Irish Biotech Startup Aerska Secures $21M to Push Boundaries of Brain RNAi Therapies
Aerska, a newly formed biotechnology company focused on transforming the treatment of neurological diseases, has officially launched with $21 million in seed financing. The round was co-led by Age1, Backed VC, and Speedinvest, with additional participation from Blueyard, Lingotto (Exor), Norrsken VC, Kerna, PsyMed, Saras, and Ada Ventures.
The company’s central mission is to develop systemically administered RNA interference (RNAi) medicines capable of silencing genes that drive brain diseases. Aerska brings together experienced leaders in both RNAi and central nervous system (CNS) research to create a pipeline that leverages the latest advances in drug delivery.
Delivering genetic medicines to the brain has long been obstructed by the blood-brain barrier, a natural defence mechanism that prevents most therapeutics from entering the CNS. Although RNAi therapies have already demonstrated effectiveness in the liver, their application in neurology has remained constrained by the difficulty of delivery.
Aerska aims to overcome this barrier through both external collaborations and in-house innovation. Its proprietary antibody-oligo conjugate (AOC) platform employs “brain shuttles” to allow systemic RNAi delivery, promote neuronal uptake, and achieve durable gene knockdown within the brain.
The company is also building out significant data science capabilities to support a precision medicine approach in neurology. This strategy focuses on tailoring interventions to patients most likely to benefit, beginning with programs targeting genetic forms of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
Jack O’Meara, CEO & Co-Founder of Aerska, explained the company’s vision in a statement:
“Neurological diseases remain one of the greatest challenges in medicine, with limited options to alter the course of disease. By integrating brain shuttles with RNA therapeutics, we aim to enable precise, durable gene silencing in the CNS. We’re pairing this with a strategy to match the intervention to the right patient, at the right stage of their disease.”
With a $21 million launch and an expert team uniting advances in RNAi and CNS delivery, Aerska is positioning itself to push the frontiers of brain medicine and develop therapies with the potential to alter the course of devastating neurological conditions.
Aerska was founded by Jack O’Meara, Stuart Milstein and David Hardwicke and is launching with a veteran leadership team with deep expertise in RNA medicines, CNS drug discovery, and clinical product development:
- Jack O’Meara, CEO & Co-Founder – previously CEO of Ochre Bio, where he brought in $100M+ across top tier VC and pharma partnering revenue, with up to $1B in milestones, and advanced a pipeline of RNAi medicines for liver disease.
- Stuart Milstein, Co-Founder – RNAi pioneer who initiated the brain delivery efforts at Alnylam and developed industry-standard siRNA chemistry. Previously Chief Platform Officer at Sail Biomedicines (formerly Senda Biosciences).
- Mike Perkinton, VP, Head of Research – 30+ years of experience in scientific and drug discovery in neuroscience. Former Head of Discovery and Executive Director Bioscience at AstraZeneca Neuroscience.
- David Coughlan, VP, Head of Early Development – 20+ years advancing programs through clinical proof of concept; previously Head of Translation at Ochre Bio and CTO at Afimmune.
Alex Brunicki, Partner at Backed VC and Aerska board member, highlighted the significance of the company’s platform:
“Delivery across the blood-brain barrier remains the bottleneck for genetic medicines in neurology. Aerska’s platform integrates advanced RNAi chemistry with receptor-mediated shuttling and precision medicine, positioning the company at the forefront of CNS therapeutics.”
Stu Milstein, who leads platform strategy at Aerska, emphasised the potential of the approach:
“GalNAc proved what RNAi can do when delivered to a specific tissue and we’re now on the cusp of a similar leap forward in CNS medicine. The velocity and ambition of this team is electric.”
Aerska, named after a Gaelic proverb that speaks to the power of collective strength and collaboration, is headquartered in Dublin with research operations in London.
About Aerska
Aerska is a biotechnology company pioneering RNA medicines to treat, delay, and prevent diseases of the brain. The company is leveraging advances in ‘brain shuttles’ to enable targeted delivery of next-generation RNAi therapeutics to the CNS. By silencing the genes that cause harm, Aerska aims to preserve the minds, protect the memories, and enable our loved ones to live longer, healthier lives. Aerska is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, with research operations in London, UK.
For more info, please visit aerska.com.
Original Source: Press Release DUBLIN and LONDON, Oct. 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aerska
Image Credits: Aerska, Inc
Recommended Companies
More Headlines
