This was a randomized, multi-center, partially placebo-controlled Phase IV study to compare the efficacy and tolerability of a 48-week combined therapy with pegylated interferon alpha-2a, ribavirin and amantadine sulphate versus placebo in untreated patients with chronic hepatitis C virus-genotype-1-infection. The hypothesis was that there will be an increase in sustained response rate for triple therapy compared to current standard treatment.