. All of the generic versions have been assigned an "AB" rating by the FDA. This means they are considered equivalent to the brand-name version; however, they are allowed to contain different inactive ingredients.
Singulair® (montelukast sodium) is a prescription medication used to treat the following conditions:
- Asthma, including exercise-induced asthma
- Allergic rhinitis (irritated, stuffy, itchy, or runny nose due to allergies).
Brand-name Singulair is manufactured by Merck & Co. However, the patent for Singulair has expired, and the drug is now available in generic form as well.
Generic Singulair comes in the following strengths:
- Montelukast 4 mg chewable tablets
- Montelukast 5 mg chewable tablets
- Montelukast 10 mg tablets
- Montelukast 4 mg granule packets.
Generic Singulair is made by several manufacturers, including but not limited to:
- Apotex Corporation
- Dr. Reddy's Laboratories
- Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
- Roxane Laboratories
- Teva Pharmaceuticals.
All generic medications must undergo certain tests to compare them to brand-name medications. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) then looks at these tests to decide if the generics are equivalent to the brand-name medications and assigns a rating to each one.
An "AB" rating means that the FDA has determined that a generic medication is equivalent to a brand-name medication. All of the generic versions of Singulair currently available have an "AB" rating, meaning they should be equivalent to Singulair.
However, generic medications are allowed to have different inactive ingredients than the brand-name medication. This might include fillers, dyes, or other ingredients that may cause problems for people with allergies or sensitivities.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD