As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 2010
Registration No. 333-
   

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
 

 
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware
(State or jurisdiction
of incorporation or organization)
 
84-1475642
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

1180 Avenue of the Americas, 19th Floor
New York, NY 10036
(646) 214-0700
(Address and telephone number of registrant’s principal executive offices and principal place of business)

Dr. Jonathan Lewis
Chief Executive Officer
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
1180 Avenue of the Americas, 19th Floor
New York, NY 10036
Telephone: (646) 214-0700
Facsimile: (646) 214-0711
(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
 
Copies to:
Alan M. Gilbert, Esq.
Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP
90 South 7th Street, Suite 3300
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
Telephone: (612) 672-8200
Facsimile: (612) 642-8381

Approximate date of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

If the only securities being registered on this form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.  ¨

If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box: þ

If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ¨

If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ¨

If this form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ¨

If this form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional  securities or additional classes of securities  pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company.  See definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.    (Check one):

Large accelerated filer ¨
Accelerated filer ¨
   
Non-accelerated filer   ¨
Smaller reporting company þ
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
 
Title Of Each Class Of
Securities To Be Registered
 
Amount To Be
Registered (1)
   
Proposed Maximum
Offering Price
Per Share (1) (2)
   
Proposed Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price (1) (2)
   
Amount Of
Registration Fee (3)
 
Common stock, par value $0.001 per share
    (4 )     (4 )     (4 )     (4 )
Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share
    (4 )     (4 )     (4 )     (4 )
Warrants
    (4 )     (4 )     (4 )     (4 )
Debt Securities
    (4 )     (4 )     (4 )     (4 )
Total
    (4 )     (4 )   $ 100,000,000     $ 7,130  

(1)
An indeterminate number of shares of common stock and preferred stock, an indeterminate number of warrants to purchase debt securities, common stock or preferred stock and an indeterminate amount of debt securities are being registered hereunder, but in no event will the aggregate initial offering price exceed $100,000,000. If any debt securities are issued at an original issue discount, then the offering price of such debt securities shall be in such greater principal amount as shall result in an aggregate initial offering price not to exceed $100,000,000, less the aggregate dollar amount of all securities previously issued hereunder. Any securities registered hereunder may be sold separately or as units with other securities registered hereunder. The securities registered also include such indeterminate amount and number of shares of common stock and preferred stock as may be issued upon conversion of or exchange for preferred stock and provide for conversion or exchange, upon exercise of warrants or pursuant to antidilution provisions of any such securities. In addition, pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act, there are also being registered hereunder an indeterminate number of shares of common stock and preferred stock as may be issuable with respect to the shares being registered hereunder as a result of stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions.
 
(2)
Unspecified pursuant to General Instruction II.D to Form S-3 under the Securities Act.
 
(3)
Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act.
 
(4)
Not required to be included in accordance with General Instruction II.D. of Form S-3.
 
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
 
 
 

 

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Subject to completion, dated April 30, 2010

PROSPECTUS
 
$100,000,000


ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.

Common Stock, Preferred Stock,
Warrants and Debt Securities
 

 
We may offer and sell any combination of common stock, preferred stock, warrants and debt securities, with a total initial offering price of up to $100,000,000.

This prospectus provides a general description of securities we may offer and sell from time to time. Each time we sell these securities, we will provide their specific terms in a supplement to this prospectus. This prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement carefully before you invest in any securities. This prospectus may not be used to consummate a sale of securities unless accompanied by the applicable prospectus supplement.

We may offer and sell these securities, from time to time, to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis, at prices and on other terms to be determined at the time of offering. If we use agents, underwriters or dealers to sell the securities, we will name them and describe their compensation in a prospectus supplement.

Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “ZIOP.” On April 27, 2010, the closing price of our common stock, as reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market, was $5.99. We urge prospective purchasers of our common stock to obtain current information about the market prices of our common stock.
 

 
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. A representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this Prospectus is                  , 20   .
 
