Exhibit 23.1 CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS The Board of Directors Triangle Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus constituting part of this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated February 27, 1997 appearing on page 44 of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading "Experts." /s/ PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP Raleigh, North Carolina January 19, 1998