The primary objective of the study is to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of (A) 2 weeks of high dose of ribavirin (loading, ≥26 mg/kg/day for 14 days followed by ≥13 mg/kg/day) followed by concentration targeted (≥ 2.5 mg/L (10.25 μmol/L) 28 days after initiation of ribavirin therapy) dosing of ribavirin vs. (B) 4 weeks of ribavirin dosing before initiation of PEG-interferon dosing (priming, ≥13 mg/kg/day) followed by concentration targeted (≥ 2.5 mg/L (10.25 μmol/L) 28 days after initiation of ribavirin therapy) dosing of ribavirin in combination with peginterferon alpha-2a in interferon naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) virus genotype 1 infection as compared to (C) standard-of-care dosing of ribavirin (≥13 mg/kg/day without monitoring of ribavirin concentrations) in combination with peginterferon alpha-2a.
This is a randomized, open-label, parallel group, multicenter pilot study evaluating the efficacy and safety of alternative dosing of ribavirin vs. standard of care dosing in combination with peginterferon alpha-2a in interferon naïve patients with chronic hepatitis c genotype 1 infection.