Business	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Business	1. Business Overview ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc., which is referred to herein as “Ziopharm,” or the “Company,” is a biopharmaceutical company seeking to develop, acquire, and commercialize, on its own or with partners, a diverse portfolio of immuno-oncology therapies. The Company is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing next generation immuno-oncology platforms that leverage cell therapies to treat patients with cancers. The Company is developing technologies that utilize the immune system by employing innovative cell engineering to deliver safe and effective cell therapies for the treatment of multiple cancer types. Specifically, the Company is focused on developing T-cell receptor, or TCR, T cell therapies to target neoantigens in solid tumors, or TCR-T. A part of the Company's platform is referred to as “Sleeping Beauty” and is based on the non-viral genetic engineering of immune cells using a transposon/transposase system that is intended to stably engineer T cells outside of the body for subsequent infusion. The Company’s operations to date have consisted primarily of conducting research and development and raising capital to fund those efforts. In May 2021, the Company announced that it will be winding down our existing Controlled IL-12 clinical program for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma multiforme. The Company will continue to seek a partner for this program and have also begun exploring potential synergies between this technology and our cell therapy programs. Costs incurred during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 under the program wind-down have not been material. The Company has operated at a loss since its inception in 2003 and has no recurring revenues from operations. The Company anticipates that losses will continue for the foreseeable future. As of September 30, 2021, the Company had approximately $91.7 million of cash and cash equivalents. The Company’s accumulated deficit at September 30, 2021 was approximately $831.1 million. Given its current development plans and cash management efforts, the Company anticipates cash resources will be sufficient to fund operations into the second quarter of 2023. The Company’s ability to continue operations after its current cash resources are exhausted depends on its ability to obtain additional financing or to achieve profitable operations, as to which no assurances can be given. Cash requirements may vary materially from those now planned because of changes in the Company’s focus and direction of its research and development programs, competitive and technical advances, patent developments, regulatory changes or other developments. If adequate additional funds are not available when required, or if the Company is unsuccessful in entering into partnership agreements for further development of its product candidates, management may need to curtail its development efforts and planned operations to conserve cash. The Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes it to issue 350,000,000 shares of common stock. As of October 29, 2021, there were 216,145,826 shares of common stock outstanding and an additional 33,778,465 shares of common stock reserved for issuance pursuant to outstanding stock options and warrants. Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC. Certain information and note disclosures required by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. It is management’s opinion that the accompanying unaudited interim financial statements reflect all adjustments (which are normal and recurring) that are necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position of the Company and its results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The unaudited interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and the notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2020, included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 filed with the SEC on March 1, 2021, or the Annual Report. The results disclosed in the statements of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full fiscal year 2021. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Although the Company regularly assesses these estimates, actual results could differ from those estimates. Changes in estimates are recorded in the period in which they become known. The Company’s most significant estimates and judgments used in the preparation of its financial statements are:  Clinical trial expenses and other research and development expenses;  Collaboration agreements;  Fair value measurements of stock-based compensation; and  Income taxes. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Company has implemented business continuity plans designed to address and mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its business and operations. The Company continues to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic on patients, healthcare providers and its employees, as well as its operations and the operations of its business partners and healthcare communities. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company has implemented policies at its locations to mitigate the risk of exposure to COVID-19 by its personnel. The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic impacts the Company’s business, clinical development and regulatory efforts and the value of its common stock, will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence at this time, such as the ultimate duration of the pandemic, travel restrictions, quarantines, social distancing and business closure requirements, the result of vaccination efforts and the effectiveness of any other actions taken globally to contain and treat the disease. The global economic slowdown, the overall disruption of global healthcare systems and the other risks and uncertainties associated with the COVID-19 pandemic could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.

Business

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

1. Business

Overview

ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc., which is referred to herein as “Ziopharm,” or the “Company,” is a biopharmaceutical company seeking to develop, acquire, and commercialize, on its own or with partners, a diverse portfolio of immuno-oncology therapies.

The Company is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing next generation immuno-oncology platforms that leverage cell therapies to treat patients with cancers. The Company is developing technologies that utilize the immune system by employing innovative cell engineering to deliver safe and effective cell therapies for the treatment of multiple cancer types. Specifically, the Company is focused on developing T-cell receptor, or TCR, T cell therapies to target neoantigens in solid tumors, or TCR-T. A part of the Company's platform is referred to as “Sleeping Beauty” and is based on the non-viral genetic engineering of immune cells using a transposon/transposase system that is intended to stably engineer T cells outside of the body for subsequent infusion.

The Company’s operations to date have consisted primarily of conducting research and development and raising capital to fund those efforts. In May 2021, the Company announced that it will be winding down our existing Controlled IL-12 clinical program for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma multiforme. The Company will continue to seek a partner for this program and have also begun exploring potential synergies between this technology and our cell therapy programs. Costs incurred during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 under the program wind-down have not been material.

The Company has operated at a loss since its inception in 2003 and has no recurring revenues from operations. The Company anticipates that losses will continue for the foreseeable future. As of September 30, 2021, the Company had approximately $91.7 million of cash and cash equivalents. The Company’s accumulated deficit at September 30, 2021 was approximately $831.1 million. Given its current development plans and cash management efforts, the Company anticipates cash resources will be sufficient to fund operations into the second quarter of 2023. The Company’s ability to continue operations after its current cash resources are exhausted depends on its ability to obtain additional financing or to achieve profitable operations, as to which no assurances can be given. Cash requirements may vary materially from those now planned because of changes in the Company’s focus and direction of its research and development programs, competitive and technical advances, patent developments, regulatory changes or other developments. If adequate additional funds are not available when required, or if the Company is unsuccessful in entering into partnership agreements for further development of its product candidates, management may need to curtail its development efforts and planned operations to conserve cash.

The Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes it to issue 350,000,000 shares of common stock. As of October 29, 2021, there were 216,145,826 shares of common stock outstanding and an additional 33,778,465 shares of common stock reserved for issuance pursuant to outstanding stock options and warrants.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC. Certain information and note disclosures required by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations.

It is management’s opinion that the accompanying unaudited interim financial statements reflect all adjustments (which are normal and recurring) that are necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position of the Company and its results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The unaudited interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and the notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2020, included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 filed with the SEC on March 1, 2021, or the Annual Report.

The results disclosed in the statements of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full fiscal year 2021.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Although the Company regularly assesses these estimates, actual results could differ from those estimates. Changes in estimates are recorded in the period in which they become known.

The Company’s most significant estimates and judgments used in the preparation of its financial statements are:



Clinical trial expenses and other research and development expenses;



Collaboration agreements;



Fair value measurements of stock-based compensation; and



Income taxes.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Company has implemented business continuity plans designed to address and mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its business and operations. The Company continues to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic on patients, healthcare providers and its employees, as well as its operations and the operations of its business partners and healthcare communities. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company has implemented policies at its locations to mitigate the risk of exposure to COVID-19 by its personnel. The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic impacts the Company’s business, clinical development and regulatory efforts and the value of its common stock, will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence at this time, such as the ultimate duration of the pandemic, travel restrictions, quarantines, social distancing and business closure requirements, the result of vaccination efforts and the effectiveness of any other actions taken globally to contain and treat the disease. The global economic slowdown, the overall disruption of global healthcare systems and the other risks and uncertainties associated with the COVID-19 pandemic could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.