Neurokinin Therapies for VMS: MOAs and Potential Bone Health Implications
An expert discusses how neurokinin receptor antagonists like fezolinetant (NK3) and elinzanetant (NK1/NK3) work in the hypothalamus to reduce vasomotor symptoms, with elinzanetant showing promising skeletal benefits.
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The pathophysiology of vasomotor symptoms involves complex interactions in the brain hypothalamus, particularly through neurokinin neurons that interact with NK receptors. Fezolinetant, an approved NK-3 receptor antagonist, has demonstrated clinical efficacy in reducing vasomotor symptom (VMS) frequency by targeting these specific neural pathways.
Elinzanetant represents an advancement in this therapeutic class as both an NK-1 and NK-3 receptor antagonist, offering dual mechanisms of action (MOA). This dual antagonism not only provides effective vasomotor symptom relief but also shows promising evidence for potential skeletal benefits, setting it apart from other nonestrogen treatments.
The neurokinin pathway's role in bone health represents an emerging area of research, with early evidence suggesting that targeting multiple neurokinin receptors may offer advantages beyond symptom management. This potential for combined benefits makes neurokinin therapies particularly interesting for postmenopausal women who need both symptom relief and bone health support.
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