Initial Statement of Beneficial Ownership (3)

FORM 3	UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0104 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5
	Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^*

Baffa Raffaele

2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (MM/DD/YYYY) 3/22/2021

3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol

ZIOPHARM ONCOLOGY INC [ZIOP]

(Last) (First) (Middle)

C/O ZIOPHARM ONCOLOGY, INC., ONE FIRST AVENUE, PARRIS BLDG 34

4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)

_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
___X___ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Chief Medical Officer /

(Street)

BOSTON, MA 02129

(City) (State) (Zip)

5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(MM/DD/YYYY)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)

_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 4)	2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4)	3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
Common Stock	200000 ⁽¹⁾	D

*Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)*
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YYYY)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 4)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security		6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)	⁽²⁾	12/6/2030	Common Stock	500000	$2.73	D

Explanation of Responses:
(1)	50,000 shares shall vest on each of 11/16/2021, 11/16/2022, 11/16/2023 and 11/16/2024.
(2)	1/4th of the shares subject to the option vest on 11/16/2021; the balance of the shares vest in a series of twelve (12) successive equal quarterly installments thereafter, subject to Reporting Person's continuous service with the Issuer through each vesting date.

Remarks:
Exhibit List - Exhibit 24 - Power of Attorney

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Baffa Raffaele C/O ZIOPHARM ONCOLOGY, INC. ONE FIRST AVENUE, PARRIS BLDG 34 BOSTON, MA 02129			Chief Medical Officer