 
 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

   
Page
About This Prospectus
 
i
Prospectus Summary
 
1
Risk Factors
 
4
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
 
4
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
 
5
Use of Proceeds
 
5
Plan of Distribution
 
5
Description of Capital Stock
 
6
Description of Debt Securities
 
8
Description of Warrants
 
16
Certain Provisions of Delaware Law, the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws
 
18
Where You Can Find More Information
 
20
Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference
 
20
Legal Matters
 
21
Experts
 
21

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
 
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, from time to time, we may sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings, up to a total dollar amount of $100,000,000. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer and sell securities under this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain more specific information about the terms of the applicable offering. We may also add, update or change in the prospectus supplement any of the information contained in this prospectus. This prospectus, together with the applicable prospectus supplement(s) and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus and such supplement(s), includes all material information relating to this offering. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus and the prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement; provided that, if any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date — for example, a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement — the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement. Please carefully read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, together with the additional information described below under “Where You Can Find More Information,” before buying securities in this offering.
 
 You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or a prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus and the accompanying supplement to this prospectus do not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor do this prospectus and the accompanying supplement to this prospectus constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement is accurate on any date subsequent to the date set forth on the front cover of this document or that any information we have incorporated by reference is correct on any date subsequent to the date of the document incorporated by reference, even though this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement is delivered or securities sold on a later date.
 
 This prospectus may not be used to consummate a sale of our securities unless it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement.
 
i


 
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
 
The following is a summary of this prospectus. Because it is only a summary, it does not contain all of the detailed information contained elsewhere in this prospectus or in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus or included as exhibits to the registration statement that contains this prospectus. Accordingly, you are urged to carefully review this prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus) in its entirety. Unless otherwise indicated, “ZIOPHARM,” our “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our” and similar terms refer to ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.

Our Company
 
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that is seeking to develop and commercialize a diverse, risk-sensitive portfolio of in-licensed cancer drugs that can address unmet medical needs through enhanced efficacy and/or safety and quality of life. Our principal focus is on the licensing and development of proprietary small molecule drug candidates that are related to cancer therapeutics already on the market or in development and that can be administered by intravenous and/or oral capsule dosing. We believe this strategy will result in lower risk and expedited drug development programs with product candidates having a low cost of manufacturing to address changing reimbursement requirements around the world. While we may endeavor to commercialize our products on our own in North America, we recognize that favorable clinical trial results can be better addressed by partnering with companies with the requisite financial resources. With partnering, we could also negotiate the right to complete development and marketing in certain geographies, especially for certain limited (niche) indications. Although we are currently in phase I and/or II studies for three product candidates identified as darinaparsin (ZinaparTM, ZIO-101), palifosfamide (ZymafosTM, ZIO-201), and indibulin (ZybulinTM, ZIO-301), our primary focus has been and remains on palifosfamide development and more specifically on completing the ongoing randomized phase II trial with palifosfamide to support a registration trial for palifosfamide in combination with doxorubicin in the front- and second-line setting of soft tissue sarcoma. We anticipate the initiation of such a registration trial as early as the first half of 2010.
 
·
ZIO-101 or darinaparsin (ZinaparTM) is an anti-mitochondrial (organic arsenic) compound covered by issued patents and pending patent applications in the U.S. and in foreign countries. A form of commercially available inorganic arsenic (arsenic trioxide [Trisenox ®] or “ATO”) has been approved in the United States and the European Union and Japan for the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia, a precancerous condition. In the United States, ATO is on the compendia listing for the therapy of multiple myeloma, and has been studied for the treatment of various other cancers. Nevertheless, ATO has been shown to be toxic to the heart, liver, and brain, which limits its use as an anti-cancer agent. ATO carries a “black box” warning for ECG abnormalities since arsenic trioxide has been shown to cause QT interval prolongation and complete atrioventricular block. QT prolongation can lead to a torsade de pointes-type ventricular arrhythmia, which can be fatal. Inorganic arsenic has also been shown to cause cancer of the skin and lung in humans. The toxicity of arsenic is generally correlated to its accumulation in organs and tissues. Our preclinical and clinical studies to date have demonstrated that darinaparsin is considerably less toxic than ATO, particularly with regard to cardiac toxicity. In vitro testing of darinaparsin using the National Cancer Institute’s human cancer cell panel demonstrated activity against a series of tumor cell lines including lung, colon, brain, melanoma, ovarian, and kidney cancer. Moderate activity was shown against breast and prostate cancer tumor cell lines. In addition to solid tumors, in vitro testing in both the National Cancer Institute’s cancer cell panel and in vivo testing in a leukemia animal model demonstrated substantial activity against hematological cancers (cancers of the blood and blood-forming tissues) such as leukemia, lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndromes, and multiple myeloma. Results indicate significant activity against the HuT 78 cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, the NK-G2MI natural killer-cell NHL, KARPAS-299 T-cell NHL, SU-DHL-8 B-cell NHL, SU-DHL-10 B-cell NHL and SU-DHL-16 B-cell NHL cell lines. Preclinical studies have also established anti-angiogenic properties of darinaparsin and provided support for the development of an oral capsule form of the drug, and established synergy of darinaparsin in combination with other approved anti-cancer agents.

