Irish biotechnology startup Aerska has secured €32 million in new Series A funding to accelerate development of its advanced RNA medicines aimed at treating devastating brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative disorders. This latest investment marks a major milestone for the young company and underscores growing investor confidence in deep biology platforms that target genetic drivers of neurological disease.
Founded in 2025, Aerska has developed an innovative platform that aims to solve one of the most stubborn challenges in drug development: how to deliver RNA therapies directly into the brain. Traditional RNA-based medicines often fail to reach meaningful concentrations in the central nervous system (CNS) because the blood-brain barrier prevents large biomolecules from entering brain tissue. Aerska tackles this problem head-on using proprietary “brain shuttle” technology that allows systemically delivered RNA interference (RNAi) therapies to bypass this barrier and silence disease-causing genes at their source.
Breakthrough Funding Fueling Rapid Progress
Investors poured €32 million into Aerska’s Series A round, co-led by the EQT Dementia Fund and age1, with participation from Iaso Ventures as well as existing backers who supported the startup during its seed stage last year. This injection of capital brings the company’s total funding to approximately €50 million to date—an impressive feat for a biotech early in its life cycle.
Company leadership plans to use the fresh capital to advance the brain shuttle platform further toward clinical application. The financing extends beyond basic research, supporting ongoing development of Aerska’s core antibody-oligo conjugate (AOC) platform as the team works toward human trials for genetically driven neurological diseases.
CEO and co-founder Jack O’Meara has repeatedly emphasized the clinical potential of systemic RNA delivery into the brain. He points out that successfully administering RNAi therapies systemically would unlock a powerful new avenue for treating neurodegeneration. Past approaches have struggled with either delivery or durability of effect; Aerska aims to address both challenges with its proprietary platform.
Tackling the Blood-Brain Barrier
The human brain sits behind a highly selective membrane known as the blood-brain barrier, which protects neural tissue from toxins and pathogens in the bloodstream. This protection also blocks most therapeutic molecules, making it extremely difficult for biologics like RNA molecules to reach diseased brain cells. To treat conditions such as Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, researchers need ways to overcome this biological firewall.
Aerska’s brain shuttle technology acts like a courier system. It attaches therapeutic RNA molecules to engineered antibodies that carry them across the barrier via specific receptor pathways. Once inside, the RNAi molecules engage cellular machinery to silence harmful genes that drive disease progression. The approach aims not just to manage symptoms but to intervene upstream, disrupting the genetic causes of neurodegenerative damage.
Unlike symptomatic treatments that address only downstream effects, RNA interference therapies work at the level of gene expression. By reducing the production of proteins that contribute to neuron degeneration, Aerska aims to preserve brain function and slow—or potentially halt—disease progression. This strategy aligns with a broader shift in biotech toward disease-modifying approaches rather than palliative care.
Expanding the Board and Expertise
The Series A round brings more than just capital. Key investors are joining Aerska’s board of directors, bringing deep expertise in life sciences investment, neuroscience research, and longevity therapeutics. This expanded leadership bench will help guide the company through critical development milestones as it transitions from pre-clinical work toward clinical testing and regulatory engagement.
Among the new board members are leaders from EQT’s team and age1, a venture firm that specializes in ageing and disease biology. Their presence reflects strong investor belief that targeted genetic therapies could reshape treatment paradigms for neurological diseases long considered intractable.
Positioning in a Competitive Landscape
Aerska operates in a biotech landscape where investors increasingly value programs that address unmet needs in CNS therapeutics. Neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) affect millions worldwide, yet effective disease-modifying treatments remain scarce. Venture capital flows into biotech platforms tackling these areas have gathered momentum, and Aerska’s funding round sits alongside other recent sizeable investments in adjacent areas of neuroscience drug development.
However, Aerska’s focus on RNAi delivery into the brain sets it apart. Many emerging biotech startups concentrate on small molecules, gene therapy, or protein therapeutics, but Aerska targets RNA interference—a mechanism that allows selective silencing of harmful genes. Achieving reliable delivery to the CNS represents a fundamental shift that could unlock broader applications beyond the initial targets.
Strategic Vision and Future Impact
The company’s mission extends beyond a single therapy. Aerska hopes its platform will serve as a foundation for a new class of medicines capable of treating a wide spectrum of neurological disorders with genetic underpinnings. By demonstrating that RNAi can work inside the brain, the startup aims to catalyse a wave of innovation in disease biology.
Leadership acknowledges that neurodegenerative disease research faces high risk and long timelines. But investors backing Aerska believe the potential rewards—both in terms of patient impact and economic value—justify continued investment and focus. If even a subset of Aerska’s candidates prove effective in clinical settings, the implications for disease management could be profound.
A Broader Biotechnology Trend
The investment also reflects broader industry trends. Venture capital groups are increasingly funding early-stage biotech companies that combine cutting-edge molecular technologies with innovative delivery platforms. In recent months, other European biotech firms have also secured significant financing for programmes targeting CNS or genetic disease biology, illustrating sustained investor interest in this high-impact area.
By pushing forward RNA therapeutics that reach the brain, Aerska positions itself as a bellwether for this new wave of biotech innovation. Its success could inspire further investments and research efforts focused on other previously inaccessible tissues or disease mechanisms, expanding the reach of RNA-based medicines.
Conclusion
With €32 million in fresh funding and a strong investor syndicate behind it, Aerska now stands on a growth trajectory that could redefine how the biotech community approaches neurological disease treatment. Its brain shuttle platform tackles a core scientific hurdle and opens the door to systemic delivery of gene-silencing therapies directly to the central nervous system. If the company executes its plans and advances candidates toward clinical testing, it could unlock new hope for millions affected by diseases that currently lack effective cures.
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