The objective is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination therapy with subcutaneous (SC) Pegylated Interferon (PEG-IFN) alfa-2b 1.5 ug/kg/week plus low-dose ribavirin administered for 48 weeks in participants with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) who are infected with HCV genotype 1 high viral load, and weigh 50 kg or less.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C.

• Minimum 20 years of age

• Willing to use adequate contraception during the course of the study.

• Participants who can be hospitalized for at least 14 days since treatment initiation.

• Positive for HCV genotype 1 (genotype 1a and 1b) with high viral load (HCV-RNA >=100 kIU/mL).

• Participants weighing over 40 kg to 50 kg.

• Hematology results of:

  • hemoglobin levels >=12 g/dL
  • neutrophils >=1,500/mm^3
  • platelets >=100,000/mm^3

Exclusion Criteria:

• Previous ribavirin therapy.
• Previous interferon therapy within 90 days of registration.
• Participants who received treatment with injectable products containing glycyrrhizin/cysteine/glycine (Stronger Neo-Minophagen C, etc.), Shosaikoto, or ursodeoxycholic acid within 30 days before the start of treatment
• Participants who received treatment with an antiviral or anti-tumor drug or who received immunomodulating therapy (including steroids and radiotherapy) within 90 days before the start of treatment [excluding local administration and topical drugs].
• Participants who received other investigational drugs within 180 days before the start of treatment.
• Hepatitis Bs (HBs) antigen-positive
• Antinuclear antibodies >=1:160
• Fasting blood glucose >=110 mg/dL (however, participants with fasting blood glucose of 110 mg/dL to <126 mg/dL can be registered if HbA1c is <6.5%)
• Participants diagnosed with liver cirrhosis in most recent celioscopy or liver biopsy.
• Participants with or who have a history of any of the following: liver failure; hepatic encephalopathy, esophageal varices, or ascites; depression or schizophrenia requiring treatment or suicidal attempt or ideation; epileptic seizures requiring drug treatment; autoimmune disease (such as Hashimoto's disease, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, chronic rheumatoid arthritis, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, systemic erythematosus, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and scleroderma); hepatic cancer
• Participants with any of the following: liver disease such as autoimmune hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, and drug-induced hepatic impairment; hemophilia; arrhythmia requiring treatment and participants with or who have a history of angina pectoris, cardiac failure, myocardial infarction, or life-threatening arrhythmia; hypertension (systolic BP of 160 mmHg or more and diastolic BP of 100 mmHg or more) not possible to control with drug therapy; chronic pulmonary disease; hemoglobinopathy (thalassemia, sickle cell anemia); malignant tumor or who have a history of malignant tumor within the past 5 years; thyroid function disorder not controlled by drug therapy.
• Participants with organ transplants (excluding cornea and hair transplants).
• Participants with a history of hypersensitivity to interferon preparations, nucleoside analogs, or biological products such as vaccine.
• Participants with a specific response to PEG-IFN alfa-2b in a prick test to be conducted just before the initiation of treatment.
• Participants who are pregnant or nursing (in the case of male Participants : partner is pregnant)

http://www.merck.com/clinical-trials/pdf/Merck%20Procedure%20on%20Clinical%20Trial%20Data%20Access%20Final\_Updated%20July\_9\_2014.pdf

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