 
Phase I testing of the intravenous (IV) form of darinaparsin in solid tumors and hematological cancers has been completed. We reported clinical activity and, importantly, a safety profile from these studies as predicted by preclinical results. We subsequently completed Phase II studies in advanced myeloma and primary liver cancer and are nearing completion of a Phase II study in certain other hematological cancers. In addition, we are completing two Phase I studies with an oral capsule form of darinaparsin. At the May 2009 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, we reported favorable results from the trial with IV-administered darinaparsin in lymphoma, particularly peripheral T-cell lymphoma. In the ongoing Phase I trials, also reported at the ASCO annual meeting, preliminary data primarily in solid tumors indicate the oral form is active and well tolerated. We are completing data collection from the IV Phase II trial to address a registration and other trials with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The oral Phase I program will be progressed to establish a dose for further clinical testing.
 
1


 
·
ZIO-201 or palifosfamide (ZymafosTM ), comprises the active metabolite of ifosfamide, a compound chemically related to cyclophosphamide. Patent applications covering proprietary forms of palifosfamide for pharmaceutical composition and method of use have been filed in the U.S. and internationally and in the U.S. we recently received a patent covering pharmaceutical composition. Like cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide and bendamustine, palifosfamide is a DNA alkylating agent, a form of cancer therapy to treat a wide range of solid tumors and hematological malignancies. We believe that cyclophosphamide is the most widely used alkylating agent in cancer therapy, with significant use in the treatment of breast cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Bendamustine has been recently approved and successfully launched by Cephalon Oncology in the U.S. and Europe to treat certain hematological malignancies. Ifosfamide has been shown to be effective in the treatment of sarcoma and lymphoma, either by itself or in combination with other anticancer agents. Ifosfamide is approved by the FDA as a treatment for testicular cancer while ifosfamide-based treatment is a standard of care for sarcoma, although it is not licensed for this indication by the FDA. Preclinical studies have shown that palifosfamide has activity against leukemia and solid tumors. These studies also indicate that palifosfamide may have a better safety profile than ifosfamide or cyclophosphamide because it does not appear to produce known toxic metabolites of ifosfamide, such as acrolein and chloroacetaldehyde. Acrolein, which is toxic to the kidneys and bladder, can mandate the administration of a protective agent called mesna, which is inconvenient and expensive. Chloroacetaldehyde is toxic to the central nervous system, causing “fuzzy brain” syndrome for which there is currently no protective measure. Similar toxicity concerns pertain to high-dose cyclophosphamide, which is widely used in bone marrow and blood cell transplantation. Palifosfamide has evidenced activity against ifosfamide- and/or cyclophosphamide-resistant cancer cell lines. Also in preclinical cancer models, palifosfamide was shown to be orally active and encouraging results have been obtained with palifosfamide in combination with doxorubicin, an agent approved to treat sarcoma.

Following completion of Phase I study, we completed Phase II testing of the intravenous form of palifosfamide as a single agent to treat advanced sarcoma. In both Phase I and Phase II testing, palifosfamide has been administered without the “uroprotectant” mesna, and the toxicities associated with acrolein and chloroacetaldehyde have not been observed. We reported clinical activity of palifosfamide when used alone in the Phase II study addressing advanced sarcoma. Following review of preclinical combination studies, clinical data, and discussion with sarcoma experts, we initiated a Phase I dose escalation study of palifosfamide in combination with doxorubicin primarily in patients with soft tissue sarcoma. We reported favorable results and safety profile from this study at ASCO’s 2009 annual meeting. In light of reported favorable Phase II clinical activity data and with the combination of palifosfamide with doxorubicin well tolerated in the Phase I trial and evidencing activity, we initiated a Phase II randomized controlled trial in the second half of 2008 to compare doxorubicin plus palifosfamide to doxorubicin alone in patients with front and second-line metastatic or unresectable soft tissue sarcoma. The study has generated positive top line interim data in 2009. Upon reaching a pre-specified efficacy milestone and following safety and efficacy data review by the Data Committee, sarcoma experts, and our Medical Advisory Board, we elected to suspend enrollment in the trial in October 2009. We subsequently presented further positive interim data from the trial at the 15th Annual Connective Tissue Oncology Society meeting held in November 2009. We currently plan to initiate a registration trial following regulatory review of the palifosfamide program to date. We are also developing an oral capsule form of palifosfamide to be studied clinically following receipt of further data from the IV trials and subject to obtaining sufficient additional sources of funding, either from potential partnering arrangements or from other sources. To date we have no such partnering arrangements or other sources of such financing in place. We are also considering additional Phase II trials in other solid tumors as funding becomes available. Orphan Drug Designation for palifosfamide has been obtained in both the United States and the European Union for the treatment of soft tissue sarcomas.
 
