Ziopharm says patient death was unrelated to treatment

Ziopharm Oncology Inc. (NASDAQ:ZIOP) said a patient death disclosed on Friday was not related to treatment with gene therapy candidate Ad-RTS-hIL-12. The death, due to intracranial hemorrhage, was one of three Ziopharm had said occurred in a Phase I trial of the therapy to treat recurrent or progressive glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) or grade III malignant glioma. Ziopharm had said the other two deaths were due to disease progression and were unrelated to the therapy (see BioCentury Extra, July 15).

On Tuesday, the company declined to disclose additional details. It said last week that no other brain hemorrhages have been reported. ...