The Growing Promise of Elinzanetant for Treatment of Menopausal Symptoms

Vasomotor symptoms (VMS) and sleep disturbances are common menopause symptoms and adversely affect menopause-related quality of life. Menopause occurs between ages 45 and 56 years for 90% of women in the US. Growing evidence suggests that VMS and primary insomnia in menopause are driven, at least in part, by the effect of declining estrogen levels on the thermoregulatory function of the hypothalamus. Research has elucidated major roles of hypothalamic kisspeptin/neurokinin (NK) B/dynorphin (known as KNDy neurons), which express NK-1 and NK-3 receptors and their ligands (including NKB).