Patent ID: 8138161

Claim:
A method for inhibiting Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) replication in a patient, the method comprising the steps of: (a) administering to said patient a composition comprising a modified double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) or modified small interfering RNA (siRNA) in an amount effective to mediate RNA interference to inhibit HCV replication, wherein the modified dsRNA or modified siRNA comprises a first strand and a second strand, wherein the first strand is no more than about 30 ribonucleotides in length and the sequence of the first strand comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 and the second strand is no more than 30 ribonucleotides in length and the sequence of the second strand comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, wherein the modified dsRNA or modified siRNA is cholesterol-labeled, and (b) administering to said patient a cholesterol-lowering drug, wherein steps (a) and (b) can be performed simultaneously or in any order, and (c) wherein the cholesterol-lowering drug reduces the level of competing cholesterol in the serum, allowing more efficient uptake of the cholesterol-labeled modified dsRNA or modified siRNA by hepatocytes.