SECT Tech Summary

SECT Tech, LLC is an existing team of accomplished bioscience executives with complementary backgrounds and is part of the State of Connecticut’s CTNext economic development program (administered by Connecticut innovations) focused on identifying, advising and growing early stage life science, technology based companies and entrepreneurs. We currently have a client portfolio consisting of approximately 50 life science / healthcare technology companies.

Our approach is to “dig deep” with our clients, serving as their ad hoc Board of Directors, providing critical guidance in such key areas as assessment of their underlying technology, commercialization prospects, business model focus, potential customers, partners, and employees, facility space options and, of course, fund-raising effectiveness. Originally created with a Southeast Connecticut (SECT) focus in Q4, 2012, SECT Tech quickly became the “go-to” resource within the Connecticut’s statewide entrepreneurial life science community by working with companies, scientists, and entrepreneurs throughout the state, initially focused on the Groton / New London area but quickly expanding out to the New Haven (strong ties with Yale spin-outs), Hartford, Stamford - Fairfield and Storrs - Farmington (strong ties with UConn spin-outs) areas. A brief description of our three principals follows:

 Harry H. Penner Jr., Esq. – Harry has more than 35 years of experience as CEO, board member, founder and senior management in public and private Pharmaceutical (multi-national) and Life Sciences companies. His experience extends to company formation, capital raising, corporate partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, product licensing, corporate strategy, and public and private financing as well as legal and patent transactions. He has been EVP of Novo Nordisk A/S, President of Novo Nordisk of North America, CEO of Neurogen, and founder of Marinus Pharmaceuticals, New Haven Pharmaceuticals, Prevention Pharmaceuticals, Affinimark Technologies, Rib-X, (now Melinta) and RxGen. He has also served as Chairman of the CT Technology Council, Co-Chair of CURE, Chairman of the CT Board of Governors of Higher Education, BioScience Advisor to the Governor (CT), and the recipient of several awards.

 Frank J Marco, Esq. – Frank is a seasoned professional who focuses on advising emerging growth companies in capital formation, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, joint ventures, strategic alliances, licensing, research and development, corporate governance and related matters. He regularly counsels institutional clients on corporate transactions such as mergers and acquisition, spin-offs and corporate ventures. Frank has over 40 years of experience in corporate, finance and securities law. His experience includes six years in the General Counsel's office of General Electric Company, where he was also General Counsel to General Electric Venture Capital Corporation. Frank is now Special Counsel to Wiggin and Dana LLP. In honoring Frank with its "Distinguished Service Award," Connecticut Innovations, Inc. described him as "a driving force in the growth of high technology in Connecticut."

 Tom Gerson, MBA – Tom is a former CFO & VP of Operations for three bioscience start-ups … IntelligentMDx, HistoRx, CGI Pharmaceuticals and prior to that was Director of Finance & Planning for Sanofi’s R & D U.S. Operations. CGI and HistoRx were Yale spinouts that both ended up being acquired by larger biotech / life science companies respectively, Gilead Sciences acquired CGI and Genoptix / Novartis acquired HistoRx. During his tenure across all three bioscience start-ups, Tom was instrumental in securing over $100MM of venture firm / strategic partner capital. While at Sanofi, Tom was responsible for the financial management of its 500 FTE, $100MM annual budget U.S. R & D operation, the largest single Sanofi site in the world where Tom directed the resources needed to obtain 5 NDA approvals in a 5 year span.

For more information, please contact Tom Gerson at either, [email protected], or

(203) 868 9249