Document:

Exhibit
        10.1

       

      CONSULTING
        AGREEMENT

      

      THIS
        CONSULTING AGREEMENT, dated January 15, 2007 (the “Agreement”)
        is by
        and between ROBERT PETER GALE, M.D., PH.D (the “Consultant”),
        and
        ZIOPHARM ONCOLOGY, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”).
        

      

      WITNESSETH:

      

      WHEREAS,
        the
        current employment agreement, dated as of January 15, 2004, by and between
        the
        Consultant and the Company (the “Employment
        Agreement”)
        will
        expire in accordance with its terms on January 14, 2007 and will not be
        extended;

      

      WHEREAS,
        the
        Company will not exercise its option under Section 6(g) of the Employment
        Agreement to retain the Consultant as a consultant as set forth in the
        Employment Agreement;

      

      WHEREAS,
        the
        Company wishes to retain the Consultant to render services for the Company
        on
        the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, and the Consultant
        wishes
        to be retained by the Company on such terms and conditions set forth herein.
        

      

      NOW,
        THEREFORE,
        in
        consideration of the premises herein contained and other good and valuable
        consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged,
        the
        parties hereto agree as follows:

      

      Section
        1. Title;
        Nature of Consulting.

      

      The
        Consultant shall hold the title Chief Scientific Advisor. The Consultant
        shall
        perform services for the Company as outlined by the terms of this Agreement
        herein (“Consulting
        Services”).
        In
        addition, the Consultant shall continue to serve as a member of the Company’s
        Medical Advisory Board.

      

      Section
        2. Compensation.

      

      
        	 	
                a)

              	
                In
                  exchange therefor, the Company shall pay the Consultant for Consulting
                  Services actually requested by and provided to the Company $100,000
                  per
                  year, payable in equal monthly installments in arrears.
                  

              

      

      

      
        	 	
                b)

              	
                If
                  the Consultant elects to continue medical coverage under the Company’s
                  medical plan pursuant to the provisions of the Consolidated Omnibus
                  Budget
                  Reconciliation Act of 1986 (“COBRA”),
                  the Company hereby agrees to pay the cost of such continuation
                  coverage
                  during the term of this Agreement. 

              

      

      

      
        	 	
                c)

              	
                In
                  addition to the payment for Consulting Services set forth above,
                  the
                  Company shall compensate the Consultant for his services as a member
                  of
                  the Company’s Medical Advisory Board in the same amount and in the same
                  manner as it compensates the other members of the Medical Advisory
                  Board.
                  

              

      

      

      
        	 	
                d)

              	
                In
                  the event that the Consultant travels for or on behalf of the Company,
                  the
                  Company hereby agrees to reimburse the Consultant as provided under
                  Section 4 below.

              

      

      

      Section
        3. Consulting
        Services. 

      

      The
        Consultant shall be available for up to 10 hours per month, as requested
        by the
        Company, to provide advice regarding development and clinical testing of
        the
        Company’s pharmaceutical products and such other matters pertaining to the
        Company’s business as may be requested by Dr. Jonathon J. Lewis or Dr. Brian
        Schwartz. The Consultant shall use his best efforts to advance the best
        interests of the Company.

      

      Section
        4. Travel.

      

      The
        Consultant has no obligation to travel for or on behalf of the Company. In
        the
        event the Consultant consents to travel on behalf of the Company in any
        particular instance, the Company will reimburse the Consultant’s reasonable
        travel costs, provided that documentation is supplied in accordance with
        the
        Company’s regular travel expense reimbursement policies in effect from time to
        time; and the Company will pay the Consultant $1,000 per day for his services
        while traveling, provided that on each such day the Consultant devotes at
        least
        2 hours to the Company’s business. The payments and time commitments in this
        Section 4 will be in addition to the payments and time commitments referred
        to
        in Section 2 and Section 3 hereof. 

       

      
        
          
          

        

        
          
          

          
            

          

        

        
          
          

        

      

      

      Section
        5. Representations
        and Acknowledgements.

      

      
        	 	
                a)

              	
                Consultant
                  represents that he has the requisite expertise, ability and legal
                  right to
                  render the Consulting Services, and will perform the Consulting
                  Services
                  in an efficient manner and in accordance with the terms of this
                  Agreement.
                  The Consultant will abide by all laws, rules, and regulations that
                  apply
                  to the performance of the Consulting Services.

              

      

      

      
        	 	
                b)

              	
                Consultant
                  acknowledges and agrees that the Consultant is an independent contractor
                  and will perform the Consulting Services as such and not as an
                  employee of
                  the Company. Accordingly, nothing in this Agreement shall be construed
                  as
                  establishing a relationship of employer and employee, or principal
                  and
                  agent, between the Company and the Consultant.

