A non-nucleoside, polymerase inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural protein 5B (NS5B), a RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, with potential activity against HCV. Upon administration and after intracellular uptake, BMS-791325 allosterically binds to the non-catalytic Thumb 1 site of viral HCV NS5B polymerase and causes a decrease in viral RNA synthesis and replication. The HCV NS5B protein is essential for the replication of the viral HCV RNA genome. HCV is a small, enveloped, single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Flaviviridae family.