Short answer: Caverject and Edex both contain alprostadil, injected into the side of the penis for erectile dysfunction.12 Both start with in-office dose finding at 2.5 mcg and are used at home no more than 3 times a week, at least 24 hours apart. Caverject comes in vials and is also approved to help diagnose ED; Edex comes in dual-chamber cartridges. Neither label reports a trial against the other.
| Caverject (alprostadil) | Edex (alprostadil) | |
|---|---|---|
| Approved for | Treating ED; add-on test in diagnosing ED1 | Treating ED from nerve, blood vessel, psychological or mixed causes2 |
| Form | 20 or 40 mcg single-dose vial1 | 10, 20 or 40 mcg dual-chamber cartridge2 |
| Dose finding | In office from 2.5 mcg (1.25 mcg for nerve injury); erection no longer than 1 hour1 | In office from 2.5 mcg (1.25 mcg for spinal cord injury); erection no longer than 1 hour2 |
| Dose range | Above 60 mcg not recommended1 | 1 to 40 mcg2 |
| Home use | No more than 3 times a week, 24 hours apart1 | No more than 3 times a week, 24 hours apart2 |
| Penile pain | 37% (1,861 men, up to 18 months)1 | 29% during injection, 35% during erection, 30% after (1,065 men, up to 24 months)2 |
| Erection over 4 hours | 4%; priapism (6 hours or more) 0.4%1 | 4%2 |
| Boxed warning | None1 | None2 |
Penile pain was the most common side effect in both labels, mostly mild or moderate in Caverject's studies.1 Edex's label also lists local bleeding 15%, penile angulation 7%, and hematoma and penile scarring (fibrosis) 5% each; about 9% stopped because of side effects.2 Caverject lists penile fibrosis, bruising and other local reactions at 3% or less.1 These numbers come from separate trials with different people, lengths and methods, so they are not a head-to-head comparison.
Both labels say an erection lasting over 4 hours needs immediate medical help.12 Dose finding is done in your prescriber's office, and your prescriber sets the home dose. More detail: Caverject side effects, Edex side effects, and the Caverject and Edex dosing schedules.