The figure indicates … Role of the IL-28B genotype and viral genotype Of the five patients with a transient decline in HCV RNA levels, three had the IL-28B CC genotype (Table 1). Of the five patients (numbers 102, 103, 201, 202, and 402) with a transient Ganetespib OSA de novo T cell activation, one had the TT,39 three had the CT, and one had the CC genotype (Table 1). Hence, no association between the IL-28B genotype and T cell responses was seen (Table 1). Two of these five patients were infected with HCV genotype 1a and three with genotype 1b (Figures 4 and 55). Figure 5 Overview of IFN-�� ELISpot responses to the nine peptide pools spanning the NS3/4A proteins in the 12 vaccinated patients. An open box indicates that the sample was not tested, a blue box indicates that the sample was tested with a negative result, .

.. Effects of SOC therapy after vaccination At baseline, before SOC treatment was commenced, the mean age of the patients was 47 years (range 37�C57) and all but two were males (Figure 6). The mean HCV RNA level was 662,098 IU/ml (range 8,790�C1,700,000 IU/ml). A rapid viral responses was achieved in 5 out of 8 patients (56%), and a complete early viral response and sustained viral response (SVR) in 6 out of 8 patients (75%). Sustained viral response according to IL-28B genotype was seen in 2 of 2 patients with the CC, 3 of 4 patients with the CT, and 1 of 2 patients with the TT genotype (Figure 6). Figure 6 Kinetics of serum HCV RNA levels after vaccination and SOC therapy. (a) Summary of the effect of an SOC therapy in 8 out of the 12 patients.

The two patients receiving a fifth booster dose of the vaccine has been indicated by an asterisk (*). EOT, indicate … Discussion DNA vaccines have not been successful in the past, probably at least due to suboptimal delivery.30 New delivery techniques including in vivo EP possibly will change this for the better.40 Thus, some key effects of in vivo EP are improved DNA uptake, antigen expression, and a local inflammatory response.32,41 These factors are favorable when DNA vaccination as a concept is moved from small to large animals including humans. The study was designed to investigate whether therapeutic HCV vaccination in patients with chronic HCV infection was safe, had impact on the immune response, and whether it had any effects on the viral load.

As an addition, we could also follow some of the patients during a subsequent treatment with pegylated IFN alfa 2a and ribavirin. Although treatment for HCV infection is rapidly changing with the development of new direct antiviral drugs (direct-acting antivirals (DAAs)), the data presented here indicate that therapeutic HCV vaccination has a potential impact Anacetrapib on a subsequent SOC treatment. Further studies are needed to address whether a combination of therapeutic vaccination can improve treatment response to the new DAAs developed for HCV treatment.