Patient description: The patient is a 55-year-old man diagnosed with HCV 2 years ago and the recent coinfection with HBV. His past medical history is non-significant. He is on IFN, RBV and direct antiviral drugs for the past 6 months. The patient takes no other medications. His medical records show previous positive HCV RNA tests and a positive enzyme immunoassay for anti-HCV-antibodies. The recent biopsy was negative for hepatocellular carcinoma and was only remarkable for chronic inflammation compatible with a chronic viral hepatitis. There is no evidence of alcoholic liver disease, bleeding from esophageal varices, hemochromatosis, autoimmune hepatitis, or metabolic liver disease. He is an alert male with no acute distress. His BP: 130/75, HR: 90/min and BMI: 27. His abdomen is soft with no ascites or tenderness. The lower extremities are normal with no edema.

Clinical trial eligibility criteria: eligible ages (years): 18.0-999.0,  Hepatitis B, Chronic Hepatitis C, Chronic Male and female patients >= 18 years of age will be recruited Patients with dual chronic hepatitis C and B must be positive for both anti-HCV and HBsAg for more than 6 months and HCV RNA quantifiable at 600 IU/mL (by the COBAS HCV Test version 2.0) Patients must not be positive for HBeAg Patients with monoinfected chronic hepatitis C must be positive for anti-HCV for more than 6 months and HCV RNA quantifiable at 600 IU/mL (by the COBAS HCV Test version 2.0). Patients must not be positive for HBsAg. All patients must Be treatment naïve for the hepatitis disease or have had treatment failure to previous interferon monotherapy or treatment failure to previous lamivudine therapy Present with elevated serum ALT levels at least 1.5 times the upper limit of normal, documented on two occasions (at least one month apart), within six months prior to enrollment Present with liver biopsy findings compatible with the diagnosis of chronic liver disease (the liver biopsy needs to be taken within 52 weeks prior to the first dose of study drug) Have adequate liver reserve (defined as equal to or better than Child-Pugh Class A) Present with WBC 3500/mm3, ANC 1500/mm3, and platelets 90,000/mm3  Be drug addicts or have any history or histological evidence of alcohol abuse, or currently receive prescriptions that may cause hepatotoxicity Present with hemoglobin <12.0 gm/dl for females and <13.0 gm/dl for males Signs or symptoms of hepatocellular carcinoma Any investigational drug ? 6 weeks prior to the first dose of study drug Have renal insufficiency (serum creatinine concentration >1.5 x upper limit of normal at screening; upper limit depending on lab at each site) Patients with documented or presumed coronary artery disease or cerebrovascular disease should not be enrolled if, in the judgment of the investigator, an acute decrease in hemoglobin by up to 4 g/dL (40 g/L) (as may be seen with ribavirin therapy) would not be well-tolerated Have serological evidence of autoimmune chronic liver disease (e.g. antinuclear antibody titers > 1:320, and/or smooth muscle antibody titers > 1:160) History of major organ transplantation with an existing functional graft History or other evidence of severe illness, malignancy or any other conditions which would make the patient, in the opinion of the investigator, unsuitable for the study Thyroid dysfunction not adequately controlled (TSH and T4 levels out of normal range)