<HTML>
<HEAD>
     <TITLE></TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY STYLE="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">

<P STYLE="margin: 0"></P>

<P STYLE="font: 18pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B>UNITED STATES<BR>
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION </B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B>Washington, D.C. 20549 </B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B>&nbsp; </B></P>

<!-- Field: Rule-Page --><DIV ALIGN="CENTER" STYLE="margin-top: 3pt; margin-bottom: 3pt"><DIV STYLE="font-size: 1pt; border-top: Black 1pt solid; width: 20%">&nbsp;</DIV></DIV><!-- Field: /Rule-Page -->

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B></B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B>&nbsp; </B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 18pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B>FORM&nbsp;8-K </B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B>&nbsp; </B></P>

<!-- Field: Rule-Page --><DIV ALIGN="CENTER" STYLE="margin-top: 3pt; margin-bottom: 3pt"><DIV STYLE="font-size: 1pt; border-top: Black 1pt solid; width: 20%">&nbsp;</DIV></DIV><!-- Field: /Rule-Page -->

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B></B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B>&nbsp; </B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 12pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B>CURRENT REPORT </B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 12pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B>PURSUANT TO SECTION&nbsp;13 OR 15(d)&nbsp;OF
THE<BR>
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 </B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">Date of report (Date of earliest event reported):
<B>January 20, 2012 </B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"></P>

<!-- Field: Rule-Page --><DIV ALIGN="CENTER" STYLE="margin-top: 3pt; margin-bottom: 3pt"><DIV STYLE="font-size: 1pt; border-top: Black 1pt solid; width: 20%">&nbsp;</DIV></DIV><!-- Field: /Rule-Page -->

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 18pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B>ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. </B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">&nbsp;</P>

<TABLE ALIGN="CENTER" CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" STYLE="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse">
<TR>
    <TD STYLE="width: 32%; vertical-align: top; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold; text-align: center">Delaware</TD>
    <TD STYLE="width: 2%; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 1pt; font-weight: bold">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD STYLE="width: 32%; vertical-align: top; font: bold 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; padding-right: 0.7pt; padding-left: 0.7pt; text-align: center">001-33038</TD>
    <TD STYLE="width: 2%; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 1pt; font-weight: bold">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD STYLE="width: 32%; vertical-align: top; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold; text-align: center">84-1475672</TD></TR>
<TR>
    <TD STYLE="vertical-align: top; padding-right: 0.7pt; padding-left: 0.7pt">
        <P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">(State or Other Jurisdiction</P>
        <P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">of Incorporation)</P></TD>
    <TD STYLE="vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD STYLE="vertical-align: top; font-size: 10pt; text-align: center">(Commission File Number)</TD>
    <TD STYLE="vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD STYLE="vertical-align: top; padding-right: 0.7pt; padding-left: 0.7pt">
        <P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">(IRS Employer</P>
        <P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">Identification No.)</P></TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">&nbsp;</P>

<TABLE ALIGN="CENTER" CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" STYLE="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse">
<TR>
    <TD STYLE="width: 66%; vertical-align: top; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold; text-align: center">1180 Avenue of the Americas <BR> Suite 2020 <BR> New York, NY</TD>
    <TD STYLE="width: 2%; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 1pt; font-weight: bold">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD STYLE="width: 32%; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold; text-align: center">10036</TD></TR>
<TR>
    <TD STYLE="vertical-align: top; font-size: 10pt; text-align: center">(Address of Principal Executive Offices)</TD>
    <TD STYLE="vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD STYLE="vertical-align: top; font-size: 10pt; text-align: center">(Zip Code)</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B>(646)&nbsp;214-0700 </B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">(Registrant&rsquo;s telephone number, including
area code)</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B>Not applicable </B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since
Last Report)</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">&nbsp;</P>

<!-- Field: Rule-Page --><DIV ALIGN="CENTER" STYLE="margin-top: 3pt; margin-bottom: 3pt"><DIV STYLE="font-size: 1pt; border-top: Black 1pt solid; width: 20%">&nbsp;</DIV></DIV><!-- Field: /Rule-Page -->

