Modalities　for　photo-triggered　anticancer　therapy　are　usually　limited　by　their　low　penetrative　depth.　Sonotheranostics　especially　sonodynamic　therapy　(SDT),　which　is　different　from　photodynamic　therapy　(PDT)　by　the　use　of　highly　penetrating　acoustic　waves　to　activate　a　class　of　sound-responsive　materials　called　sonosensitizers,　has　gained　significant　interest　in　recent　years.　The　effect　of　SDT　is　closely　related　to　the　structural　and　physicochemical　properties　of　the　sonosensitizers,　which　has　led　to　the　development　of　new　sound-activated　materials　as　sonosensitizers　for　various　biomedical　applications.　This　Review　provides　a　summary　and　discussion　of　the　types　of　novel　sonosensitizers　developed　in　the　last　few　years　and　outlines　their　specific　designs　and　the　potential　challenges.　The　applications　of　sonosensitizers　with　various　functions　such　as　for　imaging　and　drug　delivery　as　well　as　in　combination　with　other　treatment　modalities　would　provide　new　strategies　for　disease　therapy.　©　2019　Wiley-VCH　Verlag　GmbH　&　Co.　KGaA,　Weinheim