Schering-Plough Corp. and ICN Pharmaceuticals Inc. won U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval Wednesday to sell their combination treatment for hepatitis C patients who suffer a relapse.

The combination includes Intron-A, which Schering-Plough already sells alone to treat hepatitis, and ICN's drug ribavirin, or Rebetol.

Studies have shown the two drugs together provide a significant benefit to patients. Schering will sell the combination in a single package containing the Rebetol pills and injections of Intron-A, under the name Rebetron.