2


 
·
ZIO-301 or indibulin (ZybulinTM ), is a novel, orally available small molecular-weight inhibitor of tubulin polymerization that we acquired from Baxter Healthcare in 2006 and is the subject of numerous patents worldwide, including the United States, the European Union and Japan. The microtubule component, tubulin, is one of the more well established drug targets in cancer. Microtubule inhibitors interfere with the dynamics of tubulin polymerization, resulting in inhibition of chromosome segregation during mitosis and consequently inhibition of cell division. A number of marketed IV anticancer drugs target tubulin, such as the taxane family members, paclitaxel (Taxol ® ), docetaxel (Taxotere ® ) , the Vinca alkaloid family members, vincristine and vinorelbine, and the new class of epothilones with IxempraTM marketed. This class of agents is typically the mainstay of therapy in a wide variety of indications. In spite of their effectiveness, the use of these drugs is associated with significant toxicities, notably peripheral neurotoxicity.

Preclinical studies with indibulin demonstrate significant and broad antitumor activity, including activity against taxane-refractory cell lines. The cytotoxic activity of indibulin was demonstrated in several rodent and human tumor cell lines derived from prostate, brain, breast, pancreas, lung, ovary, and cervical tumor tissues and in rodent tumor and human tumor xenograft models. In addition, indibulin was effective against multidrug resistant tumor cell lines (breast, lung, and leukemia) both in vitro and in vivo. Indibulin is potentially safer than other tubulin inhibitors. No neurotoxicity has been observed at therapeutic doses in rodents and in the Phase I trials. Indibulin has also demonstrated synergy with approved anti-cancer agents in preclinical studies. The availability of an oral capsule formulation of indibulin creates significant commercial opportunity because no oral capsule formulations of the taxane family are currently on the market in the United States.

Indibulin, as a single agent, has completed Phase I trials in patients with advanced solid tumors. We have reported clinical activity at well-tolerated doses using a continuous dosing scheme without the development of clinically relevant peripheral neuropathy. Following encouraging results obtained with indibulin in combination with erlotinib, and 5-FU in preclinical models, two Phase I combination studies were initiated with TarcevaTM and XelodaTM, respectively. Favorable activity and safety profile of oral indibulin with oral XelodaTM were reported at ASCO’s annual meeting in May 2009. Preclinical work with our consultant, Dr. Larry Norton, to explore dose scheduling for the clinical setting have been completed, with results supporting the recently initiated Phase I safety trial necessary for a Phase I/II breast cancer trial and using the mathematical dose schedule / frequency established preclinically.

We intend to continue with clinical development of IV palifosfamide for soft tissue sarcoma both completing the ongoing Phase II multicenter, parallel group, randomized study of palIfosfamide tris plus doxorubicin versus doxorubiCin in subjects with unresectAble or metastatic Soft tissue SarcOma (“PICASSO”) trial and in a planned registration trial and, with additional resources, to initiate a clinical study with the oral form and/or in additional indications beyond STS. For IV darinaparsin, we will complete the ongoing Phase I oral trial and will address peripheral T-cell lymphoma (“PTCL”) registration and other trials, in part dependent on additional funding. For oral indibulin, we will complete the Phase I breast cancer safety trial and initiate the subsequent Phase I/II trial and, with additional funding, other trials. However, the successful development of our product candidates is highly uncertain. Product development costs and timelines can vary significantly for each product candidate, are difficult to accurately predict, and will require us to obtain additional funding, either alone or in connection with partnering arrangements. Various statutes and regulations also govern or influence the manufacturing, safety, labeling, storage, record keeping and marketing of each product. The lengthy process of seeking approval and the subsequent compliance with applicable statutes and regulations require the expenditure of substantial resources. Any failure by us to obtain, or any delay in obtaining, regulatory approvals could materially, adversely affect our business. To date, we have not received approval for the sale of any drug candidates in any market and, therefore, have not generated any revenues from our drug candidates.
 
