TG4040 in Patients With Chronic HCV

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of an investigational vaccine (TG4040) to prevent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The primary goal of this study is to determine the safety of increasing doses of TG4040 versus placebo (an inactive substance) in subjects chronically infected with HCV. Approximately 85 patients, ages 18-65 years, with chronic HCV infection will be enrolled in this study at two sites, Saint Louis University and Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Volunteers will receive doses of TG4040 and placebo by injections into the thigh on different days, depending on which study group they belong to. Safety will be checked before doses are increased, and each participant will receive the study vaccine, TG4040, at some point during the study. Each subject will participate in the study for 8 months. This study may help produce a new vaccine that would improve control of HCV.