Treatment Insulin Resistence in HCV G-1 Patient (TRIC-1)

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male and female patients with 18 years of age or more
• Serum HCV-RNA quantifiable
• Genotype 1
• Liver disease compensated
• HOMA-IR > 2
• Treatment with Peginterferon alfa-2a + Ribavirin.
• Negative urine or blood pregnancy test (for women of childbearing potential)
• All fertile males and females must be using effective contraception

Exclusion Criteria:

• Liver chirrosis
• Diabetes
• Women with ongoing pregnancy or breast feeding
• HIV positive
• Patients who during 6 months previous to treatment loss more of 10% of weight
• Therapy with anti-neoplasic or immunomodulatory treatment (including supraphysiologic doses of steroids and radiation) 6 months prior to the first dose of study drug
• Any investigational drug 6 weeks prior to the first dose of study drug
• History or other evidence of a medical condition associated with chronic liver disease other than HCV
• Carcinoma hepatocellular
• History or other evidence of bleeding from esophageal varices or other conditions consistent with decompensated liver disease
• Neutrophil count <1500 cells/mm3 or platelet count <90,000 cells/mm3 at screening
• Hgb <12 g/dL in women or <13 g/dL in men or any patient for whom anemia would be medically problematic
• History of significant cardiac disease that could be worsened by acute anemia
• Serum creatinine level >1.5 times the upper limit of normal at screening
• History of severe psychiatric disease, especially depression. Severe psychiatric disease is defined as treatment with an antidepressant medication or a major tranquilizer at therapeutic doses for major depression or psychosis, respectively, for at least 3 months at any previous time or any history of the following: a suicidal attempt, hospitalization for psychiatric disease, or a period of disability due to a psychiatric disease
• History of a severe seizure disorder or current anticonvulsant use
• History of immunologically mediated disease, chronic pulmonary disease associated with functional limitation, severe cardiac disease, major organ transplantation or other evidence of severe illness, malignancy, or any other conditions which would make the patient, in the opinion of the investigator, unsuitable for the study
• History of thyroid disease poorly controlled on prescribed medications, elevated thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations with elevation of antibodies to thyroid peroxidase and any clinical manifestations of thyroid disease
• Evidence of severe retinopathy (e.g. CMV retinitis, macula degeneration)
• Evidence of drug abuse (including excessive alcohol consumption) within one year of study entry
• Inability or unwillingness to provide informed consent or abide by the requirements of the study