New Treatments & Clinical Trials for Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction affects about 30 million men in the U.S. Pills like sildenafil and tadalafil work well for many people, but they don't address underlying causes like vascular disease or nerve damage. Research is exploring tissue regeneration, new delivery methods, and treatments for men who don't respond to current medications.

What's actually going on in research

Trials are testing stem cell therapies that may repair damaged tissue, shock wave therapy that encourages new blood vessel growth, gene therapies, and topical gels that bypass pills entirely. Researchers are also studying how conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease damage erectile function, with the goal of preventing ED before it starts.

What to know before you search

Eligibility often depends on ED severity, underlying health conditions like diabetes or heart disease, prior treatments tried, and sometimes testosterone levels.

What types of trials are currently open

• Drug trials — Testing new oral medications, topical gels, or faster-acting formulations of existing drugs.
• Regenerative medicine trials — Testing stem cells, gene therapy, or growth factors injected into penile tissue to restore function.
• Device trials — Testing shock wave devices, vacuum pumps, or implantable devices with new features.
• Combination therapy trials — Testing whether pairing treatments — like pills plus counseling or shock waves plus medication — works better than single approaches.
• Prevention trials — Testing whether early treatment of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or low testosterone can prevent ED from developing.