Sirtex Medical US Holdings, Inc. ("Sirtex"), a leading manufacturer of targeted liver cancer therapies, announced the appointment of Dr. Mark A. Turco, FACC, as Global Chief Medical Officer and EVP of Research & Development, effective June 1, 2020.

With more than three decades of experience, Dr. Turco will serve as the company's principal medical expert and corporate leader of Medical and Clinical Affairs. He will develop the strategic vision for Sirtex's clinical trial portfolio, including registration and post-registration trials. Under his leadership, the Sirtex team will continue to support and promote the company's products to further advance the field of oncology treatment and deliver the highest level of patient care and provider focus. Dr. Turco will also be responsible for ensuring the accuracy of medical input, building the company's R&D function and developing key external relationships.

"Dr. Turco brings an extraordinary, diverse background as a board-certified interventional cardiologist, clinical researcher, healthcare and business executive, as well as expertise in academic innovation," said Kevin R. Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Sirtex. "We're thrilled to welcome him to the team and we look forward to working together to further our mission of patient-first oncology innovation."

I m excited to join this outstanding team as we deliver the best therapies to patients living with cancer and beyond

Based out of Sirtex's global headquarters in Woburn, Massachusetts, Dr. Turco will serve as a member of the Senior Leadership Team and report directly to Mr. Smith.

"It's an honor to join Sirtex at this important time of advancing our clinical trial portfolio and driving product growth," said Dr. Turco. "I'm excited to join this outstanding team as we deliver the best therapies to patients living with cancer and beyond."

Prior to joining Sirtex, Dr. Turco served as Chief Innovation and Corporate Outreach Officer for the University of Pennsylvania's Penn Center for Innovation (PCI). In this role, he developed industry and academic partnerships as well as drove academic translation through technology incubation, acceleration and company creation. Before UPenn, Dr. Turco served as Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for the Aortic, Peripheral and Vascular Divisions at Medtronic, where he managed a large interdisciplinary team and oversaw business ventures, clinical trials, as well as publication strategies for key scientific data. Dr. Turco joined Medtronic in its acquisition of Covidien, where he served as Chief Medical Officer. Previously, Dr. Turco held the role of Director of the Center for Cardiac and Vascular Research at Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park, Maryland, leading large-scale medical device and pharmaceutical trials.