Panel Discussion: Redefining Therapeutic Potential in Muscarinics: Interrogating the M1/M4 Debate to Advance Next Generation Neuropsychiatric Treatments
3:00 pm - Thursday 17th September 2026
- What has Cobenfy taught us about the therapeutic potential of muscarinic mechanisms, and how should its success shape future drug development strategies?
- How should recent clinical readouts from selective M4 programs be interpreted, and what have they revealed about the opportunities and challenges of PAM-based approaches?
- To what extent do M1 and M4 receptor modulation contribute differently to efficacy, cognition, behavioural regulation and broader neuropsychiatric outcomes?
- How can developers address remaining translational challenges around dose selection, receptor occupancy, target engagement and biomarker development?
- Will M4 PAMs ultimately recapitulate the efficacy observed with M1/M4 agonist approaches, and what upcoming clinical readouts are most likely to answer this question?
- Looking ahead, where do muscarinic therapies have the greatest potential beyond schizophrenia, including psychosis associated with Alzheimer's disease and other neuropsychiatric disorders?
