New tuberculosis drugs on the horizon

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health concern whose control has been exacerbated by HIV and the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR-TB) strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The demand for new and faster acting TB drugs is thus greater than ever. In the past decade intensive efforts have been made to discover new leads for TB drug development using both target-based and cell-based approaches. Here, we describe the most promising anti-tubercular drug candidates that are in clinical development and introduce some nitro-aromatic compounds that inhibit a new target, DprE1, an essential enzyme involved in a crucial step in mycobacterial cell wall biosynthesis.

► Tuberculosis is a global health concern owing to the emergence of MDR and XDR strains of M. tuberculosis.
► In the past, efforts were made to discover new leads for TB drug development using target-based and cell-based approaches.
► The most promising anti-tubercular candidates are described and compounds that inhibit a new target are introduced.