Founded in Ireland, Aerska is focused on treating diseases of the brain and will use the funding to advance RNA-based brain medicines.
Aerska, a biotechnology company founded in Ireland, has raised $21 million in seed funding to develop RNA interference (RNAi) therapies targeting neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The company is headquartered in Dublin with research operations in London.
The round was co-led by Age1, a Californian venture capital firm focused on age-related disease prevention, and Backed VC. Other participants included Ada, Blueyard, Kerna, Lingotto, Norrsken, PsyMed, Saras, and Speedinvest.
“The mission is to alleviate the suffering of patients and families living with neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s”
Founded by Jack O’Meara, David Hardwicke and RNA scientist Stu Milstein, Aerska is developing a platform that uses antibody-oligo conjugates (AOCs) to deliver RNAi therapies across the blood-brain barrier. The company’s approach aims to silence genes linked to neurodegenerative conditions, a challenge that has long eluded drug developers due to the brain’s protective barriers.
Culture meets science
“Aerska’s culture and science are poised to deliver desperately needed impact for neuro patients and to accelerate the shift toward true preventative medicine,” said Alex Colville, co-founder of Age1. “I leapt at the chance to co-lead Aerska’s seed round because Jack O’Meara is a generational founder building a generational team.”
O’Meara previously founded Ochre Bio, an RNA medicines company focused on liver disease, which raised over $100 million through venture capital and pharmaceutical partnerships. Hardwicke has held roles at AveXis, Pathway Bioventures and ONK Therapeutics.
“The mission in setting up this new company is twofold,” said O’Meara, who serves as CEO. “First and foremost, to alleviate the suffering of patients and families living with neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, which are close to home for me personally. But secondly, to help catalyse a new economic model for Ireland focused on indigenous entrepreneurship rather than foreign direct investment, given the changing geopolitical winds.”
The company’s name is derived from the Irish proverb “Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine,” which speaks to the idea of interdependence. Aerska’s leadership team in Ireland includes David Coughlan, VP of Early Development, and Andrew Cregan, Director of Finance, both of whom have held senior roles in Afimmune, ONK Therapeutics and Elan Pharmaceuticals.
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke welcomed the announcement, stating: “Ireland has the talent, the research strengths and the ambition to become a world leader in biotechnology. Aerska’s growth is a perfect example of how Irish scientists and entrepreneurs are building solutions to some of the greatest health challenges of our time.”
Hardwicke added: “Ireland has all the key ingredients for R&D-focused companies to start and grow here. We’re excited to build a base here and begin collaborating with Ireland’s world-class research ecosystem to advance new discoveries.”
Aerska plans to host an event in Dublin this October to engage with the biotechnology community and foster collaboration across the sector.
Top image: Stu Milstein, RNA medicines pioneer, Jack O’Meara, Co-founder and CEO of Aerska and David Hardwicke, Co-founder and Director, Head of Corporate Development of Aerska
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