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ZIOPHARM Oncology to Present at BioCenturya?s Newsmakers in the Biotech Industry Conference

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^{Published in Health and Fitness on Friday, October 15th 2010 at 5:41 GMT by Market Wire}  

NEW YORK--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZIOP) announced today that Jonathan Lewis, MD, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, will present at the upcoming BioCentury Newsmakers in the Biotech Industry Conference on Friday, October 22 at 9:30 a.m. EST at the Millennium Broadway Hotel & Conference Center in New York City. Dr. Lewis will provide an overview of the Company and its clinical development programs.

To access the live audio webcast, please visit the Investor Relations section at [ www.ziopharm.com ]. The webcast will be archived for 90 days.

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.