• Efficacy: The proportion of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA undetectable or with at least a 2-log drop from baseline at CT Week 4 in the viramidine pre-load group versus the viramidine standard dosing group.
  
• Safety: Evaluation of adverse events (AEs).
  
• Safety: Physical exams
  
• Safety: Vital signs
  
• Safety: Laboratory tests
  

• Efficacy: HCV RNA Response at CT Week 12, 24, end of treatment and at follow-up Week 24.
  

This Phase 2b multicenter study, which is being conducted solely in the United States, consists of a randomized, double-blind, monotherapy period, where patients will receive either viramidine or placebo for 4 weeks. After the monotherapy period, all patients will receive viramidine plus peginterferon alfa-2b combination therapy for 48 weeks in an open-label fashion and will then participate in a 24-week follow-up period after completion of combination therapy. The RVR at CT Week 4 between groups receiving a standard combination peginterferon alfa-2b/viramidine dosing regimen versus a cohort that receives 4 weeks of viramidine monotherapy prior to the start of peginterferon alfa-2b/viramidine combination therapy will be examined. The differences in virological response during treatment and end of follow-up between African-Americans and Caucasians (non-Hispanics), as well as a correlation between duration of viral negativity (DVN) and sustained virologic response (SVR) based on race and dosing regimen, will also be assessed.