Corporate Information
 
We were originally incorporated in Colorado in September 1998 (under the name Net Escapes, Inc.) and later changed our name to “EasyWeb, Inc.” in February 1999. We were re-incorporated in Delaware on May 16, 2005 under the same name. On September 13, 2005, we completed a “reverse” acquisition of privately held ZIOPHARM, Inc., a Delaware corporation. To effect this transaction, we caused ZIO Acquisition Corp., our wholly-owned subsidiary, to merge with and into ZIOPHARM, Inc., with ZIOPHARM, Inc. surviving as our wholly owned subsidiary. In accordance with the terms of the merger, the outstanding common stock of ZIOPHARM, Inc. automatically converted into the right to receive an aggregate of approximately 97.3% of our outstanding common stock (after giving effect to the transaction). Following the merger, we caused ZIOPHARM, Inc. to merge with and into us and we changed our name to “ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.” Although EasyWeb, Inc. was the legal acquirer in the transaction, we accounted for the transaction as a reverse acquisition under generally accepted accounting principles. As a result, ZIOPHARM, Inc. became the registrant with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the historical financial statements of ZIOPHARM, Inc. became our historical financial statements.

Our executive offices are located at 1180 Avenue of the Americas, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10036, and our telephone number is (646) 214-0700. Our internet site is www.ziopharm.com. None of the information on our internet site is part of this prospectus.
 
 
3

 

RISK FACTORS
 
As with most pharmaceutical product candidates, the development of our product candidates is subject to numerous risks, including the risk of delays in or discontinuation of development from lack of financing, inability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals to market the products, unforeseen safety issues relating to the products and dependence on third party collaborators to conduct research and development of the products. Because we are a development stage company with a limited history of operations, we are also subject to many risks associated with early-stage companies. For a more detailed discussion of the risks you should consider before purchasing shares of our common stock, you should carefully consider the specific risks discussed under “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement and in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus and such prospectus supplement.

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus contains, and the documents incorporated by reference herein and in any prospectus supplement hereto may contain, forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to statements about:

 
·
the progress and timing of preclinical and clinical trials involving our drug candidates;
 
 
·
the progress and timing of our research and development programs;
 
 
·
the benefits to be derived from relationships with our collaborators;
 
 
·
the receipt or anticipated receipt of regulatory clearances and approvals;
 
 
·
our ability to enforce intellectual property rights;
 
 
·
our estimates of future revenues and profitability; and
 
 
·
our estimates regarding our capital requirements and our need for additional financing.

In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “projects,” “predicts,” “potential” and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. We discuss many of these risks in greater detail under the heading “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement and in our reports filed from time to time under the Securities Act and/or the Exchange Act. We encourage you to read these filings as they are made.

Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict which factors will arise. In addition, we cannot assess the impact of each factor on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.
 
 
4

 

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

The following table shows our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the periods indicated.

   
Fiscal Year Ended December 31,
   
Three Months
Ended
March 31,
 
$ In Thousands, Except Ratio
 
2005
   
2006
   
2007
   
2008
   
2009
   
2010
 
                                     
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges(1)
    -       -       -       -       -       -  
                                                 
Deficiency of earnings to fixed charges(2)
  $ (9,517 )   $ (17,857 )   $ (26,608 )   $ (25,231 )   $ (7,649 )   $ (17,653 )

(1)
In each of the periods presented, no earnings were sufficient to cover fixed charges.
(2)
The deficiency of earnings is equivalent to net income (loss) before tax benefit (provision) and extraordinary gain.

USE OF PROCEEDS

We will retain broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds to us from the sale of our securities offered by this prospectus. Unless we indicate otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, we anticipate that any net proceeds will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes. We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement our intended use for the net proceeds received from the sale of securities sold pursuant to that prospectus supplement.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the securities covered by this prospectus:

 
·
to or through one or more underwriters or dealers;

 
·
directly to purchasers, or to purchasers through agents; or

 
·
through a combination of any of these methods of sale.

We may distribute the securities offered hereby:

 
·
from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed from time to time;

 
·
at market prices prevailing at the times of sale;

 
·
at prices related to such prevailing market prices; or

 
·
at negotiated prices.
 
