- Stuart Milstein appointed Chief Platform Officer, bringing decades of experience in oligonucleotide drug development to underpin Aerska's platform R&D
- Lisa Taylor Ash joins Board of Directors, strengthening operational, regulatory and commercial expertise
DUBLIN and LONDON, April 15, 2026 -- Aerska, a biotechnology company using brain shuttle technology to develop RNA medicines for CNS diseases, today announces the appointment of Stuart Milstein as Chief Platform Officer and Lisa Taylor Ash to its Board of Directors, strengthening the Company's leadership as it advances its antibody-oligo conjugate (AOC) platform towards the clinic.
Building on Aerska's recent $39 million Series A financing, the Company is deepening its expertise in RNA interference (RNAi) platform innovation and drug development and strengthening its operations and governance, adding two leaders with track records of translating RNA science into transformative medicines.
"Advancing the optimal brain shuttle platform for siRNA delivery to the CNS demands deep expertise across RNA science, drug development, and organizational leadership," saidJack O'Meara, CEO, Aerska. "Stuart has spent his career pushing the boundaries of what oligonucleotide delivery can achieve, and Lisa has the experience of guiding companies through every stage of that journey. Their combined expertise gives Aerska the foundation it needs to develop medicines that can make a genuine difference for patients living with CNS disease."
Stuart brings two decades of experience pioneering the development of oligonucleotide therapeutics. At Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, he directed RNAi Lead Development, initiating early efforts in CNS delivery of siRNA and developing the siRNA template chemistry that remains the industry standard today. He subsequently served as Vice President of Platform Biology at Korro Bio, advancing ADAR-mediated RNA editing, and as Chief Platform Officer at Sail Biomedicines (formerly Senda Biosciences), where he led development of a new class of nanoparticles for RNA delivery.
As Chief Platform Officer, he will lead Aerska's platform strategy, overseeing continued development of its proprietary brain shuttle-enabled RNAi platform for brain diseases.
"RNA therapeutics have made remarkable progress over the past two decades, yet CNS disease has remained largely out of reach due to the fundamental challenge of delivery across the blood-brain barrier. Aerska is directly addressing that barrier by combining proven RNA interference science with innovative brain shuttle technology," said Stuart Milstein, newly appointed Chief Platform Officer, Aerska. "I look forward to advancing the platform and developing programs that can achieve what has long been the goal of the field: durable, targeted knockdown in the brain for patients who have had few or no options."
Lisa joins the Board with deep experience guiding biotechnology companies through key phases of growth, including financing, strategic partnerships, clinical development and commercialization.
Lisa Taylor Ash, newly appointed Board member, Aerska, added, "Aerska has assembled an all star team to advance treatment options for patients suffering from neurological conditions. They are bringing together cutting-edge RNA biology with a focus on some of the most challenging - and meaningful - targets in CNS disease. I'm excited to join the board and work to translate that science into clinical programs that can make a real difference for patients."
Currently, Lisa is the COO of Sonoma Bio. Previously, she served as COO & GC of Shape Therapeutics, where she built and led that company's legal and operational functions. Prior to that, she served as Vice President, Head of Healthcare Law and Compliance at Juno Therapeutics, advising on the manufacturing and clinical development of CAR-T therapies. She has also held senior legal and compliance roles at Exelixis and Pharmacyclics and began her career at Sidley Austin LLP.
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About Aerska
Aerska is a biotechnology company pioneering RNA medicines to delay, treat, and prevent diseases of the brain. The company is leveraging advances in 'brain shuttles' to enable targeted delivery of next-generation RNA therapeutics to the CNS. By silencing the genes that cause harm, Aerska aims to preserve the minds, protect the memories, and enable our loved ones to live longer, healthier lives. Aerska is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, with research operations in London, UK. For more info, visit www.aerska.com.
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