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NCT Number: NCT00623428

A Study of Combination Therapy With PEGASYS (Pegylated Interferon Alfa-2a (40KD)) and Copegus (Ribavirin) in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C Genotype 2 or 3 Who Do Not Achieve a Rapid Viral Response

This study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of peginterferon alfa-2a 40KD + ribavirin combination therapy given for 24 weeks versus 48 weeks in patients with chronic hepatitis C, genotype 2/3.

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Key information

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 3

Primary location

Darlinghurst, Australia

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About this study

During a pre-study run-in phase patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 2/3, who had started therapy with PEG-IFN alfa-2a plus ribavirin according to local standard of care and did not achieve a rapid viral response (RVR) (defined as Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA <15 IU/mL at Week 4 of treatment measured with the Roche COBAS AmpliPrep / COBAS TaqMan® HCV Test) were eligible for the study and entered the screening phase between treatment Week 4 and 8 as soon as the result of the Week 4 HCV RNA test was available.

Eligible patients entered the study and continued with the dose regimens of PEG-IFN alfa-2a and ribavirin they were taking prior to enrolment into the trial up to Week 24 of treatment. Patients who achieved at least a 2-log10 drop of HCV RNA at Week 12 (as compared to HCV RNA levels prior to treatment initiation) or had HCV RNA <15 IU/mL, and who were still taking study medication at treatment Week 24, were randomized at treatment Week 24 to one of the two study groups. Upon randomization, participants either stopped treatment (equaling 24 weeks of treatment) or continued treatment for another 24 weeks (equaling 48 weeks of treatment). A treatment free follow-up period of 24 weeks (for participants in the 48-week treatment group) or 48 weeks (participants in the 24-week treatment group) completed the study.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • adult patients, >=18 years of age;
  • serological evidence of chronic hepatitis C (CHC);
  • CHC genotype 2 or 3;
  • receiving PEGASYS + Copegus according to local standard of care and no rapid viral response (RVR);
  • compensated liver disease.

Exclusion criteria

  • pegylated interferon, standard interferon or ribavirin therapy at any time prior to initiation of current therapy with PEGASYS + Copegus;
  • coinfection with hepatitis A or B, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV);
  • history or other evidence of decompensated liver disease.

Treatment and study plan

Peginterferon alfa-2a

Drug

Other names: Pegasys®, PEG-IFN alfa-2a

Ribavirin

Drug

Other names: Copegus®

Primary outcomes

  1. Percentage of Participants With a Sustained Virologic Response 24 Weeks After Scheduled Completion of Treatment

    Time frame: 24 weeks after scheduled treatment completion (approximately Week 48 for participants in the 24-week treatment group and Week 72 for participants in the 48-week treatment group.

    Sustained virological response (SVR) is defined as a single last HCV RNA measurement <15 IU/ml (measured using the Roche COBAS AmpliPrep / COBAS TaqMan HCV Test) 24 weeks after scheduled treatment completion, defined as Week 44 or later for participants randomized to the 24-week treatment period or Week 68 or later for participants randomized to the 48-week treatment period.

    Participants without measurements at the end of the 24-week untreated follow-up period were considered non-responders in the analysis.

  2. Percentage of Participants With a Sustained Virologic Response 24 Weeks After Actual End of Treatment

    Time frame: 24 weeks after actual end of treatment (range from Week 48 to Week 72).

    Sustained virological response (SVR) is defined as a single last HCV RNA measurement <15 IU/ml (measured using the Roche COBAS AmpliPrep / COBAS TaqMan HCV Test) at 24 weeks after actual end of study treatment. For participants in the 48-week treatment group who stopped study treatment prior to Week 48 for any reason, the HCV RNA measurements 24 weeks after actual end of treatment were used in the analysis. Participants without a 24-week post treatment measurement are considered non-responders.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Percentage of Participants With Virological Response 72 Weeks After Treatment Initiation

    Time frame: Week 72

    Virological response 72 weeks after treatment initiation is defined as the percentage of participants with HCV RNA <15 IU/mL as measured by the Roche COBAS AmpliPrep / COBAS TaqMan® HCV Test at 48 weeks post completion of the 24 week treatment period and 24 weeks post completion of the 48 week treatment period.

    Participants without Week 72 measurements were considered non-responders in the analysis.

  2. Percentage of Participants With Virological Response at End of Treatment

    Time frame: End of Treatment (Week 24 and Week 48 for each treatment group respectively).

    Virological response at the end of treatment was defined as the percentage of participants with HCV RNA <15 IU/mL as measured by the Roche COBAS AmpliPrep / COBAS TaqMan® HCV Test after the last dose of study medication.

  3. Percentage of Participants With Virological Relapse

    Time frame: End of treatment (Weeks 24 or 48) and 24 weeks after the end of treatment (weeks 48 and 72 in each treatment group respectively).

    Virological relapse defined as the percentage of participants with a virological response at end of treatment but who did not have a sustained virological response 24 weeks after the end of treatment.

    Virological response at end of treatment is defined as a single last HCV RNA measurement <15 IU/ml measured using the Roche COBAS AmpliPrep / COBAS TaqMan HCV Test at the day of last dose of study medication.

    Sustained virological response 24 weeks after the actual treatment end (SVR24) is defined as a single last HCV RNA measurement <15 IU/ml at least 20 weeks after treatment end.

  4. Percentage of Participants With a Sustained Virologic Response 12 Weeks After Actual End of Treatment

    Time frame: 12 weeks after actual end of treatment (range from Week 36 to Week 60)

    Sustained virological response (SVR) is defined as a single last HCV RNA measurement <15 IU/ml (measured using the Roche COBAS AmpliPrep / COBAS TaqMan HCV Test) at 12 weeks after actual end of study treatment. For participants in the 48-week treatment group who stopped study treatment prior to Week 48 for any reason, the HCV RNA measurements 12 weeks after actual end of treatment were used in the analysis. Participants without a 12-week post treatment measurement are considered non-responders.

  5. Number of Participants With Adverse Events (AEs)

    Time frame: From Week 1 through Week 72.

    An AE was defined as a sign or symptom, including intercurrent illness, that occurred during the course of the clinical study after treatment had started. A related AE is an event assessed by the Investigator to be remotely, possibly, or probably related to study treatment according to criteria provided in the protocol. A severe AE was an event graded by the Investigator as "incapacitating with inability to work or perform normal daily activity". A serious AE (SAE) was defined as any experience that suggests a significant hazard, contraindication, side effect or precaution. This includes any experience which was fatal; was life-threatening; required inpatient hospitalization or prolongation of an existing hospitalization; resulted in persistent or significant disability/incapacity; was a congenital anomaly/ birth defect; was medically significant or required intervention to prevent one or other of the outcomes listed above.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Hoffmann-La Roche

Industry

Registry information

Official study title

A Randomized, Open-label Study of the Effects of 24 vs 48 Weeks of Combination Therapy With PEGASYS (Peginterferon Alfa-2a 40KD) Plus COPEGUS (Ribavirin) on Sustained Virological Response in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C, Genotype 2 or 3 Who do Not Achieve a Rapid Viral Response

Important dates

Study start
2008
Primary completion
2012
Study completion
2012
First posted
Feb 26, 2008
Registry last updated
Jul 22, 2013

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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