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ZIOPHARM Oncology Appoints Michael G. King, Jr. as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development & Communication

^{Published on 2010-10-01 04:40:45 - Market Wire}
 

NEW YORK--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZIOP) announced today that it has appointed Michael G. King, Jr., Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Communication. In this newly established position, Mr. King will direct the Companya™s communication efforts and work together with the senior management team to advance the Companya™s corporate development strategy.

"Michaela™s distinguished career has provided him with a unique perspective on the elements necessary for creating a successful biopharmaceutical company"

Mr. King has over 17 years of experience as a leading biotechnology equity research analyst, consistently ranking at the top of Institutional Investor magazinea™s annual sell-side research survey in addition to being named that publicationa™s aHome Run Hittera in 2000. Most recently, Mr. King served as a Managing Director and Senior Biotechnology Analyst at Wedbush Securities. Prior to that, Mr. King was a Managing Director and Senior Biotechnology Analyst at Merriman Curhan Ford with other prior positions at leading firms including Dillon Read, Vector, Robertson Stephens, Banc of America and Rodman and Renshaw, where he was Director of Research as well as Head of Healthcare. Mr. King began his career in finance in sales at Kidder Peabody.

aMichaela™s distinguished career has provided him with a unique perspective on the elements necessary for creating a successful biopharmaceutical company,a stated Dr. Jonathan Lewis, CEO. aHis insights, financial background as well as deep industry experience and contacts will prove invaluable as we move our product pipeline forward toward commercialization. We are pleased that he has chosen to make this transition to industry and look forward to his contributions to ZIOPHARM.a

Mr. King stated, aI am thrilled to be joining the ZIOPHARM team at this exciting juncture in the companya™s evolution. With a diverse pipeline of three potentially ground-breaking therapies for solid and hematologic tumors, a strong balance sheet and a clearly defined strategy, ZIOPHARM is well-positioned to deliver on its promise of bringing forward better cancer medicines. It is my goal to leverage the insights gained from an extensive Wall Street analytic career to help advance ZIOPHARMa™s important mission and to support the successful development of palifosfamide, darinaparsin, and indibulin.a

About ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.:

ZIOPHARM Oncology is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development and commercialization of a diverse portfolio of cancer drugs. The Company is currently focused on three clinical programs.

Palifosfamide (Zymafos^TM or ZIO-201) is a novel DNA cross-linker in class with bendamustine, ifosfamide, and cyclophosphamide. ZIOPHARM is currently enrolling patients in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled Phase III trial with palifosfamide administered intravenously for the treatment of metastatic soft tissue sarcoma in the front-line setting. The Company expects to initiate additional studies in the near-term, including a Phase I IV study of palifosfamide in combination with standard of care addressing small cell lung cancer and a Phase I study of oral palifosfamide.

Darinaparsin (Zinapar^TM or ZIO-101) is a novel mitochondrial-targeted agent (organic arsenic) being developed intravenously for the treatment of peripheral T-cell lymphoma with a pivotal study expected to begin in late 2011, following the outcome of a supporting trial. An oral form is in a Phase I trial in solid tumors.

Indibulin (Zybulin^TM or ZIO-301) is a novel, oral tubulin binding agent that targets both mitosis and cancer cell migration. Indibulin is expected to have several potential benefits including oral dosing, application in multi-drug resistant tumors, no neuropathy and minimal overall toxicity. It is currently being studied in Phase I/II in metastatic breast cancer.

ZIOPHARM's operations are located in Boston, MA with an executive office in New York City. Further information about ZIOPHARM may be found at [ www.ziopharm.com ].

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Forward-Looking Safe Harbor Statement:

This press release contains forward-looking statements for ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results and expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from these statements. Among other things, there can be no assurance that any of the Company's development efforts relating to its product candidates will be successful, or such product candidates will be successfully commercialized. Other risks that affect forward-looking information contained in this press release include the possibility of being unable to obtain regulatory approval of the Company's product candidates, the risk that the results of clinical trials may not support the Company's claims, the risk that pre-clinical or clinical trials will proceed on schedules that are consistent with the Company's current expectations or at all, risks related to the Company's ability to protect its intellectual property and its reliance on third parties to develop its product candidates, risks related to the sufficiency of existing capital reserves to fund continued operations for a particular amount of time and uncertainties regarding the Company's ability to obtain additional financing to support its operations thereafter, as well as other risks regarding the Company that are discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "intend," " should," "could," "can," "would," "expect," "believe," "estimate," " predict," "potential," "plan," "is designed to," "target" and similar expressions. The Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.