Aerska raises $39 million for RNA medicines to treat brain diseases
Brain shuttle technology overcomes blood-brain barrier
Advertisement
Aerska, a biotechnology company using brain shuttle technology to develop RNA medicines for CNS diseases, announced the close of a $39 million Series A financing led by EQT Dementia Fund and age1, with participation from Iaso Ventures, alongside existing investors. The funding will be used to advance its brain shuttle technology to improve delivery of RNAi interference (RNAi) therapeutics across the blood-brain barrier for treating neurological diseases.
This brings total funds raised to $60 million to-date, months after its seed funding announcement in October 2025. Proceeds will support continued development of Aerska’s antibody-oligo conjugate (AOC) platform as it progresses towards the clinic targeting neurological diseases through systemically delivered RNAi therapeutics.
Aerska’s AOC platform is pioneering systemically delivered RNA medicines capable of reaching the brain to treat neurological diseases at their source. The platform uses proprietary “brain shuttle” technology to overcome the blood-brain barrier, a fundamental challenge that has historically limited RNA therapeutics in CNS diseases. This delivery approach is designed to enable intravenous or subcutaneous administration, achieving uniform and deep brain distribution with durable target gene knockdown, unlocking new therapeutic possibilities for neurological diseases.
“The ability to systemically administer RNAi therapies to the brain unlocks a powerful new approach to treating neurodegeneration,” said Jack O’Meara, CEO & Co-Founder, Aerska. “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.”
“For families facing diseases like Alzheimer’s, Aerska’s approach offers hope for preserving cognitive function and quality of life,” said Philip Scheltens, Partner and Head of the Dementia Fund, EQT Life Sciences. “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. We really look forward to working with this talented team to advance this groundbreaking platform.”
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.
Other news from the department business & finance
Most read news
More news from our other portals
Something is happening in the life science industry ...
This is what true pioneering spirit looks like: Plenty of innovative start-ups are bringing fresh ideas, lifeblood and entrepreneurial spirit to change tomorrow's world for the better. Immerse yourself in the world of these young companies and take the opportunity to get in touch with the founders.