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">Check the appropriate box below if the Form&nbsp;8-K is intended
to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 12pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0 0 0 24.5pt; text-indent: -24.5pt"><FONT STYLE="font: 10pt Wingdings">o
</FONT><FONT STYLE="font-size: 3pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
</FONT><FONT STYLE="font-size: 10pt">Written communications pursuant to Rule&nbsp;425 under the Securities Act (17&nbsp;CFR&nbsp;230.425).
</FONT></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0 0 0 24.5pt; text-indent: -24.5pt">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 12pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0 0 0 24.5pt; text-indent: -24.5pt"><FONT STYLE="font: 10pt Wingdings">o
</FONT><FONT STYLE="font-size: 3pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
</FONT><FONT STYLE="font-size: 10pt">Soliciting material pursuant to Rule&nbsp;14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17&nbsp;CFR&nbsp;240.14a-12).
</FONT></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0 0 0 24.5pt; text-indent: -24.5pt">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 12pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0 0 0 24.5pt; text-indent: -24.5pt"><FONT STYLE="font: 10pt Wingdings">o
</FONT><FONT STYLE="font-size: 3pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
</FONT><FONT STYLE="font-size: 10pt">Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule&nbsp;14d-2(b)&nbsp;under the Exchange Act
(17&nbsp;CFR 240.14d-2(b)). </FONT></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0 0 0 24.5pt; text-indent: -24.5pt">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 12pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0 0 0 24.5pt; text-indent: -24.5pt"><FONT STYLE="font: 10pt Wingdings">o
</FONT><FONT STYLE="font-size: 3pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
</FONT><FONT STYLE="font-size: 10pt">Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule&nbsp;13e-4(c)&nbsp;under the Exchange Act
(17&nbsp;CFR 240.13e-4(c)). </FONT></P>

<P STYLE="font: 12pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0 0 0 24.5pt; text-indent: -24.5pt"><FONT STYLE="font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;
</FONT><FONT STYLE="font-size: 10pt"> </FONT></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"><B>&nbsp;</B></P>

<!-- Field: Page; Sequence: 1 -->
    <DIV STYLE="margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; border-bottom: Black 1pt solid"><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" STYLE="width: 100%; font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><TR><TD STYLE="text-align: center; width: 100%"><!-- Field: Sequence; Type: Arabic; Name: PageNo --><!-- Field: /Sequence --></TD></TR></TABLE></DIV>
    <DIV STYLE="page-break-before: always; margin-top: 6pt; margin-bottom: 12pt"><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" STYLE="width: 100%; font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><TR><TD STYLE="text-align: center; width: 100%">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE></DIV>
    <!-- Field: /Page -->

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: justify"><B>&nbsp;</B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: justify"><B>Item 1.01 &#9;Entry into a Material Definitive
Agreement.</B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: justify">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-indent: 0.5in">On January 20, 2012, ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
(the &ldquo;Company&rdquo;) entered into an underwriting agreement (the &ldquo;Underwriting Agreement&rdquo;) with J.P. Morgan
Securities LLC, as representative of the several underwriters listed in Schedule I thereto (the &ldquo;Underwriters&rdquo;), relating
to an underwritten public offering of 9,650,000 shares (the &ldquo;Shares&rdquo;) of the Company&rsquo;s common stock, par value
$0.001 per share. All of the Shares were sold by the Company. The price to the public was $5.20 per share, and the Underwriters
agreed to purchase the Shares from the Company pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement at a purchase price of $4.888 per share.
The net proceeds to the Company are expected to be approximately $46.9 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions
and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company. Under the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Company has granted
the Underwriters an option, exercisable for 30 days, to purchase up to an additional 1,447,500 shares of common stock to cover
over-allotments, if any, at a purchase price of $4.888 per share.&nbsp;&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-indent: 0.5in">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-indent: 0.5in">The offering was made pursuant to the Company&rsquo;s
effective registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration Statement No. 333-177793) previously filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. A prospectus supplement relating to the offering has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.&nbsp;&nbsp;The
closing of the offering took place on January&nbsp;25, 2012.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-indent: 0.5in">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-indent: 0.5in">A copy of the Underwriting Agreement is filed
as Exhibit 1.1 to this report. The foregoing description of the material terms of the Underwriting Agreement does not purport to
be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such exhibit.&nbsp;&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-indent: 0.5in">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-indent: 0.5in">A copy of the opinion of Cooley LLP relating
to the legality of the issuance and sale of the Shares in the offering is attached as Exhibit 5.1 hereto.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-indent: 0.5in">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"><B>Item 8.01&#9;Other Events.</B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-indent: 0.5in">On January 20, 2012, the Company issued a press
release announcing the pricing of the public offering.&nbsp;&nbsp;The press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated
herein by reference.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 12pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: justify">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: justify"><B>Item 9.01 &#9;Financial Statements and Exhibits</B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: justify">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: justify">(d)&#9;<I>Exhibits</I>.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: justify">&nbsp;</P>

