Irish biotech Aerska Therapeutics has secured €39 million in Series A funding to advance its RNA-based medicines designed to cross the blood-brain barrier. The capital will support preclinical development, platform optimization, and progression of lead programs targeting neurodegenerative and rare neurological disorders.
Glimpse:
Aerska’s proprietary delivery technology enables RNA therapeutics (siRNA, ASOs, mRNA) to reach the central nervous system effectively. The €39 million round led by top-tier European and international investors will fund expanded research, manufacturing scale-up, and key IND-enabling studies. The company aims to address major unmet needs in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS, and genetic neurological conditions where current treatments struggle to penetrate the brain.
Aerska Therapeutics, an emerging Irish biotech company, has closed a €39 million Series A financing to accelerate its pipeline of brain-targeted RNA medicines. The round, announced in early 2026, was co-led by prominent life sciences investors with participation from both European and global funds.
Aerska is developing a novel delivery platform that overcomes one of the biggest hurdles in RNA therapeutics: efficient transport across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). By engineering RNA molecules with proprietary targeting and stabilization features, the company enables siRNA, antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), and mRNA to reach neurons and glial cells in therapeutically meaningful quantities.
Initial programs focus on neurodegenerative diseases and monogenic neurological disorders where genetic drivers are well understood but effective brain delivery has remained elusive. The technology has shown promising preclinical data in relevant animal models, demonstrating target engagement and functional improvement without significant off-target effects.
The new funding will drive: Advancement of lead candidates into IND-enabling studies Optimization and expansion of the delivery platform Build-out of internal R&D and manufacturing capabilities Strategic partnerships to broaden therapeutic applications
Ireland’s growing biotech ecosystem continues to attract attention for its strong talent pool, academic collaborations, and supportive policies. Aerska’s raise highlights increasing investor confidence in next-generation RNA approaches that tackle central nervous system diseases among the most challenging and costly areas in medicine.
“Reaching the brain with RNA medicines has been a long-standing challenge. We’re now turning that limitation into an opportunity to treat devastating neurological conditions.”
By
HB Team