We will describe the method of distribution of the securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.

We may determine the price or other terms of the securities offered under this prospectus by use of an electronic auction. We will describe how any auction will determine the price or any other terms, how potential investors may participate in the auction and the nature of the obligations of the underwriter, dealer or agent in the applicable prospectus supplement.
 
5

 
Underwriters, dealers or agents may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from us or our purchasers (as their agents in connection with the sale of the securities). In addition, underwriters may sell securities to or through dealers, and those dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for whom they act as agent. These underwriters, dealers or agents may be considered to be underwriters under the Securities Act. As a result, discounts, commissions, or profits on resale received by the underwriters, dealers or agents may be treated as underwriting discounts and commissions. Each applicable prospectus supplement will identify any such underwriter, dealer or agent, and describe any compensation received by them from us. Any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.

We may enter into agreements that provide for indemnification against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or for contribution with respect to payments made by the underwriters, dealers or agents and to reimburse these persons for certain expenses.

We may grant underwriters who participate in the distribution of the securities an option to purchase additional securities to cover over-allotments, if any, in connection with the distribution. Underwriters or agents and their associates may be customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services for us in the ordinary course of business.

In connection with the offering of the securities, certain underwriters and selling group members and their respective affiliates, may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the securities. These transactions may include stabilization transactions effected in accordance with Rule 104 of Regulation M promulgated by the SEC pursuant to which these persons may bid for or purchase securities for the purpose of stabilizing its market price.

The underwriters in the offering may engage in overallotment, stabilizing transactions, short covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with rules and regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Overallotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Short covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution is completed to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of these activities at any time.

In compliance with guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, the maximum consideration or discount to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker dealer may not exceed 8% of the aggregate amount of the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement.
 
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
 
Pursuant to our certificate of incorporation, as amended and restated to date, our authorized capital stock consists of 280,000,000 shares, comprised of 250,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $.001 per share, and 30,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $.001 per share. As of April 27, 2010, there were 41,765,445 shares of common stock and no shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding. Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “ZIOP”.

The following description summarizes the material terms of our capital stock. This summary is, however, subject to the provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws. For greater detail about our capital stock, please refer to our certificate of incorporation and bylaws.

Common Stock

Voting. The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each outstanding share of common stock owned by such stockholder on every matter properly submitted to the stockholders for their vote. Stockholders are not entitled to vote cumulatively for the election of directors. At any meeting of the stockholders, a quorum as to any matter shall consist of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, except where a larger quorum is required by law, by our certificate of incorporation or by our bylaws.
 
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Dividend Rights. Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive ratably dividends and other distributions of cash or any other right or property as may be declared by the registrant’s Board of Directors out of our assets or funds legally available for such dividends or distributions. The dividend rights of holders of common stock are subject to the dividend rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock that may be issued and outstanding from time to time.

Liquidation Rights. In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs, holders of our common stock would be entitled to share ratably in our assets that are legally available for distribution to stockholders after payment of liabilities. If we have any preferred stock outstanding at such time, the holders of such preferred stock may be entitled to distribution and/or liquidation preferences that require us to pay the applicable distribution to the holders of preferred stock before paying distributions to the holders of common stock.

Conversion, Redemption and Preemptive Rights. Holders of our common stock have no conversion, redemption, preemptive, subscription or similar rights.

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is American Stock Transfer and Trust Company.

See “Certain Provisions of Delaware Law, the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws for a description of provisions of the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws which may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing changes in the Company’s control.

Preferred Stock

The following description of preferred stock and the description of the terms of any particular series of preferred stock that we choose to issue hereunder and that will be set forth in the related prospectus supplement are not complete. These descriptions are qualified in their entirety by reference to the certificate of designation relating to that series. The rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of the preferred stock of each series will be fixed by the certificate of designation relating to that series.

The board of directors has the authority, without stockholder approval, subject to limitations prescribed by law, to provide for the issuance of the shares of preferred stock in one or more series, and by filing a certificate pursuant to the applicable law of the State of Delaware, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, and to fix the designation, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of each series and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions, including, but not limited to, the following:

 
·
the number of shares constituting that series;
 
 
·
dividend rights and rates;
 
 
·
voting rights;
 
 
·
conversion terms;
 
 
·
rights and terms of redemption (including sinking fund provisions); and
 
 
·
rights of the series in the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding up.
 
