Interferon Gamma With Peg-Interferon Alpha 2a and Ribavirin in Non Responders Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C

Viral hepatitis C is treated with peg-interferon alpha 2a/2b and ribavirin for 24 Weeks. In many patients, there is no efficacy of this treatment on hepatitis C, and there is no treatment recommended for them. Interferon gamma has anti-infectious and anti-fibrosis activity. This study will evaluate the effect, after a second treatment with peg-interferon alpha 2a and ribavirin for 12 Weeks, of the addition of interferon gamma in non responders patients. 65 patients will be included in order to include 27 patients who are non responders after 12 weeks of a second treatment and are eligible to receive interferon gamma. Patients will then receive peg-interferon alpha 2a (180 micro g once a week, by injection), ribavirin (1,000 to 1,200 mg per day, according to weight) and interferon gamma (100 micro g thrice a week, by injection) during 8 months

Inclusion criteria

• Positive anti-HCV antibodies
• Positive HCV RNA (quantitative method)
• Previous treatment with Peg-interferon alpha 2b 1.0 to 1.5 micro g/kg (during at least 12 weeks) with ribavirin (at least 800 mg/day during at least 12 weeks),stopped since at least 3 months
• Without lower dosage during previous treatment
• Non responder to the previous treatment with Peg-interferon alpha 2b and ribavirin, with detectable HCV RNA at W24 or decrease of less than 2 log10 copies/ml at W12 or decrease greater than 2 log10 but detectable HCV RNA
• Metavir over F2 on the most recent biopsy
• ALT increase over normal value twice during last 6 months

Exclusion criteria

• HIV infection
• Psychiatric pathology
• Alcool consummation
• Cirrhosis
• Pregnancy or plan of pregnancy
• Breastfeeding