Aerska Secures $39M Series A to Advance RNA Brain Delivery Platform for Neurological Diseases
Key Insights
Dublin-based Aerska (search) raised $39 million in Series A funding led by EQT Dementia Fund and age1 (search) to advance its antibody-oligo conjugate (search) platform for delivering RNA therapies to the brain.
The company's proprietary "brain shuttle" technology aims to overcome the blood-brain barrier challenge by enabling systemic administration of RNAi therapies for neurological diseases.
Aerska (search) is initially focusing on genetically-driven forms of Alzheimer's disease (search) and other brain disorders, targeting upstream genetic interventions rather than symptom management.
Dublin-based biotech company Aerska (search) has closed a $39 million Series A financing round to advance its antibody-oligo conjugate (search) (AOC) platform designed to deliver RNA interference (search) therapies directly to the brain. The round was led by EQT Dementia Fund and age1 (search), with participation from Iaso Ventures (search) and existing investors.
The fresh capital will support development of Aerska (search)'s proprietary "brain shuttle" technology, which aims to solve one of the most persistent challenges in neurological drug development: crossing the blood-brain barrier. The platform attaches RNA molecules to antibodies that can traverse from the bloodstream into brain tissue, enabling systemic administration of RNAi therapies through intravenous or subcutaneous routes.
Targeting Genetic Drivers of Neurodegeneration
Aerska (search) is focusing its initial efforts on genetically-driven forms of Alzheimer's disease (search) and other neurological disorders (search) where genetic drivers are well understood. This strategy is designed to increase the likelihood of clear clinical signals by intervening upstream at the gene level to potentially slow, delay, or prevent disease progression.
"The ability to systemically administer RNAi therapies to the brain unlocks a powerful new approach to treating neurodegeneration (search)," said Jack O'Meara, CEO and co-founder of Aerska (search). "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 (search) and other devastating brain disorders."
The company's approach centers on creating broad and uniform distribution of RNA medicines throughout the brain, along with sustained silencing of disease-causing genes. This represents a shift from symptom management to addressing neurological diseases at their biological source.
Strategic Investment from Specialized Funds
EQT Life Sciences (search), formerly known as LSP, brings more than three decades of life sciences investment experience with over €3 billion invested. The firm's LSP Dementia Fund, launched in 2020, focuses exclusively on neurodegenerative disease therapies and includes portfolio companies such as Nobi, Asceneuron, VectorY, and BioArctic.
As part of the financing agreement, three new board members will join Aerska (search): Arno de Wilde, managing director at EQT Life Sciences (search); Philip Scheltens, partner and head of EQT's LSP Dementia Fund; and Alex Colville, general partner at age1 (search).
"For families facing diseases like Alzheimer's, Aerska (search)'s approach offers hope for preserving cognitive function and quality of life," said Philip 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."
Competitive Landscape in Brain Delivery
The Series A funding positions Aerska (search) within an increasingly competitive field of brain delivery technologies. Major pharmaceutical companies have recently made significant investments in similar platforms, highlighting both the challenge and strategic value of crossing the blood-brain barrier.
In April 2025, GSK struck a potential $2.5 billion deal with South Korea-based ABL Bio (search) to access its Grabody-B "brain shuttle" platform. Novartis signed a deal worth up to $1.7 billion with SciNeuro Pharmaceuticals (search) last month to license an antibody-based shuttle program for Alzheimer's disease (search), including $165 million upfront. Meanwhile, Denali Therapeutics has advanced its transferrin receptor (search)-based transport vehicle into late-stage clinical development.
Company Development and Future Plans
Founded by O'Meara, Dave Hardwicke, and Stu Milstein, Aerska (search) operates with headquarters in Dublin and research operations in London. The company has built a team of experienced drug developers and is engaging with Ireland's university and research ecosystem on potential collaborations.
The Series A round brings Aerska (search)'s total funding to $60 million, building on a $21 million seed round completed in October. The company aims to contribute to home-grown biotech innovation while addressing the significant unmet medical need in neurological disease treatment.