Effect of Boceprevir on HCV-specific T Cell Responses

"In the experimental arm boceprevir (800 mg orally three times daily), PEG-IFN and ribavirin will be given for 24 weeks after the lead-in; the patients who will have undetectable HCV-RNA at week 8 will stop treatment at week 28; those who will be HCV-RNA positive at any visit between week 8 and 24 will receive an additional 20 weeks of PEG + RBV. Treatment will be discontinued if HCV-RNA is positive at week 24.~Immunological analysis will be performed longitudinally at the following time points: week -4, 0, 4 (end of lead-in), 8, 12, 24, 48, week 24 of follow-up. HCV-RNA will be quantified at the same time points and viremia will be correlated with immunological data."