              

      

      

      
        	 	
                c)

              	
                Each
                  party herein acknowledges that the Consultant is not an employee
                  for state
                  or federal tax purposes or any other purpose, and the Consultant
                  shall be
                  solely responsible for the payment of all applicable federal, state,
                  local
                  and foreign income taxes, self-employment taxes, and any other
                  applicable
                  taxes, withholdings, required insurance contributions or other
                  charges or
                  deductions under the laws of any and all applicable jurisdictions.
                  The
                  Consultant acknowledges that the Company will not withhold federal,
                  state,
                  local or foreign income taxes, pay Social Security contributions
                  or
                  provide disability insurance coverage for the Consultant with respect
                  to
                  his services under this Agreement, and the Consultant will not
                  participate
                  in any of the Company’s employee benefit plans with respect to his period
                  of service as a consultant under this
                  Agreement.

              

      

      

      
        	 	
                d)

              	
                Consultant
                  acknowledges and agrees that the Consultant is solely responsible
                  for his
                  own acts as they relate to any services provided, and will not
                  have
                  authority to speak for, represent or obligate the Company in any
                  way.
                  

              

      

      

      Section
        6. Consultant’s
        Covenants. 

      

      
        	 	
                a)

              	
                Consultant
                  shall be available to perform the Consulting Services for the term
                  of this
                  Agreement and shall not enter into any other agreement with any
                  other
                  person or entity that would restrict the Consultant’s ability to fully
                  perform the Consulting Services under this Agreement. In the event
                  that
                  the Consultant becomes unavailable or enters into such an agreement,
                  the
                  Company will have the option to terminate this Agreement without
                  further
                  liability to the Consultant to pay for any Consulting Services
                  other than
                  those services previously rendered. The Consultant will enter into
                  an
                  Invention, Non-Disclosure and Non-Competition Agreement in the
                  form of the
                  Agreement attached hereto as Schedule 1, which will provide for
                  certain
                  non-competition covenants applicable during the period of his service
                  under this Agreement.

              

      

      

      
        	 	
                b)

              	
                During
                  the term of this Agreement, the Consultant shall not directly or
                  indirectly disparage, whether or not true, the name or reputation
                  of the
                  Company or any of its affiliates, officers, directors, employees
                  or
                  shareholders. 

              

      

      

      Section
        7. Indemnification.

       

      The
        Consultant agrees to indemnify and hold the Company harmless for any injury
        occurring to the property or person of the Consultant as a result of the
        Consultant’s performance of Consulting Services under this Agreement, provided
        that said injury has not occurred due to the gross negligence of the Company.
        

      

      Section
        8. Miscellaneous.

      

      a. Term;
        Termination. This
        Agreement is effective as of January 15, 2007 and shall continue thereafter
        for
        one calendar year, ending as of January 14, 2008. The Company or the Consultant
        may terminate this Agreement at any time on 30 days notice, with no continuing
        obligation (except as required under the Invention, Non-Disclosure and
        Non-Competition Agreement) for either party. 

      

      b. Assignment.
        No
        assignment by the Consultant of this Agreement or any sums due under it,
        will be
        binding on the Company without the Company’s written consent. 

       

      
        
          
          

        

        
          
          

          
            

          

        

        
          
          

        

      

      

      c. Application
        of Law.
        This
        Agreement and the application or interpretation hereof shall be governed
        exclusively by the law of the State of New York (without regard to conflicts
        of
        law principles).

      

      d. Headings.
        The
        headings in this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and do not
        describe, interpret, define or limit the scope, extent or intent of the
        Agreement or any provision hereof. Unless the context requires otherwise,
        all
        references in this Agreement to Sections shall be deemed to mean and refer
        to
        Sections of this Agreement. The words “herein” and “hereunder” and other words
        of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular
        Section or other subdivision.

      

      e. Number
        and Gender.
        Where
        the context so indicates, the masculine includes the feminine and the neuter,
        the neuter includes the masculine and the feminine and the singular includes
        the
        plural. 

      

      f. Binding
        Effect.
        Except
        as herein otherwise provided to the contrary, this Agreement shall be binding
        upon and inure to the benefit of the Consultant and the Company and their
        respective successors and assigns.

      

      g. Severability.
        The
        parties hereto intend that this Agreement shall be enforced to the fullest
        extent permissible under the law and public policies of each state and
        jurisdiction in which such enforcement is sought, but that unenforceability
        (or
        the modification to conform with such laws or public policies) of any provision
        hereof, shall not render unenforceable or impair the remainder of this
        Agreement. Accordingly, in the event that any provision of this Agreement
        shall
        be determined to be invalid or unenforceable (including, without limitation,
        as
        to duration or geographic area), either in whole or in part, this Agreement
        shall be deemed amended to delete or modify as necessary, the offending
        provision and to alter the balance of this Agreement in order to render the
        same
        valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permissible.

