All samples from the 12 patients with chronic Hepatitis C genotype 1 treated with Tripep’s therapeutic vaccine ChronVac-C® have now been collected. The treatment was found to be safe, immunogenic and had transient effects on the serum levels of hepatitis C virus. This provides a proof-of-concept for the therapeutic strategy. In addition, early data from three patients who have initiated standard of care treatment after completing the clinical trial have experienced a rapid loss of the virus, implying a possible role for ChronVac-C® in combination therapies. Tripep will therefore pursue clinical development of ChronVac-C® along two lines, the current ChronVac-C® as an addition to standard of care, and a 2nd generation improved ChronVac-C® as a monotherapy. GMP production and preclinical safety testing of the 2nd generation ChronVac-C® should start in the spring of 2010. Finally, Tripep has filed an application with the Swedish Medical Products Agency to give the last three patients in the finalized study a fifth booster dose 6-12 months after the fourth dose.