The United Nations Millennium Development Goal of reversing the global spread of 
tuberculosis by 2015 has been offset by the rampant re-emergence of 
drug-resistant tuberculosis, in particular fluoroquinolone-resistant 
multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. After decades 
of quiescence in the development of antituberculosis medications, bedaquiline 
and delamanid have been conditionally approved for the treatment of 
drug-resistant tuberculosis, while several other novel compounds (AZD5847, 
PA-824, SQ109 and sutezolid) have been evaluated in phase II clinical trials. 
Before novel drugs can find their place in the battle against drug-resistant 
tuberculosis, linezolid has been compassionately used with success in the 
treatment of fluoroquinolone-resistant multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. This 
review largely discusses six novel drugs that have been evaluated in phase II 
and III clinical trials, with focus on the clinical evidence for efficacy and 
safety, potential drug interactions, and prospect for using multiple novel drugs 
in new regimens.