New menopause drug to target hot flashes without hormones gets FDA approval

The US Food and Drug Administration approved elinzanetant to treat hot flashes and night sweats. Maansi Srivastava/ For The Washington Post/Getty Images/File

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved another once-a-day pill that works without hormones to treat moderate to severe hot flashes in menopausal women, drugmaker Bayer said Friday.

The drug, elinzanetant, is expected to be available in the United States beginning in November under the brand name Lynkuet, Bayer said .

It works by blocking the brain chemicals responsible for hot flashes and night sweats – what doctors call vasomotor symptoms – in menopausal women. It’s estimated that more than 80% of women have hot flashes during menopause.

“This FDA approval represents a bold step forward – our first hormone-free tr