In vitro monitoring of drug resistance emergence during stepwise induction of bedaquiline and clofazimine, alone and in combination: a phenotypic and genotypic analysis

The co-resistance between bedaquiline and clofazimine raises significant concerns, as they are commonly co-administered as core drugs in drug-resistant TB regimens. The present study aimed to monitor drug resistance-associated gene mutations and the phenotypic change in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) under a stepwise drug resistance induction in vitro using bedaquiline, clofazimine or combined drugs.