Abstract: The present invention provides genetic markers and biomarkers that are associated with anemia induced by ribavirin therapy. The genetic markers are located in the ITPA gene and elsewhere on human chromosome 20 and the biomarkers are low ITPA activity phenotypes. These markers of ribavirin-induced anemia are useful, inter alia, to identify patients who are least likely to develop anemia upon treatment with ribavirin pharmaceutical compositions and drug products, in methods of treating patients having a disease susceptible to treatment with ribavirin, and in methods for selecting the most appropriate therapy for such patients.

Abstract: This application discloses a novel method of identifying patients amongst treatment naïve patients suffering from HCV infection that are amenable to treatment with a protease inhibitor. The application also discloses a method of treating treatment naïve, nonresponder and relapsed patients suffering from an HCV infection.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for treating antiviral treatment naives patient having chronic hepatitis C infection to eradicate detectable HCV-RNA involving a combination therapy using (1) a therapeutically effective inducing amount of ribavirin and a therapeutically effective induction dosing amount of pegylated interferon-alfa, e.g, pegylated interferon-alfa-2b for a first treatment time period sufficient to substantially lower detectable HCV-RNA, followed by (2) administering a therapeutically effective amount of ribavirin and an therapeutically effective amount of pegylated interferon-alfa, e.g., pegylated interferon alfa-2b for a second treatment time period sufficient to eradicate detectable HCV-RNA at least by end of the second treatment time period and to maintain no detectable HCV-RNA for at least 24 weeks after the end of the second treatment time period.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for treating a patient having chronic hepatitis C infection to eradicate detectable HCV-RNA involving a combination therapy using a therapeutically effective amount of ribavirin and a therapeutically effective amount of interferon-alpha for a time period of from 20 up to 80 weeks.

Abstract: Methods for treating an antiviral treatment naive patient having chronic hepatitis C infection to eradicate detectable HCV-RNA involving administering a therapeutically effective amount of a combination therapy of ribavirin and interferon-alpha for a time period of from 20 up to 50 weeks are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for treating patients having chronic hepatitis C infection to eradicate detectable HCV-RNA involving a combination therapy using a therapeutically effective amount of ribavirin and a therapeutically effective amount of pegylated interferon-alfa, e.g, pegylated interferon-alfa-2b or -2a for a time, i.e., at least about twenty-four weeks, sufficient to eradicate detectable HCV-RNA by the end of the treatment time period and to maintain no detectable HCV-RNA for at least 12 weeks after the end of the treatment time period is disclosed.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for treating antiviral treatment naives patient having chronic hepatitis C infection to eradicate detectable HCV-RNA involving a combination therapy using (1) a therapeutically effective inducing amount of ribavirin and a therapeutically effective induction dosing amount of pegylated interferon-alfa, e.g, pegylated interferon-alfa-2b for a first treatment time period sufficient to substantially lower detectable HCV-RNA, followed by (2) administering a therapeutically effective amount of ribavirin and an therapeutically effective amount of pegylated interferon-alfa, e.g. , pegylated interferon alfa-2b for a second treatment time period sufficient to eradicate detectable HCV-RNA at least by end of the second treatment time period and to maintain no detectable HCV-RNA for at least 24 weeks after the end of the second treatment time period.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for treating chronic hepatitis C infection in patients in need of such treating comprising administering an amount of alpha interferon in association with an amount of ribavirin effective to treat chronic hepatitis C infection with the absence or substantial reduction of side effects associated with administration of ribavirin and alpha interferon.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for treating chronic hepatitis C infection in patients in need of such treating comprising administering an amount of alpha interferon in association with an amount of ribavirin effective to treat chronic hepatitis C infection with the absence or substantial reduction of side effects associated with administration of ribavirin and alpha interferon.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for treating a patient having chronic hepatitis C infection to eradicate detectable HCV-RNA involving a combination therapy using a therapeutically effective amount of ribavirin and a therapeutically effective amount of interferon-alpha for a time period of from 20 up to 80 weeks.