Irish Biotech Aerska Raises $39 Mn to Advance Brain-Targeted RNA Medicines

Aerska is designed to achieve broad and durable gene silencing in the brain, potentially allowing disease-causing pathways to be targeted earlier and more effectively.

Irish biotechnology company Aerska has raised USD 39 Mn in a Series A financing round to accelerate development of its brain shuttle technology, designed to deliver RNA medicines across the blood-brain barrier and address hard-to-treat neurological disorders.

Founded by Jack O’Meara alongside David Hardwicke and Stu Milstein, Aerska is focused on using antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates to transport RNA interference therapies safely and effectively into the central nervous system.

The company’s approach centres on what it calls brain shuttle technology, which is designed to move therapeutic molecules across the blood-brain barrier, a protective filter that blocks most drugs from reaching brain tissue.

The latest funding round was led by EQT Dementia Fund and age1, with participation from Iaso Ventures and existing investors. The proceeds will be used to advance Aerska’s delivery platform toward clinical development, with early programmes aimed at genetically driven forms of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.

“The ability to systemically administer RNA therapies to the brain unlocks a powerful new approach to treating neurodegeneration,” said CEO Jack O’Meara, who previously founded Ochre Bio, an RNA medicines company focused on liver disease.

By improving how RNA therapies reach brain cells, Aerska aims to enable more precise intervention at the genetic level. The company says its platform is designed to achieve broad and durable gene silencing in the brain, potentially allowing disease-causing pathways to be targeted earlier and more effectively than existing treatments.

“Partnering with EQT Dementia Fund further strengthens our path to the clinic as we work to translate this capability into meaningful therapies for the treatment of genetically-driven forms of Alzheimer’s disease and other devastating brain disorders,” O’Meara said.

As part of the financing, Arno de Wilde, Managing Director at EQT, Philip Scheltens, partner and head of the Dementia Fund at EQT, and Alex Colville, general partner at age1, will join Aerska’s board of directors. Their appointments add clinical, scientific, and investment expertise as the company prepares for the next phase of development.

“For families facing diseases like Alzheimer’s, Aerska’s approach offers hope for preserving cognitive function and quality of life,” said Scheltens. “The team’s strategy of upstream intervention, combined with a focus on the genetic forms of neurological disease, positions them to transform outcomes for populations who have been underserved by current therapeutic approaches.”

By “silencing the genes that cause harm,” Aerska says it aims to preserve memory, protect cognitive function, and extend healthy lifespan, positioning its platform as a potential cornerstone for next-generation neurological therapies.

While headquartered in Dublin, Aerska also operates research facilities in London, reflecting its ambition to build a pan-European footprint.

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