Patient description: A 53-year-old man presents with chronic HCV infection for the past 2 years. His past medical history is only significant for inguinal hernia surgery when he was 20 years old. He is on IFN (100 mg/week) plus RBV (400 mg/day) combination therapy for the past 9 months. Direct antiviral drugs were added to his treatment 6 months ago. His medical record shows previous positive HCV RNA tests as well as positive enzyme immunoassay for anti-HCV-antibodies. The recent biopsy was negative for hepatocellular carcinoma and was only remarkable for chronic inflammation compatible with a chronic viral hepatitis. There is no evidence of alcoholic liver disease, bleeding from esophageal varices, hemochromatosis, autoimmune hepatitis or metabolic liver disease. He is an alert male with no acute distress. His BP: 130/75, HR: 90/min and BMI: 27. His abdomen is soft with no ascites or tenderness. The lower extremities are normal with no edema.

Clinical trial eligibility criteria: eligible ages (years): 18.0-999.0,  Chronic Hepatitis C Signed, written, informed consent from the patient or legal representative before any study-specific procedures are performed 2. Male or female 18 years of age or older 3. Chronic hepatitis C infection based on history of positive serum anti-HCV antibody and/or HCV RNA 4. Patients must have documented failure to respond to past treatment with PEG-Intron or Pegasys plus RBV. 5. Liver biopsy within 3 years of screening documenting chronic liver disease consistent with chronic hepatitis C  Patients with any history of decompensated liver disease including but not restricted to portal hypertension as manifested by gastroesophageal varices, variceal bleeding, ascites, or encephalopathy 2. Specific laboratory abnormalities at Screening 3. Patients who were HCV RNA negative during prior pegylated interferon plus ribavirin treatment, but who relapsed during follow-up 4. Recent depression or psychiatric disorders 5. Known HIV infection or positive HIV antibody test at Screening 6. Chronic hepatitis B infection or positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) at Screening 7. Unstable or uncontrolled thyroid disease 8. Presence or history of non-HCV chronic liver disease 9. History of unstable or deteriorating cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease within 6 months prior to Screening 10. Current or history of neurologic disorder within a specified time frame 11. A disease known to cause significant alteration in immunologic function including hematological malignancy, sarcoidosis or autoimmune disorder (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosis, leukemia, lymphoma, autoimmune thyroid disease, scleroderma, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis etc.) 12. History of major organ transplantation (i.e., liver, kidney, lung, or heart) with an existing functional graft, including bone marrow transplant or stem cell transplant 13. Concurrent therapy with immunosuppressive drugs or cytotoxic agents such as cyclosporine, azathioprine, chronic systemic corticosteroids, or chemotherapeutic agent(s) (e.g., cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, or cancer chemotherapy) or radiation therapy 14. Pregnant or lactating women 15. Liver biopsy within the past three years documenting cirrhosis