<TABLE CELLPADDING="0" STYLE="width: 100%; font-size: 10pt">
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
    <TD STYLE="width: 14%; padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif; font-weight: bold">Exhibit No.</TD>
    <TD STYLE="width: 86%; padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: center">Description</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
    <TD STYLE="padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">1.1</TD>
    <TD STYLE="padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">Underwriting Agreement, dated January 20, 2012 between ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as representative of the several underwriters</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
    <TD STYLE="padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">5.1</TD>
    <TD STYLE="padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">Opinion of Cooley LLP</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
    <TD STYLE="padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">23.1</TD>
    <TD STYLE="padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">Consent of Cooley LLP (included as part of Exhibit 5.1)</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
    <TD STYLE="padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">99.1</TD>
    <TD STYLE="padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">Press Release, dated January 20, 2012</TD></TR>
</TABLE>




<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"></P>

<!-- Field: Page; Sequence: 2 -->
    <DIV STYLE="margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; border-bottom: Black 1pt solid"><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" STYLE="width: 100%; font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><TR><TD STYLE="text-align: center; width: 100%"><!-- Field: Sequence; Type: Arabic; Name: PageNo --><!-- Field: /Sequence --></TD></TR></TABLE></DIV>
    <DIV STYLE="page-break-before: always; margin-top: 6pt; margin-bottom: 12pt"><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" STYLE="width: 100%; font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><TR><TD STYLE="text-align: center; width: 100%">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE></DIV>
    <!-- Field: /Page -->
<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><U>SIGNATURES </U></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.5pt">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.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: justify"></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: justify">&nbsp;</P>

<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" STYLE="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 10pt">
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
    <TD STYLE="font-size: 1pt; text-align: justify">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD COLSPAN="2" STYLE="text-align: justify">ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
    <TD STYLE="text-align: justify">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD COLSPAN="2" STYLE="text-align: justify">&nbsp;</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
    <TD STYLE="text-align: justify">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD COLSPAN="2" STYLE="text-align: justify">&nbsp;</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
    <TD STYLE="width: 47%; font-size: 1pt; text-align: justify">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD STYLE="width: 4%; text-align: justify">By:</TD>
    <TD STYLE="width: 49%; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-left: 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -10pt">/s/ Caesar Belbel</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
    <TD STYLE="text-align: justify">Date: January 25, 2012</TD>
    <TD STYLE="font-size: 1pt; text-align: justify">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD STYLE="text-align: justify">Name: Caesar Belbel</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
    <TD STYLE="font-size: 1pt; text-align: justify">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD STYLE="font-size: 1pt; text-align: justify">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD STYLE="text-align: justify">Title: Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: justify">&nbsp;</P>

<!-- Field: Page; Sequence: 3 -->
    <DIV STYLE="margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; border-bottom: Black 1pt solid"><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" STYLE="width: 100%; font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><TR><TD STYLE="text-align: center; width: 100%">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE></DIV>
    <DIV STYLE="page-break-before: always; margin-top: 6pt; margin-bottom: 12pt"><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" STYLE="width: 100%; font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><TR><TD STYLE="text-align: center; width: 100%">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE></DIV>
    <!-- Field: /Page -->

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B>INDEX OF EXHIBITS</B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B>&nbsp;</B></P>

<TABLE CELLPADDING="0" STYLE="width: 100%; font-size: 10pt">
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
    <TD STYLE="width: 14%; padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif; font-weight: bold">Exhibit No.</TD>
    <TD STYLE="width: 86%; padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: center">Description</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
    <TD STYLE="padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">1.1</TD>
    <TD STYLE="padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">Underwriting Agreement, dated January 20, 2012 between ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as representative of the several underwriters</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
    <TD STYLE="padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">5.1</TD>
    <TD STYLE="padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">Opinion of Cooley LLP</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
    <TD STYLE="padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">23.1</TD>
    <TD STYLE="padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">Consent of Cooley LLP (included as part of Exhibit 5.1)</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
    <TD STYLE="padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">99.1</TD>
    <TD STYLE="padding: 0.75pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">Press Release, dated January 20, 2012</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>

