Interferon-based regimens for chronic hepatitis C (HCV) are quite common, just like interferon-free treatments, and are extensively used in Russia because interferon is widely available to most patients. In 2013 the original Russian drug cepeginterferon alpha-2b (cepegIFN alpha-2b marketed as Algeron by Biocad, Russia) was introduced into clinical practice. The aim of this study was to assess effectiveness and safety of cepegIFN alpha-2b as part of the combination therapy with ribavirin in patients with chronic HCV infection. The study was conducted over the period from 2014 to 2016 and recruited 37 patients with chronic genotype 1 HCV infection: 22 men and 15 women (mean age of 42.0 ± 5.2 years). All of them received the following combination antiviral therapy (AT): 1.5 μg/kg cepegIFN alpha-2b once a week and 15 μg/kg ribavirin daily over the period of 48 weeks. Effectiveness of AT was assessed by the rate of sustained virological response (SVR), i. e. aviremia achieved 24 weeks after the onset of treatment. In our SVR was observed in 26 patients (70.3 %). Adverse effects seen in the course of AT were typical of interferon-based drugs and ribavirin. CepegIFN alpha-2b dosage was corrected in two patients who developed neutropenia; ribavirin dosage was corrected in 3 patients who developed anemia. Based on the obtained results, we recommend including cepegIFN alpha-2b into the combination antiviral therapy in patients with chronic HCV infection.