As a Menopause Coach and Counsellor, I’ve had countless conversations with women who feel caught between a rock and a hot flush. For those struggling with vasomotor symptoms, like night sweats, hot flushes, and disrupted sleep, the search for safe, effective alternatives to HRT has often felt limited.
On 8 July, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) made history, becoming the first regulator in the world to approve Elinzanetant (brand name Lynkuet) for the treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS) associated with menopause.
This is a game-changer.
Elinzanetant is not a hormone therapy
Elinzanetant is not a hormone therapy. Instead, it’s a non-hormonal oral medication that targets the NK1 and NK3 receptors in the brain. These receptors are involved in regulating the body’s temperature control system, the very system that becomes dysregulated during menopause, often leaving women feeling like they’re burning up from the inside.
What makes this particularly exciting is that Elinzanetant has shown promising results not only in reducing the frequency and severity of hot flushes, but also in improving sleep quality, a symptom that many of my clients say impacts their life as much as (if not more than) the flushes themselves.
What’s more, Elinzanetant has also been tested in women with ER-positive breast cancer who are on endocrine treatment as part of the Oasis 4 trials. This could offer new hope to women who cannot, or choose not to, take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) due to cancer history or personal preference.
Hope for women who cannot, or choose not to, take hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
This approval is a victory for choice.
Every woman’s menopause journey is different. Some find great relief with HRT. Others can’t or won’t take it for medical, emotional, or spiritual reasons. As a coach who works holistically with women, I am always advocating for more individualised and inclusive options, so that every woman feels seen, supported, and empowered.
We still have to wait to hear whether NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) will approve it for use on the NHS, but this regulatory milestone signals a powerful shift in how menopause is being understood and treated.
As a woman I belive we should take control of our health naturally and with compassion. I welcome anything that gives women relief from the symptoms that too often steal our joy.
