Patient description: A 53-year-old man presents with chronic HCV infection for the past 2 years. His past medical history is only significant for inguinal hernia surgery when he was 20 years old. He is on IFN (100 mg/week) plus RBV (400 mg/day) combination therapy for the past 9 months. Direct antiviral drugs were added to his treatment 6 months ago. His medical record shows previous positive HCV RNA tests as well as 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 C, Chronic Adults ≥18 years of age (≥ 20 years for subjects enrolled in Taiwan); subjects who are over 70 years of age must be in generally good health Confirmed diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) virus genotype 1 infection: (1) Positive for anti-HCV antibody or HCV RNA at least 6 months before screening, and positive for HCV RNA genotype 1 or anti-HCV antibody at the time of screening; or (2) Positive for anti-HCV antibody or HCV RNA genotype 1 at the time of screening with a liver biopsy consistent with chronic HCV infection (or a liver biopsy performed before enrollment with evidence of CHC disease, such as the presence of fibrosis) Compensated liver disease: with normal or elevated alanine aminotransaminase (ALT)/ aspartate aminotranferase (AST) (≤ 5 times the upper limit of normal), normal bilirubin level (< 2 mg/dL, except for Gilbert's syndrome), normal albumin, normal prothrombin time (PT) (INR< 1.3), no clinical symptoms or signs of cirrhosis or liver decompensation, and no evidence of cirrhosis as identified by ultrasound or any other procedures within 6 months before study entry Treatment naïve: never received interferon, ribavirin or any other HCV treatment No other form of chronic liver disease apart from chronic hepatitis C infection Hemoglobin ≥ 13 g/dL in men or ≥ 12 g/dL in women, white blood cell (WBC) count ≥ 3,500/mm3, absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,500/mm3, platelet count ≥ 90,000/mm3; renal biochemistry estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) > 60 mL/min Be able to attend all scheduled visits and to comply with all study procedures Be able to provide written informed consent  Clinically significant illness or surgery within 4 weeks prior to dosing Any clinically significant abnormality or abnormal laboratory test results found during medical screening besides serum ALT/AST (≤ 5 times the upper limit of normal) Any reason which, in the opinion of the investigator, would prevent the subject from participating in the study Positive test for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) at screening Clinically significant vital sign abnormalities at screening Significant or major fundoscopic findings including but not limited to retinal exudates, hemorrhage, detachment, neovascularization, papilloedema, optic atrophy, microaneurysms and macular changes History of significant alcohol or drug abuse within one year prior to the screening visit (alcohol consumption of more than fourteen units of alcohol per week [1 Unit = 150 mL of wine, 360 mL of beer, or 45 mL of 40% alcohol]) or refusal to abstain from alcohol or illicit drugs throughout the study Pregnancy or, in women of child-bearing potential or in spouses of such women, unwillingness or inability to practice adequate contraception, defined as vasectomy in men, tubal ligation in women, or use of condoms and spermicides, or birth control pills, or intrauterine devices throughout the study History of severe allergic or hypersensitivity reactions (like angioedema), specifically asthma, any known reaction to the study medication, allergic skin rash or other allergic reactions (like anaphylaxis), including severe drug allergies Therapy with any systemic anti-viral, anti-neoplastic, and immunomodulatory treatment (including supraphysiologic doses of steroids and radiation) within 6 months prior to the first dose of study drug