UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
FORM
8-K
CURRENT
REPORT
PURSUANT
TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date
of
report (date of earliest event reported): May 13, 2008
ZIOPHARM
Oncology, Inc.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
|
Delaware
|
0-32353
|
84-1475642
|
|
(State
or other jurisdiction of
incorporation)
|
(Commission
File Number)
|
(IRS
Employer Identification No.)
|
1180
Avenue of the Americas, 19th Floor
New
York, NY 10036
(Address
of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(646)
214-0700
(Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code)
(Former
name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check
the
appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
provisions:
o Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)
o
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule
14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule
13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item
8.01. Other Events.
On
May
13, 2008, ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. issued the press release attached hereto
as
Exhibit 99.1, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Item
9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
99.1
Press
Release dated May 13, 2008.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto
duly authorized.
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ZIOPHARM
Oncology, Inc.:
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||
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(Registrant)
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||
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By:
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/s/
Richard E. Bagley
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|
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Name:
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Richard
E. Bagley
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Title:
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President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer
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Exhibit
Index
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Exhibit No.
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Description
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|
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99.1
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Press
Release dated May 13, 2008.
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Exhibit
99.1
ZIOPHARM
Receives Notices of Allowance for Two U.S. Patent Applications Covering
Darinaparsin
NEW
YORK – May 13, 2008 -
ZIOPHARM
Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZIOP) announced today that it has received Notices
of
Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for patent applications
numbered 11/252,966 and 11/349,043, covering claims for various organic arsenic
compounds, including purified crystalline darinaparsin, glycolic arsenicals,
and
the oral pharmaceutical composition of an organic arsenic compound, and their
use in the treatment of cancer. A notice of allowance signifies that the
applicant is entitled to a patent under the law.
Darinaparsin
is currently being tested in a variety of phase II studies for the treatment
of
leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and liver cancer. The drug is being studied both
as
an intravenous agent and in oral form.
“Darinaparsin
has demonstrated promising safety and efficacy results to date.” said Jonathan
Lewis, MD, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of ZIOPHARM. “These allowed patent
claims, when issued, will enhance the intellectual property coverage of our
darinaparsin program, which already contains two U.S. patents. A broad patent
estate is an important component of our strategic planning and remains a
priority for the Company.”
About
Darinaparsin
Darinaparsin
is a proprietary small molecule organic arsenic licensed from The University
of
Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and Texas A&M University. Darinaparsin
induces cell cycle arrest and cell death by targeting several cellular pathways
essential for cell survival. Exposure to darinaparsin has a direct as well
as
indirect effect on mitochondrial functions, resulting in depletion of energy
supply to the cell and induction of apoptosis (programmed cell death). Increase
in intra-cellular Reactive Oxygen Species enhances this effect on mitochondrial
functions and consequently the activation of the signal transduction pathway
leading to apoptosis. In addition, darinaparsin interrupts the cell cycle at
the
G2/M phase of tumor cells inducing cell death through this pathway.
About
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
ZIOPHARM
Oncology, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development and
commercialization of a diverse, risk-sensitive portfolio of in-licensed cancer
drugs to address unmet medical needs. The
Company applies new insights from molecular and cancer biology to understand
the
efficacy and safety limitations of approved and developmental cancer therapies
and identifies proprietary and related molecules for better patient treatment.
For more information, visit www.ziopharm.com.
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, and risks related to
the
Company's ability to protect its intellectual property and its reliance on
third
parties to develop its product candidates. The Company assumes no obligation
to
update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
ZIOP-G
#
#
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Contacts:
Suzanne
McKenna
ZIOPHARM
Oncology, Inc.
(646)
214-0703
smckenna@ziopharm.com
or
Andrea
Rabney
Argot
Partners
(212)
600-1902
andrea@argotpartners.com