Funding and Mission
Diseases affecting the brain remain among the most complex challenges in medical research. Aerska has announced the completion of a $21 million seed funding round to advance its efforts in delivering genetic medicines to the brain. The funding will support the company’s development of antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates, or “brain shuttles,” aimed at overcoming the challenges posed by the blood-brain barrier.
Aerska is a newly launched biotechnology company headquartered in Dublin with research operations in London.
The financing round was co-led by Age1, Backed VC, and Speedinvest, with participation from Blueyard, Lingotto (Exor), Norrsken VC, Kerna, PsyMed, Saras, and Ada Ventures. The company’s mission centers on advancing systemic RNA interference (RNAi) medicines designed to silence disease-driving genes in neurological conditions.
Targeting Neurological Diseases
Aerska’s research efforts are initially targeting Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Alongside therapeutic development, part of the funds raised will be directed toward building data science capabilities to support a precision medicine strategy. This approach is intended to help identify the right patients at the appropriate stages of their conditions.
Leadership and Vision
Jack O’Meara, who previously served as CEO of Ochre Biotech, is leading the company as CEO and co-founder. In the October 1 announcement, O’Meara emphasized the scale of the challenge in neurological research. “Neurological diseases remain one of the greatest challenges in medicine, with limited options to alter the course of disease,” he said. “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.”
Experienced Team
The leadership team brings extensive experience in RNA-based medicines and neuroscience. Co-founder Stuart Milstein, who was involved in initiating Alnylam’s brain delivery efforts and developing widely used siRNA chemistry, will lead Aerska’s platform strategy. David Coughlan, also from Ochre Biotech, takes on the role of head of early development. Mike Perkinton, formerly head of discovery at AstraZeneca Neuroscience, has been appointed head of research.
Investor Confidence
Investors have highlighted the company’s potential in addressing one of the central obstacles in neurological drug development. Alex Brunicki, a partner at Backed VC and member of Aerska’s board, noted that crossing the blood-brain barrier remains a significant hurdle for genetic medicines. He said the company’s platform, which integrates advanced RNAi chemistry with receptor-mediated shuttling and precision medicine, positions it strongly within the field of central nervous system (CNS) therapeutics.
Future Direction
Co-founder Milstein also described the company’s direction, pointing to previous advances in RNAi delivery. He explained that just as GalNAc technology demonstrated the impact of targeted RNAi delivery in the liver, Aerska aims to achieve similar breakthroughs in brain medicine.
The company’s name, Aerska, is derived from a Gaelic proverb referring to the strength of collective collaboration. According to the company, this reflects both its mission and the partnerships required to address the scientific challenges of delivering medicines across the blood-brain barrier.
Many biotech firms are striving to solve the challenge of reaching the brain. Aerska joins a wave of startups using various delivery platforms to target neurodegenerative diseases via genetic or oligonucleotide therapies. For example, GSK entered a large pact to leverage brain-penetrant delivery technologies, and companies like Denali, Alcyone, and Aliada are exploring alternative strategies.
If Aerska succeeds in its early programs, it could shift paradigms in treating neurological diseases, enabling genetic medicines for conditions previously considered “undruggable” or hard to reach.
Looking ahead, Aerska may expand into additional neurological diseases, build further delivery variants, or partner with larger pharmaceutical companies to scale clinical development. Its success will depend on combining innovative science, clinical rigor, and patient-centric strategy.
In the long run, Aerska aims to build a comprehensive platform capable of addressing a wide spectrum of neurological diseases beyond its initial focus areas. The company plans to explore applications in rare genetic disorders, neuroinflammation, and psychiatric conditions that share overlapping molecular pathways.
