New anti-tuberculosis drugs in clinical trials with novel mechanisms of action

Abstract

Tuberculosis is a major health problem worldwide, with approximately 1.7 million people dying annually from the disease. The long current drug regimen, the emergence of drug resistant strains and HIV co-infection have resulted in a resurgence in research efforts to address the urgent need for new anti-tuberculosis drugs. A number of new potential anti-tuberculosis drug candidates with novel modes of action have entered clinical trials in recent years. These agents are most likely to be effective against resistant strains. We provide a concise review of their structure-activity relationships, in vitro and in vivo activity, pharmacokinetics, mechanism of action and combination regimens.