Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-term Treatment Against Cirrhosis Trial (HALT-C)
Brief Summary: The HALT-C Trial is a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases sponsored, randomized clinical trial of long-term use of Peginterferon alfa-2a (pegylated interferon) in patients who failed to respond to prior interferon treatment. All patients who enter the trial will be treated for 6 months with Peginterferon alfa-2a and Ribavirin. Patients who respond to this 6 month treatment will continue to be treated for an additional 6 months.

Patients who do not respond to this treatment will be eligible for the long-term maintenance phase of this study where patients will be randomly selected to be treated with Peginterferon alfa-2a or to discontinue treatment for 3.5 years. Patients in both arms of this study will be followed closely with quarterly study visits.

The combination of peginterferon plus ribavirin has recently been approved by the FDA for treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Patients who remain HCV-RNA positive after being treated for at least 6 months with peginterferon and ribavirin outside of this study may be eligible to directly enter the randomized portion of the HALT-C Trial.

The HALT-C study is designed to determine if continuing interferon long-term over several years will suppress Hepatitis C virus, prevent progression to cirrhosis, prevent liver cancer and reduce the need for liver transplantation.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Hepatitis C virus Genotype 1 with detectable plasma hepatitis C virus RNA
* Have been infected with Hepatitis C virus for greater than (\>) 6 months
* Seronegative for hepatitis B surface antigen and human immunodeficiency virus 1 and 2
* Must agree to use 2 methods of contraception, including 1 barrier method, during and for 24 weeks after the completion of the study (unless the subject is a female of documented non-child-bearing potential)
* Female subjects must have a negative pregnancy test at all visits before the first dose.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Received any approved or investigational drug or drug regimen for the treatment of hepatitis C.
* Any medical contraindications to Peg-IFN-alfa-2a or Ribavirin therapy
* Any other cause of significant liver disease in addition to hepatitis C; this may include but is not limited to, hepatitis B, drug or alcohol-related cirrhosis, autoimmune hepatitis, hemochromatosis, Wilson's disease, Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis or primary biliary cirrhosis.
* Diagnosed or suspected hepatocellular carcinoma.
* Histologic evidence of hepatic cirrhosis (including compensated cirrhosis) based on a liver biopsy taken within 2 years before Study start.
* Alcohol/drug abuse or excessive use in the last 12 months.
* Participation in any investigational drug study within 90 days before drug administration or participation in more than 2 drug studies in the last 12 months (exclusive of the current study).
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age at entry at least 18 years.
* Positive for Hepatitis C.
* Previous treatment with any interferon or interferon and ribavirin for at least 3 months.
* Documented non-response to treatment with interferon.
* A liver biopsy demonstrating significant liver scarring.

Exclusion Criteria:

* No other liver disease.
* No unstable major medical diseases or conditions.
* No major complications of cirrhosis.
* No recent abuse of alcohol or illicit drugs.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* Hepatitis C virus Genotype 1 with detectable plasma hepatitis C virus RNA
* Have been infected with hepatitis C virus for greater than (\>) 6 months
* Seronegative for hepatitis B surface antigen and Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 and 2
* Must agree to use 2 methods of contraception, including 1 barrier method, during and for 24 weeks after the completion of the study (unless the subject is a female of documented non-child-bearing potential)
* Female subjects must have a negative pregnancy test at all visits before the first dose

Exclusion Criteria:

* Received any approved or investigational drug or drug regimen for the treatment of hepatitis C
* Any medical contraindications to Pegylated Interferon Alfa 2a or Ribavirin therapy
* Any other cause of significant liver disease in addition to hepatitis C; this may include but is not limited to, hepatitis B, drug or alcohol-related cirrhosis, autoimmune hepatitis, hemochromatosis, Wilson's disease, Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis or primary biliary cirrhosis
* Diagnosed or suspected hepatocellular carcinoma
* Histologic evidence of hepatic cirrhosis (including compensated cirrhosis) based on a liver biopsy taken within 2 years before study start
* Alcohol abuse or excessive use in the last 12 months
* Participation in any investigational drug study within 90 days before drug administration or participation in more than 2 drug studies in the last 12 months (exclusive of the current study)
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* evidence of CHC;
* evidence of hepatitis C non-genotype 2 or 3;
* compensated liver disease.

Exclusion Criteria:

* infection with HCV genotype 2 or 3;
* history of having received systemic antiviral therapy with activity against CHC \<=3 months prior to start of study;
* hepatitis A, hepatitis B or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection;
* history or evidence of a medical condition associated with chronic liver disease other than CHC.

Answer: B