Hormone-Free Lynkuet Treats Hot Flashes
Lynkuet (chemical name: elinzanetant) is a non-hormonal medicine for people seeking relief from hot flashes and sleep disturbances.
Unlike hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which is used to treat hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause, Lynkuet doesn’t contain estrogen or progesterone. This is important because HRT usually isn’t recommended for people with a history of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer due to concerns that HRT can increase the risk of the cancer coming back (recurrence). HRT may also increase the risk of breast cancer in people who are at high risk of developing the disease.
See Lynkuet prescribing information.
How Lynkuet works
Lynkuet reduces hot flashes by blocking nervous system molecules called neurokinins. When estrogen levels drop, neurokinins tell the cells in your brain’s temperature control center to work overtime. This can cause hot flashes and night sweats (hot flashes that happen while you’re sleeping). Doctors call these vasomotor symptoms.
Lynkuet blocks two neurokinins: neurokinin-1 and neurokinin-3. Veozah (chemical name: fezolinetant) — another hormone-free medication that was approved to treat post-menopausal hot flashes — blocks neurokinin-3 only. Some researchers believe that because Lynkuet targets neurokinin-1 and -3, it may be less likely to cause serious liver problems like those linked to Veozah.
What to expect with Lynkuet
Lynkuet is a 60-mg capsule. You’ll take two capsules at bedtime, with or without food.
You should take the capsules whole and not cut, crush, or chew them.
Lynkuet side effects
The most common side effects of Lynkuet include:
Lynkuet may cause serious side effects, including seizures (in people with a history of seizures) and liver damage. Your doctor will do a blood test to check your liver before you start the medication and again three months after you start taking it. Stop taking Lynkuet and call your doctor if you experience:
nausea or vomiting
feeling more tired than usual
decreased appetite
itching
yellowing of the eyes or skin
pale poop
dark urine
stomach pain
Lynkuet may cause pregnancy loss or stillbirth. Do not take Lynkuet if you’re pregnant or trying to become pregnant. There hasn’t been research on breastfeeding while taking Lynkuet, so talk to your doctor if you’re currently nursing.
Drug and food interactions
There are certain drugs and foods you should avoid while taking Lynkuet:
Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors may increase the amount of Lynkuet in your blood, increasing the risk of side effects. They include grapefruit and grapefruit juice, HIV medications such as ritonavir and saquinavir, and antibiotics like clarithromycin and ketoconazole.
Strong and moderate CYP3A4 inducers may reduce the amount of Lynkuet in your blood, making it less effective. They include phenytoin, prednisone, and St. John's wort.
If you’re on moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors, your doctor may recommend that you take one 60-mg capsule of Lynkuet instead of two.
Research on Lynkuet
Hot flashes
A 2025 study of Lynkuet tested how well the medicine worked in women with a history of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer who were taking hormonal therapy.
The OASIS-4 study included 474 women who were taking either tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor and experiencing about 11 moderate-to-severe hot flashes a day. Two-thirds of the women took Lynkuet once a day for a year. The other third took a placebo — a pill that looked just like Lynkuet but contained no medicine — once a day for 12 weeks and then took Lynkuet once a day for the next 40 weeks.
After the first four weeks, women taking Lynkuet had six fewer hot flashes per day, and women taking the placebo had three fewer. After 12 weeks, women taking Lynkuet had eight fewer daily hot flashes, and women taking the placebo had four fewer.
Sleep problems
Women taking Lynkuet also reported fewer sleep disturbances compared to those receiving a placebo, regardless of whether their hot flashes and night sweats improved. Researchers estimated that about 54% of the improvement in sleep disturbances was directly due to Lynkuet.
Paying for Lynkuet
The cost of Lynkuet may vary. The price you’ll pay depends on your health insurance provider and plan, where you live, and the pharmacy you use.
Note: Your insurance company may require you to get prior authorization before covering Lynkuet.
If you have trouble paying for Lynkuet, Bayer, the company that makes the medicine, has saving programs. You can also ask your pharmacist or care team about financial assistance programs that may be able to help.
Learn more about financial assistance and medicine cost-lowering tips.