Claimed effect · VIP (vasoactive intestinal peptide)

Does VIP (vasoactive intestinal peptide) help with erectile dysfunction?

B
Grade B — probable, not settledLicensing trials · effect size: moderate
Short answerProbable, not settled. Human data exist (Licensing trials) and mostly agree, showing a moderate effect — but too few, too small, or not yet peer-reviewed for a firm answer. The combination injection produces erections sufficient for intercourse in a majority of men in the trials behind its UK and Danish licences; a niche option where PDE5 inhibitors fail or are unsuitable.

What the studies show

The combination injection produces erections sufficient for intercourse in a majority of men in the trials behind its UK and Danish licences; a niche option where PDE5 inhibitors fail or are unsuitable.

Human trials exist and mostly agree, but there are too few of them, they are too small, or one big one is still reading out. Expect the grade to move.

  1. 1
    Invicorp (aviptadil / phentolamine) — Summary of Product Characteristics.MHRA / emc, UKLicensed use in erectile dysfunction.

In context

Vasoactive intestinal peptide is a natural hormone that relaxes smooth muscle and blood vessels and dampens inflammation, made throughout the gut, lungs and nervous system. As the drug aviptadil it is licensed in the UK and some other countries — combined with phentolamine as an injection into the penis — for erectile dysfunction. Its pandemic moment came as an intravenous treatment for COVID-19 respiratory failure: the NIH-run TESICO trial of 461 patients was stopped for futility, with no improvement in outcomes or survival. The nasal-spray use promoted for 'chronic inflammatory response syndrome' from mould exposure has never been tested in a controlled trial.

VIP (vasoactive intestinal peptide) is licensed narrowly (ed, some countries); other uses unapproved. Legal status differs by country — see the regulation section or the jurisdiction pages.

Questions

Is VIP (vasoactive intestinal peptide) proven to help with erectile dysfunction?
Not yet settled. Licensing trials — LYO grades it B, meaning probable but liable to change as trials read out.
What studies are behind the grade?
The combination injection produces erections sufficient for intercourse in a majority of men in the trials behind its UK and Danish licences; a niche option where PDE5 inhibitors fail or are unsuitable.
Is VIP (vasoactive intestinal peptide) approved for this?
VIP (vasoactive intestinal peptide) is an approved medicine (Licensed narrowly (ED, some countries); other uses unapproved); whether this particular outcome is a licensed indication is stated on the compound page's regulation section.

Other outcomes for VIP (vasoactive intestinal peptide)

Written and maintained by LYO Research — how pages are written and checked. Reviewed 10 September 2026. Grades count human evidence only; see how LYO grades. Not medical advice. Correct this page →