On the horizon is gene therapy that would deliver genes that produce products or proteins that may not be functioning properly in the penile tissue of men with ED. Replacement of these proteins may result in improvement in erectile function. Experimental animal models have demonstrated improvement in erectile function with gene therapy. Human studies may also demonstrate success with this therapy. Gene therapy may take a long time for regulatory approval and public acceptance.
Treatment for erectile dysfunction is aimed at enabling a man to achieve and maintain an erection for sexual intercourse.

Erectile dysfunction and low sexual desire are often linked to the development of heart disease. The researchers discovered that a large proportion of men were able to naturally overcome erectile dysfunction with heart-healthy changes -- no pharmaceutical help necessary.
“The arteries in the penis are the smallest, so we can see the beginning of arterial hardening and heart disease in the penis before we see it in the coronary arteries or the heart,” Dr. Walker says. “So if you’re a younger man who is going to have a heart attack in your 50s or 60s, we’re going to see it in the penis first.”