Taribavirin (rINN; also known as viramidine, codenamed ICN 3142) is an antiviral drug in Phase III human trials, but not yet approved for pharmaceutical use.

Taribavirin has better liver-targeting than ribavirin, and has a shorter life in the body due to less penetration and storage in red blood cells.

It is expected eventually to be the drug of choice for viral hepatitis syndromes in which ribavirin is active.

[citation needed] Taribavirin was first reported in 1973 by J. T. Witkowski et al.,[1] then working at ICN Pharmaceuticals, in an attempt to find a more active derivative of ribavirin.

Valeant is testing the drug as a treatment for chronic hepatitis C.[citation needed] Note on formulas: The carboxamidine group of this molecule is somewhat basic, and therefore this drug is also known and administered as the hydrochloride salt (with a corresponding HCl chemical formula and different ChemID / PubChem number).