      

      h. Entire
        Agreement.
        This
        Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto relating
        to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all previous contracts and
        agreements between the parties hereto, both oral and written. This Agreement
        may
        not be modified, except in a writing signed by both parties hereto.

      

      i. Counterparts.
        This
        Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be
        deemed
        an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same
        instrument. 

       

      [SIGNATURE
        PAGE FOLLOWS] IN WITNESS WHEREOF,
        the
        parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first
        written
        above. 

      
        	 	 	 
	 	
                ROBERT
                  PETER GALE, M.D., PH.D

              
	 
 	 
 	 
 
	
              	By:  	
              
	 	
                
Title:

      
        	 	 	 
	 	
                ZIOPHARM
                  ONCOLOGY, INC.

              
	 
 	 
 	 
 
	
              	By:  	
              
	 	
                
Name:
                
                Title:Exhibit
        10.2

       

      ZIOPHARM
        ONCOLOGY, INC

      AMENDMENT
        TO INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION AGREEMENTS

      

      This
        agreement (the “Amendment”) is entered into as of January 12, 2007, by and
        between Robert Peter Gale (the “Employee”) and ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. a
        Delaware corporation (the “Company”).

      

      WHEREAS,
        the Employee and the Company have entered into Stock Option Agreements dated
        as
        of April 26, 2006, June 8, 2005, January 27, 2004, and January 15, 2004
        (together with certain Addenda reflecting modifications attributable to
        recapitalization events, the “Stock Option Agreements”);

      

      WHEREAS,
        pursuant to the terms of those Option Agreements, certain of the options
        granted
        pursuant to the Option Agreements dated as of June 8, 2005, January 27, 2004
        and
        January 15, 2004 remain unvested as of the date hereof (the “Unvested
        Options”);

      

      WHEREAS,
        the Employee’s employment with the Company will terminate effective January 14,
        2007;

      

      WHEREAS,
        except as otherwise provided in this Amendment, the Unvested Options would
        expire as of the date of such termination of the Employee’s employment;
        and

      

      WHEREAS,
        in consideration of the Employee’s past services to the Company and the
        Employee’s entering into a Consulting Agreement with the Company dated as of the
        date hereof, the Committee (as such term is defined in the Company’s 2003 Stock
        Option Plan) has determined that all of the Unvested Options shall become
        fully
        vested as of the date hereof.

      

      NOW
        THEREFORE, the Employee and the Company agree as follows:

      

      1. All
        of
        the options granted pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement dated as of April
        26,
        2006, have previously become fully vested pursuant to the terms of that Stock
        Option Agreement; 8,349 options granted pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement
        dated as of June 8, 2005, as previously modified, have previously become
        fully
        vested pursuant to the terms of that Stock Option Agreement; 15,029 options
        granted pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement dated as of January 27, 2004,
        as
        previously modified, have previously become fully vested pursuant to the
        terms
        of that Stock Option Agreement; and 1,712 options granted pursuant to the
        Stock
        Option Agreement dated as of January 15, 2004, as previously modified, have
        previously become fully vested pursuant to the terms of that Stock Option
        Agreement.

      

      2. All
        of
        the Unvested Options granted pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement dated
        as of
        June 8, 2005, as previously modified (being 8,350 options which otherwise
        would
        become vested on June 8, 2007 and 8,349 options which otherwise would become
        vested on June 8, 2008), shall be immediately fully vested.

      

      3. All
        of
        the Unvested Options granted pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement dated
        as of
        January 27, 2004, as previously modified (being 7,514 options which otherwise
        would become vested on January 15, 2007), shall be immediately fully
        vested.

      

      4. All
        of
        the Unvested Options granted pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement dated
        as of
        January 15, 2004, as previously modified (being 855 options which otherwise
        would become vested on January 15, 2007), shall be immediately fully
        vested.

      

      5, Except
        as
        the vesting provisions are expressly amended by this Amendment, all of the
        terms
        and conditions of the Stock Option Agreements shall remain in full force
        and
        effect in accordance with their terms.

      

      6. The
        Employee acknowledges that all of the Options granted pursuant to the Stock
        Option Agreements, including without limitation those whose vesting is
        accelerated pursuant to the terms of this Amendment, to the extent they have
        not
        previously been exercised, remain exercisable until the date that is ninety
        (90)
        days following termination of the Employee’s employment with the Company and, if
        unexercised, shall expire on such date.

      

      IN
        WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Amendment as of the date
        first written above.

      
        	 	 	 
	 	
                EMPLOYEE

              
	
              	        	
                 

                 

              
	 	
                

                Name:
                  Robert Peter Gale

              

      

       

      
        	 	 	 
	 	
                ZIOPHARM
                  Oncology, Inc.

              
	 
 	 
 	 
 
	
              	By:  	
              
	 	
                
Name:

	 	Title:

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