<!-- Field: Page; Sequence: 4 -->
    <DIV STYLE="margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; border-bottom: Black 1pt solid"><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" STYLE="width: 100%; font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><TR><TD STYLE="text-align: center; width: 100%"><!-- Field: Sequence; Type: Arabic; Name: PageNo --><!-- Field: /Sequence --></TD></TR></TABLE></DIV>
    <DIV STYLE=";margin-top: 6pt; margin-bottom: 12pt"><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" STYLE="width: 100%; font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><TR><TD STYLE="text-align: center; width: 100%">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE></DIV>
    <!-- Field: /Page -->

<P STYLE="font: 12pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: right"></P>

<P STYLE="font: 12pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: right"></P>

</BODY>
</HTML>
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "v300188_8k.htm", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 21880}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "ZIOPHARM ONCOLOGY INC", "cik": "0001107421", "assigned-sic": "8093", "irs-number": "841475642", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-33038", "film-number": "12543436"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1180 AVENUE OF THE AMERICA", "street2": "19TH FLOOR", "city": "NEW YORK", "state": "NY", "zip": "10036", "phone": "646-214-0700"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "1180 AVENUE OF THE AMERICA", "street2": "19TH FLOOR", "city": "NEW YORK", "state": "NY", "zip": "10036"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "EASYWEB INC", "date-changed": "20010213"}}
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):
January 20, 2012
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
Delaware
001-33038
84-1475672
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
1180 Avenue of the Americas
Suite 2020
New York, NY
10036
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)
(646) 214-0700
(Registrant's telephone number, including
area code)
Not applicable
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since
Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K 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 1.01 	Entry into a Material Definitive
Agreement.
On January 20, 2012, ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
(the "Company") entered into an underwriting agreement (the "Underwriting Agreement") with J.P. Morgan
Securities LLC, as representative of the several underwriters listed in Schedule I thereto (the "Underwriters"), relating
to an underwritten public offering of 9,650,000 shares (the "Shares") of the Company's common stock, par value
$0.001 per share. All of the Shares were sold by the Company. The price to the public was $5.20 per share, and the Underwriters
agreed to purchase the Shares from the Company pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement at a purchase price of $4.888 per share.
The net proceeds to the Company are expected to be approximately $46.9 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions
and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company. Under the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Company has granted
the Underwriters an option, exercisable for 30 days, to purchase up to an additional 1,447,500 shares of common stock to cover
over-allotments, if any, at a purchase price of $4.888 per share.
The offering was made pursuant to the Company's
effective registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration Statement No. 333-177793) previously filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. A prospectus supplement relating to the offering has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  The
closing of the offering took place on January 25, 2012.
A copy of the Underwriting Agreement is filed
as Exhibit 1.1 to this report. The foregoing description of the material terms of the Underwriting Agreement does not purport to
be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such exhibit.
A copy of the opinion of Cooley LLP relating
to the legality of the issuance and sale of the Shares in the offering is attached as Exhibit 5.1 hereto.
Item 8.01	Other Events.
On January 20, 2012, the Company issued a press
release announcing the pricing of the public offering.  The press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated
herein by reference.
Item 9.01 	Financial Statements and Exhibits
(d)
Exhibits
.
Exhibit No.
Description
1.1
Underwriting Agreement, dated January 20, 2012 between ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as representative of the several underwriters
5.1
Opinion of Cooley LLP
23.1
Consent of Cooley LLP (included as part of Exhibit 5.1)
99.1
Press Release, dated January 20, 2012
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.
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
By:
/s/ Caesar Belbel
Date: January 25, 2012
Name: Caesar Belbel
Title: Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary
INDEX OF EXHIBITS
Exhibit No.
Description
1.1
Underwriting Agreement, dated January 20, 2012 between ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as representative of the several underwriters
5.1
Opinion of Cooley LLP
23.1
Consent of Cooley LLP (included as part of Exhibit 5.1)
99.1
Press Release, dated January 20, 2012