The Gus Alva Perspective: SoCal Psych Preview—Schizophrenia Updates, with Jonathan Meyer, MD

Welcome to the Gus Alva Perspective!

As anticipation builds for the upcoming 2025 Southern California Psychiatry Conference this July attendees can look forward to a groundbreaking session featuring Jonathan Meyer, MD, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UC San Diego and nationally recognized psychopharmacology educator. At the meeting, Meyer will be delivering an in-depth look at 1 of the most exciting advances in schizophrenia treatment in decades: the muscarinic receptor agonist xanomeline-trospium (Cobenfy).

The therapy, which was approved in 2024 and does not rely on D2 receptor blockade, marks the first FDA-cleared schizophrenia treatment in a completely novel class—and notably, it is not labeled as an “antipsychotic.” In an exclusive discussion with Gus Alva, MD, director of ATP Clinical Research and chair of the Southern California Psychiatry Conference, on The Gus Alva Perspective, Meyer previews how this agent works presynaptically to modulate dopamine, potentially minimizing many of the D2-related side effects that hinder long-term adherence, such as movement disorders and metabolic complications.

Attendees will gain insights into:

• The neurobiological rationale for muscarinic modulation in schizophrenia.
• How xanomeline-trospium may improve not only positive symptoms but also cognition and negative symptoms.
• Practical strategies for initiating therapy, including managing peripheral cholinergic effects through the co-administered anticholinergic trospium.
• Why this treatment represents a critical step forward for treatment-resistant patients and those struggling with tolerability of traditional agents.

As Meyer notes in the episode, “If you want to give people the benefit of this therapy, you have to know how to initiate it.” His session promises to be an essential guide for clinicians ready to incorporate this novel mechanism into real-world practice.

With additional commentary expected from Chelsie Monroe, MSN, APN, and other leading voices in psychiatry, this year's meeting will offer attendees a front-row seat to the future of schizophrenia care.

Don’t miss it. Join Physicians' Education Resource in Huntington Beach, CA this July to be part of the conversation shaping the next generation of psychiatric treatment.