Hidden SMA carriers could soon be found with new DNA reading technique
NCT ID NCT07332702
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests a new way to read DNA that may find hidden carriers of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Some people carry two copies of the SMN1 gene side by side, making them carriers that standard tests miss. Researchers will take blood samples from 27 adults and use long-read DNA analysis to spot these hidden duplications, which could improve genetic counseling for couples planning a family.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could lead to more accurate genetic testing for spinal muscular atrophy carriers, helping couples better understand their risk of having a child with SMA.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study (27 participants) focused on improving detection methods, not a treatment trial. The new technique may not prove reliable enough for widespread clinical use.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 27 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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May 2025
- Expected to finish
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Jan 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria • Adult Subject: * Subject with either: * 1 or 3 copies of the SMN1 gene (control group) and a variable number of copies of the SMN2 gene * 2 copies of the SMN1 gene in cis (2+0 genotype) (test group) * Affiliation to French health insurance * Signed consent form Exclusion Criteria * Pregnant or breastfeeding women * Individuals deprived of liberty by an administrative or judicial decision, or those under guardianship or curatorship
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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CHU Rouen
RECRUITINGRouen, France
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Gene therapy hope for SMA kids: early trial launches
- New knee device may help kids with SMA build leg strength
- New VR device aims to make exercise fun for kids with muscle weakness
- Wearable tech monitors SMA babies at home to pinpoint best time for extra treatment
- Summer camp aims to boost strength in kids with SMA