Two researchers with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine received a grant totaling $5.67 million to continue their clinical trials with HIV-positive adult and pediatric patients, according to a press release from the school.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is providing the four-year grant to researchers Gwendolyn B. Scott, MD, and Margaret A. Fischl, MD.

“We will look at preventing perinatal transmission of the HIV virus, as well as the treatment of infected infants, children and adolescents,” Scott said in the release. “We will study pediatric formulations of new HIV drugs that are approved for adults and provide data to make them available to children.”

For example, some current drugs could be reformulated into powders or liquids for infants. In addition, she said, “we are developing an aggressive three-drug therapy for babies whose HIV-positive mothers were late in receiving medical care. The goal is to achieve long-term suppression of the virus or possibly achieving a cure.”

Not all the research is focused on children and infants. “With the support of the new grant, we will look at new ways of suppressing HIV, addressing complications of the disease and developing new classes of antiretroviral medications,” Fischl added.

“For instance, it may be possible to develop longer-acting drugs that patients would take weekly rather than daily. In addition, we are still looking for a cure for HIV/AIDS.”