Conditions: Hepatitis C, Chronic
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 236
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
This study will compare the efficacy and safety of treatment with pegylated-interferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin in participants with non-genotype 2/3 CHC who, after 12 weeks of study treatment, have undetectable hepatitis C virus (HCV)-ribonucleic acid (RNA) or a greater than or equal to (\>=) 2 log10 drop in HCV-RNA. Participants will be randomized to receive pegylated-interferon alfa-2a 180 micrograms subcutaneously weekly plus ribavirin (1000-1400 milligram \[mg\]) orally daily for the specified duration, followed by 24 weeks of treatment-free follow-up. Participants with detectable HCV-RNA and less than (\<) 2 log10 drop in HCV-RNA at week 12 will discontinue therapy.

Detailed description:

Arms:
arm 1: Participants with HCV RNA levels greater than (\>) 15 international units per milliliter (IU/mL) at Week 4, HCV RNA greater than or equal to (\>=) 15 IU/mL at Week 8, and either HCV RNA less than (\<) 15 IU/mL or \>=2 times logarithmic (2 log10) drop at Week 12, will receive pegylated-interferon alfa-2a (Pegasys) 180 micrograms (mcg) subcutaneously once in a week for 48 weeks, and ribavirin 1000 to 1400 milligrams (mg) orally daily for 48 weeks. arm 2: Participants with HCV RNA levels \>15 IU/mL at Week 4, HCV RNA \>=15 IU/mL at Week 8, and either HCV RNA \<15 IU/mL or \>=2 log10 drop at Week 12, will receive pegylated-interferon alfa-2a 180 mcg subcutaneously once in a week for 72 weeks, and ribavirin 1000 to 1400 mg orally daily for 72 weeks. arm 3: Participants with HCV-RNA levels \>15 IU/mL at Week 4, and HCV-RNA \<15 IU/mL at Week 8, will receive pegylated-interferon alfa-2a 180 mcg subcutaneously once in a week for 36 weeks, and ribavirin 1000 to 1400 mg orally daily for 36 weeks. arm 4: Participants with HCV-RNA levels \>15 IU/mL at Week 4, and HCV-RNA \<15 IU/mL at Week 8, will receive pegylated-interferon alfa-2a 180 mcg subcutaneously once in a week for 48 weeks, and ribavirin 1000 to 1400 mg orally daily for 48 weeks. arm 5: Participants with HCV-RNA levels \<15 IU/mL at Week 4, will receive pegylated-interferon alfa-2a 180 mcg subcutaneously once in a week for 24 weeks, and ribavirin 1000 to 1400 mg orally daily for 24 weeks. arm 6: Participants with HCV-RNA levels \<15 IU/mL at Week 4, will receive pegylated-interferon alfa-2a 180 mcg subcutaneously once in a week for 48 weeks, and ribavirin 1000 to 1400 mg orally daily for 48 weeks. arm 7: Participants who do not have any change in HCV-RNA levels at Weeks 4, 8, and 12 will not be randomized (NR) to any of the other groups. Participants will receive pegylated-interferon alfa-2a 180 mcg subcutaneously once in a week for 48 weeks, and ribavirin 1000 to 1400 mg orally daily for 48 weeks.

Interventions: intervention 1: Pegylated-interferon Alfa-2a intervention 2: Ribavirin
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Participants will receive pegylated-interferon alfa-2a 180 mcg subcutaneously once in a week for the specified duration. intervention 2: Participants will receive ribavirin 1000 to 1400 mg orally daily for the specified duration.

Protocol document: