Aerska bets 'brain shuttles' can deliver RNA meds to the brain; $70M raised

Aerska is a Dublin/London biotech developing RNA interference (RNAi) medicines for brain diseases, using antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates with 'brain shuttles' that cross the blood-brain barrier, initially targeting genetically driven Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

RNAi works in the liver but can't cross the blood-brain barrier — so Aerska pairs it with antibody-oligonucleotide 'brain shuttles' to enable gene silencing in the CNS.

$21M seed (Oct 2025, co-led by Age1, Backed VC, Speedinvest); $39M Series A (Feb 2026); $70M total by May 2026

Aerska launched in October 2025, founded by RNA veterans Jack O'Meara (former CEO of Ochre Biotech) and Stuart Milstein, who helped lead Alnylam's brain delivery program, plus research chief Mike Perkinton, former head of discovery for AstraZeneca Neuroscience. The name comes from a Gaelic proverb about collective strength.

The launch round raised $21M, co-led by Age1, Backed VC and Speedinvest, with Blueyard, Lingotto, Norrsken VC, Kerna, PsyMed, Saras and Ada Ventures participating. In February 2026 Aerska closed a $39M Series A co-led by EQT Life Sciences' LSP Dementia Fund and age1, bringing total funding to $60M; in May 2026 GHIC added $10M, taking it to $70M, all to advance the platform toward the clinic.

Still building toward the clinic: $70M raised and the antibody-oligo conjugate platform progressing toward clinical development; no drug candidate in trials or revenue yet.

The blood-brain barrier is a documented structural bottleneck: RNAi has succeeded in the liver but genetic medicines still can't reach the brain, so solving delivery unlocks the whole CNS category.

Founder pedigree matched the problem: O'Meara, Milstein and Perkinton came from Ochre, Alnylam and AstraZeneca, carrying exactly the RNA and neuroscience experience the platform needs.

A platform rather than a single drug: brain-shuttle delivery applies across neurological diseases, which is why capital came from a dementia-focused fund and a global-health investor.

De-risking through precedent: big pharma deals for barrier-crossing technology — GSK, Biogen, and AbbVie's $1.4B purchase of Aliada — validated the space before Aerska's launch.

Attack the delivery bottleneck, not the disease: whoever solves the structural problem of getting genetic medicines into the brain owns every therapy built on top of it.

As of September 2026, Aerska is pre-clinical and building toward the clinic: $70M raised, headquarters in Dublin with research in London, and a Series A that funds its antibody-oligo conjugate platform and brain-shuttle delivery work, including GHIC-funded platform work on payload selectivity. The company has not disclosed clinical timelines, revenue, or a lead candidate beyond targeting genetically driven Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.