Novel treatment options for pediatric HIV infection.

The development of effective antiretroviral therapy for HIV has led to significant virological suppression and immune reconstitution, and resulted in dramatic reductions in HIV-related morbidity and mortality. However, in children initial regimens were unpalatable and inconvenient due to a high pill burden. Management was further compromised by a paucity of pharmacokinetic data and the late development of associated toxicities. These factors have resulted in the emergence of drug-resistant virus in many treated children and adolescents. In this review, therapeutic options that may be available for treatment-experienced pediatric individuals are summarized on the basis of data from adult clinical trials evaluating protease, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase, fusion, integrase and CCR5 inhibitors.