Tay-Sachs Disease — Research Summary
Printed from RareWays (rareways.com.au) on 26 July 2026
For general awareness only. Not medical advice. Discuss all care options with your healthcare team.
5 Most Recent Research Articles
- 1.
Novel HEXB variant and first evidence of urinary Gb4 isoforms in Sandhoff disease: Biochemical and bioinformatic characterization in two Moroccan families.
Hammoud Miloud et al. — Analytical biochemistry (1 September 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42167572/
- 2.
[Late-onset manifestation of Tay-Sachs disease-A disease of the cerebellum and motor neurons with psychiatric sequelae].
Mengel Karl Eugen et al. — Der Nervenarzt (1 July 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42234134/
- 3.
Cerebrospinal delivery of a bidirectional AAV9 vector improves optic nerve and retinal pathology in a sheep model of Tay-Sachs disease.
Story Brett D et al. — Molecular therapy : the journal of the American Society of Gene Therapy (11 June 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42281208/
- 4.
Tay-Sachs disease models: From cellular and animal models to treatment perspectives.
Suarez Diego A et al. — Molecular genetics and metabolism (1 June 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41880697/
- 5.
Long-term follow-up of a Tay-Sachs disease patient with cherry-red spot.
Tsutsumi Noriko et al. — American journal of ophthalmology case reports (1 June 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41783478/
Clinical Trials — Currently Recruiting (Australia)
Ask your doctor whether you or your child may be eligible for any of these trials.
- 1.
A Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Oral Nizubaglustat (AZ-3102) in Late-infantile and Juvenile Forms of GM1 Gangliosidosis or GM2 Gangliosidosis
Recruiting — Phase 3 — Azafaros B.V.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07082543
- 2.
A Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Oral Nizubaglustat (AZ-3102) in Late-infantile and Juvenile Forms of Niemann-Pick Type C Disease, GM1 Gangliosidosis or GM2 Gangliosidosis
Recruiting — Phase 3 — Azafaros B.V.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07054515
Source: RareWays research directory. Data from PubMed, Europe PMC, OpenAlex, ClinicalTrials.gov.
Always verify information with your healthcare team before making any decisions about your care.
Tay-Sachs Disease
Tay-Sachs Disease is a rare inherited lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in the HEXA gene, resulting in the toxic accumulation of gangliosides in nerve cells. The infantile form is typically fatal by age 5; late-onset forms present in adolescence or adulthood. Carrier screening in at-risk populations (Ashkenazi Jewish, French-Canadian) has dramatically reduced incidence.
Most Recent Research
Sandhoff disease is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency of β-hexosaminidases A and B. These enzymes play a key role in the degradation of ganglioside GM2, GA2, globoside Gb4, and other glycolipids in neuronal and visceral tissues. Clinically, it is almost indistinguishable from Tay-Sachs disease, another disorder affecting hexosaminidase activity. We investigated two Moroccan families affected by Sandhoff disease through a multidisciplinary approach combining biochemical, chromatographic, bio-informatic, and genetic analyses. Urinary sphingolipids were characterized as potential biomarkers using thin-layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS), and molecular networking. Enzyme activity of β-hexosaminidase A and total β-hexosaminidase were measured, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed to identify disease-causing mutations in the HEXB gene. Lipidomic profiling of urinary extracts demonstrated accumulation of Gb4 and lactosylceramides. This is the first report showing that Gb4 isoforms are excreted in the urine of Sandhoff patients, highlighting their value as reliable, accessible and non-invasive biomarkers for resource-limited settings. Representative Gb4 isoforms were structurally assigned, and their exact molecular formulas were determined in patient urine. Enzyme essay revealed a marked reduction of β-hexosaminidase activity, consistent with Sandhoff disease. Molecular networking confirmed the abnormal sphingolipid signature. Genetic analysis identified a novel homozygous variant in the HEXB gene (c.1543A > C; p.Ser515Arg), associated with a severe clinical phenotype and early mortality. Our study expands the mutation spectrum of HEXB and provides first evidence of urinary Gb4 isoform excretion as potential biomarkers, demonstrating the utility of integrating urinary sphingolipid profiling with NGS.
Common Questions
What is Tay-Sachs Disease?
Tay-Sachs Disease is a rare inherited lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in the HEXA gene, resulting in the toxic accumulation of gangliosides in nerve cells. The infantile form is typically fatal by age 5; late-onset forms present in adolescence or adulthood. Carrier screening in at-risk populations (Ashkenazi Jewish, French-Canadian) has dramatically reduced incidence.
How many clinical trials are available for Tay-Sachs Disease?
RareWays currently indexes 24 clinical trials for Tay-Sachs Disease, of which 7 are actively recruiting. Trial availability changes as new studies are registered — check the trials tab for current status.
Where does the research data for Tay-Sachs Disease come from?
RareWays aggregates research from PubMed, Europe PMC, OpenAlex, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Data is updated regularly by Rocky, RareWays' automated research engine. All articles and trials link directly to their original sources.
Get research updates
Monthly email when new findings are published for Tay-Sachs Disease.
No spam. Unsubscribe any time. Not medical advice.
This information is for general awareness only.
For guidance specific to your situation, please speak with your healthcare team.