Healthcare Industry News:  Sandoz 

Biopharmaceuticals Personnel

 News Release - September 22, 2006

ZIOPHARM Appoints John Amedio, Ph.D. as Vice President, Manufacturing & Process Development

Company Fills Key Position in Anticipation of Pivotal Clinical Trials

NEW YORK--(HSMN NewsFeed)--Sept. 22, 2006--ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZIOP ) announced today the appointment of John Amedio, Ph.D., as Vice President, Manufacturing & Process Development. Dr. Amedio joins ZIOPHARM with over 17 years of drug development experience in both major pharmaceutical and early stage biotechnology companies. John has a Ph.D. in organic chemistry and he is an adjunct professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Boston, where he teaches Good Manufacturing Practices Compliance.

John's extensive experience in chemistry, manufacturing and control (CMC), analytical and process development, and formulation development will be critical for ZIOPHARM as the Company moves toward manufacturing scale-up in anticipation of late stage clinical trials for its lead programs, ZIO-101 and ZIO-201. Prior to joining ZIOPHARM John spent 10 years at EPIX Pharmaceuticals where he was most recently Executive Director, Chemical and Analytical Research & Development. John was with Sandoz Pharmaceuticals (now part of Novartis Pharmaceuticals) prior to joining EPIX.

"Dr. Amedio joins ZIOPHARM at a critical juncture in the Company's evolution as we move from small scale production of material for early clinical trials to the large batches required for pivotal studies," said Jon Lewis, CEO. "John's experience and leadership will be key for us as we ramp up production of our lead drugs, ZIO-101 and ZIO-201 and as we acquire additional programs."

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.


Source: ZIOPHARM Oncology

Issuer of this News Release is solely responsible for its content.
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