I have some exciting news for women going through menopause: a new medicine called Elinzanetant has just been approved by the FDA to help treat hot flashes and night sweats. It is expected to be available November 2025 with an average wholesale price of $12.50 per pill. We will need to wait for pharmacy pricing and insurance rules for coverage.

This approval was announced right before new safety data were presented, and the audience—mostly doctors and researchers—broke into applause. Why? Because this medicine offers relief for women who can’t or don’t want to take hormones.

What Is Elinzanetant?

Elinzanetant (brand name Lynkuet) is a non-hormonal pill taken orally once a day. It is approved for women who have moderate to severe hot flashes and night sweats caused by menopause, including those who have had breast cancer or who are on endocrine (hormone-blocking) therapy.

It works in the thermoregulatory zone of the brain—the area that controls body temperature. During menopause, this zone becomes extra sensitive to changes in estrogen. Elinzanetant helps calm those signals.

It does this by blocking two types of receptors in the brain—called neurokinin-1 (NK-1) and neurokinin-3 (NK-3) receptors. Blocking both seems to give stronger, faster relief than blocking one alone.

How Well Does It Work?

In large clinical trials, called OASIS-1 and OASIS-2, women who took 120 mg of Elinzanetant daily had fewer and milder hot flashes within just one week. Improvements continued through six months of use.

Women also slept better and said their quality of life improved. On average, women in the studies had more than 50 hot flashes per week, so the results were meaningful and life-changing.

Studies also show that Elinzanetant may help even more than another non-hormonal option, fezolinetant (Veozah), which blocks only the NK-3 receptor.

Is It Safe?

Elinzanetant has been shown to be well tolerated. The most common side effects were headache (10% of patients), fatigue (7% of patients), and sleepiness (5% of patients). No serious liver problems or hormone-related side effects were reported.

Because it is non-hormonal, this medicine is a great choice for women who cannot use estrogen—such as those with a history of breast cancer or blood clots.

The Bottom Line

Elinzanetant (Lynkuet) is a new, once-daily, non-hormonal pill that offers real relief for hot flashes, night sweats, and poor sleep during menopause.

If you’re struggling with these symptoms, talk to your doctor about whether Lynkuet might be right for you. You don’t have to suffer in silence—help is here, and it’s safe.