The Sarcoma Foundation of America (SFA), an organization dedicated to increased research funding and advocacy for sarcoma, has named Jonathan Lewis, M.D., Ph.D. as the recipient of its 2009 Vision of Hope Award. Dr. Lewis is Chief Executive and Chief Medical Officer of ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. based in New York and Boston.

"The Vision of Hope Award is given annually to a deserving visionary, who through his or her public or private actions, has resulted in the advancement of care, treatment and hope for sarcoma patients," said Mark Thornton, M.D., Ph.D., President, SFA. "Dr. Lewis has been a leading sarcoma surgeon and researcher and has taken on an integral role in advancing drug development for sarcoma patients."

Dr. Lewis served as Professor of Surgery and Medicine at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. He has been actively involved in leading translational and clinical research in cancer, and is widely respected by the patient advocacy community. He has received numerous honors and awards in medicine and science, including the ASCO Young Investigator Award, The Kristen Carr Fellowship, the Yale University Ohse Award and the Royal College of Surgeons Trubshaw Medal. Dr. Lewis also serves as a member of the Scientific Advisory Council on the Board of the Hope Funds for Cancer Research.

"I am deeply humbled and honored to receive the Vision of Hope Award from the SFA," stated Dr. Lewis. "I have spent many years treating sarcoma patients from all walks of life and all corners of the globe, and done extensive research in this disease. I have witnessed first hand the power of patient advocacy groups like the SFA in helping sarcoma patients and their families manage this difficult disease. I look forward to continuing to help lead the effort to find treatments for sarcoma in my current role at ZIOPHARM and through my advisory capacity with SFA.

"A key part of the mission of SFA is to advocate for increased research that will ultimately lead to new and better treatments for patients with sarcoma. I am fortunate to be at a point in my career where I can help advocate for increased research at the same time that we are developing a drug for soft tissue sarcoma. Though considerable progress has been made, there remains a lot of work to be done."

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About ZIOPHARM Oncology

ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZIOP) is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of a diverse, risk-sensitive portfolio of in-licensed cancer drugs to address unmet medical needs. The company applied 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. The company is currently managing several clinical trials including the PICASSO trial in soft tissue sarcoma. For more information, visit http://www.ziopharm.com.

Quick Facts About Sarcoma

Sarcoma is a rare cancer in adults (1 percent of all adult cancers) but rather prevalent in children (about 20 percent of all childhood cancers). At any one time, 50,000 patients and their families are struggling with sarcoma. Every year, about 10,000 new cases are diagnosed, and about 5,000 people die from sarcoma.

About the Sarcoma Foundation of America

The Sarcoma Foundation of America (SFA), a 501(c) (3) nonprofit charitable organization, is an advocate for increased research to find new and better therapies with which to treat patients with sarcoma. SFA raises its own funds to provide research grants to sarcoma researchers. SFA also interacts with public, private for-profit, and private non-profit organizations to raise awareness of the treatment needs of sarcoma patients.

Sarcoma Foundation of America