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): June 20, 2008
ZIOPHARM
Oncology, Inc.
(Exact
Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
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Delaware
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0-32353
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84-1475642
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(State
or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
|
(Commission
File Number)
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(IRS
Employer Identification No.)
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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
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Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
CFR
230.425)
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|
o
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Soliciting
material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
|
|
o
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Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17
CFR
240.14d-2(b))
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|
o
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Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17
CFR
240.13e-4(c))
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Item
5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors;
Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
(b)
On
June 20, 2008, ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. issued a press release announcing that
Brian Schwartz, M.D., Senior Vice President for Medical and Regulatory Affairs
and Chief Medical Officer, resigned from the Company effective July 11, 2008
and
that Jonathan Lewis, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, has assumed the
responsibilities of Chief Medical Officer. A copy of the press release is
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 June 20, 2008.
SIGNATURES
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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(Registrant)
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Date:
June 20, 2008
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By:
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/s/
Richard E. Bagley
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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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99.1
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Press
Release dated June 20,
2008.
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Exhibit
99.1
ZIOPHARM
Announces Organizational Changes and New Appointments in Clinical and Regulatory
NEW
YORK - June 20, 2008 -
ZIOPHARM
Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZIOP) announced today changes and new appointments
in
its clinical and regulatory groups together with the departure of Brian
Schwartz, MD, Chief Medical Officer, who will be leaving the Company as of
July
11th
to
pursue other opportunities. His responsibilities as CMO will be assumed by
Jonathan Lewis, MD, PhD, Chief Executive Officer.
“As
part
of a new organizational structure, three physician drug program managers,
will
report to Dr. Lewis, each with responsibility for one of the Company’s three
product candidates, palifosfamide (ZIO-201), indibulin (ZIO-301), and
darinaparsin (ZIO-101).”
At
the
same time, the Company is pleased to announce promotions of the two key
executives in its regulatory and clinical operations.
Robert
Morgan, JD, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Quality has been promoted
to Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, Quality, and Clinical Development,
reporting to Richard Bagley, President and COO. Mr. Morgan has extensive
experience with all aspects of clinical development, having successfully
filed
five NDAs.
Janice
Stevens, RN, Senior Director of Clinical Operations has been named Vice
President, Clinical Operations, reporting to Mr. Bagley. Ms. Stevens was
responsible for building the clinical organization at ZIOPHARM, and has 20
years
of experience in clinical research and development programs at various
institutions.
“We
thank
Brian for his many contributions to the Company and wish him well in his
future
endeavors,” said Dr. Lewis. “ZIOPHARM’s leadership team has put significant
effort into designing clear, data-driven clinical development programs for
our
three product candidates, and we are very pleased that Bob and Jan will continue
with our three physician program managers to move our clinical programs
forward”.
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
#
#
#
Contacts:
Suzanne
McKenna
ZIOPHARM
Oncology, Inc.
(646)
214-0703
smckenna@ziopharm.com
or
Andrea
Rabney
Argot
Partners
(212)
600-1902
andrea@argotpartners.com