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): 18.0-70.0,  Chronic Hepatitis C Signed written informed consent 2. Age 18 3. Presence of HCV RNA measured by quantitative PCR 4. Non responder to previous approved doses of therapy with PEGinterferon alpha plus ribavirin. Patients must have been treated for at least 12 weeks with documented HCV RNA quantitative not showing major of 2 log10 HCV RNA reduction or patients treated for at least 24 weeks with documented HCV RNA qualitative not showing a virological response (viral RNA clearance) 5. Liver biopsy consistent with a diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C or histological cirrhosis. Biopsy will not be required if the patient can produce a biopsy performed within the year preceding the randomization day and was performed at least 6 months after the end of the latter course of therapy 6. Wash-out period of at least 6 months from previous therapy with PEGinterferon alpha plus ribavirin 7. Negative pregnancy test prior (no more than 24 hours) to first study medication dose  Use of systemic corticosteroids within 6 months of entry 2. More than one previous course of therapy with PEGinterferon alpha plus ribavirin 3. Any other liver disease 4. Decompensated liver disease based on a history of hepatic encephalopathy, bleeding oesophageal varices, or ascites 5. Decompensate or advanced liver cirrhosis (ChildPugh B or C) 6. HIV infection diagnosed by HIV seropositivity and confirmed by Western blot 7. Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus 8. Severe haemoglobinopathy 9. Positive liver and kidney microsomal auto antibodies 10. Positive anti thyroid antibodies 11. Pregnancy as documented by a urine pregnancy test 12. Alcohol or intravenous drug abuse within the previous 1 year 13. Patients who are in poor medical or psychiatric conditions, or who have any non-malignant systemic disease that, in the opinion of the Investigator, would make it unlikely that the patient could complete the study protocol 14. Any indication that the patient would not comply with the conditions of the study protocol 15. Previous treatment with thymosin alpha 1 16. Patients with known hypersensitivity to any PEGinterferon and or ribavirin 17. Patients with a history of severe depression that required either hospitalization or electroshock therapy or depression associated with suicide attempt 18. Simultaneous participation in another investigational drug study or participation in any clinical trial involving investigational drugs within 3 months before study entry 19. Presence of serious pulmonary or cardiovascular disorders