Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) are a rare and heterogenous subset of non-Hodgkin lymphoma characterized by an aggressive clinical course. Historically, the treatment of PTCLs have been analogous to that of aggressive B-cell lymphomas; however, it has been well-established that overall responses and complete remission rates are far inferior using near-identical chemotherapy strategies. Recently, there has been a plethora of newer agents designed to target distinguishing cellular and molecular features of specific PTCL subtypes. These agents have been proven to yield superior anti-lymphoma responses and, in some cases, overall survival in the relapsed, refractory, and frontline treatment setting. In this review, we will summarize and highlight the most influential clinical trials leading to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of several novel therapeutic agents against PTCL, with an emphasis on emerging studies and strategies to expand their potential use in the frontline treatment setting.