All shares of preferred stock offered hereby will, when issued, be fully paid and nonassessable and will not have any preemptive or similar rights. Our board of directors could authorize the issuance of shares of preferred stock with terms and conditions that could have the effect of discouraging a takeover or other transaction that might involve a premium price for holders of the shares or which holders might believe to be in their best interests.
 
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We will set forth in a prospectus supplement relating to the series of preferred stock being offered the following items:

 
·
the title and stated value of the preferred stock;

 
·
the number of shares of the preferred stock offered, the liquidation preference per share and the offering price of the preferred stock;

 
·
the dividend rate(s), period(s) and/or payment date(s) or method(s) of calculation applicable to the preferred stock;

 
·
whether dividends are cumulative or non-cumulative and, if cumulative, the date from which dividends on the preferred stock will accumulate;

 
·
the procedures for any auction and remarketing, if any, for the preferred stock;

 
·
the provisions for a sinking fund, if any, for the preferred stock;

 
·
the provision for redemption, if applicable, of the preferred stock;

 
·
any listing of the preferred stock on any securities exchange;

 
·
the terms and conditions, if applicable, upon which the preferred stock will be convertible into common stock, including the conversion price (or manner of calculation) and conversion period;

 
·
voting rights, if any, of the preferred stock;

 
·
a discussion of any material and/or special United States federal income tax considerations applicable to the preferred stock;

 
·
the relative ranking and preferences of the preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs;

 
·
any limitations on issuance of any class or series of preferred stock ranking senior to or on a parity with the class or series of preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs; and

 
·
any other specific terms, preferences, rights, limitations or restrictions of the preferred stock.

The transfer agent and registrar for any series of preferred stock will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

General

The terms of each series of debt securities will be established by or pursuant to a resolution of our board of directors and set forth or determined in the manner provided in an officers’ certificate or by a supplemental indenture. Debt securities may be issued in separate series without limitation as to aggregate principal amount. We may specify a maximum aggregate principal amount for the debt securities of any series. The particular terms of each series of debt securities will be described in a prospectus supplement relating to such series, including any pricing supplement. The prospectus supplement will set forth specific terms relating to some or all of the following:

 
·
the offering price;
 
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·
the title;

 
·
any limit on the aggregate principal amount;

 
·
the person who shall be entitled to receive interest, if other than the record holder on the record date;

 
·
the date the principal will be payable;

 
·
the interest rate, if any, the date interest will accrue, the interest payment dates and the regular record dates;

 
·
the place where payments may be made;

 
·
any mandatory or optional redemption provisions;

 
·
if applicable, the method for determining how the principal, premium, if any, or interest will be calculated by reference to an index or formula;

 
·
if other than U.S. currency, the currency or currency units in which principal, premium, if any, or interest will be payable and whether we or the holder may elect payment to be made in a different currency;

 
·
the portion of the principal amount that will be payable upon acceleration of stated maturity, if other than the entire principal amount;

 
·
any defeasance provisions if different from those described below under “Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance”;

 
·
any conversion or exchange provisions;

 
·
any obligation to redeem or purchase the debt securities pursuant to a sinking fund;

 
·
whether the debt securities will be issuable in the form of a global security;

 
·
any subordination provisions, if different from those described below under “Subordination”;

 
·
any deletions of, or changes or additions to, the events of default or covenants; and

 
·
any other specific terms of such debt securities.

Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be registered debt securities. Debt securities may be sold at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount, bearing no interest or interest at a rate which at the time of issuance is below market rates.
 
Exchange and Transfer

Debt securities may be transferred or exchanged at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by us.

We will not impose a service charge for any transfer or exchange, but we may require holders to pay any tax or other governmental charges associated with any transfer or exchange.

In the event of any potential redemption of debt securities of any series, we will not be required to:

 
·
issue, register the transfer of, or exchange, any debt security of that series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of the mailing; or
 
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·
register the transfer of or exchange any debt security of that series selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion being redeemed in part.

We may initially appoint the trustee as the security registrar. Any transfer agent, in addition to the security registrar, initially designated by us will be named in the prospectus supplement. We may designate additional transfer agents or change transfer agents or change the office of the transfer agent. However, we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of each series.

Global Securities

The debt securities of any series may be represented, in whole or in part, by one or more global securities. Each global security will:

 
·
be registered in the name of a depositary that we will identify in a prospectus supplement;

 
·
be deposited with the depositary or nominee or custodian; and

 
·
bear any required legends.

No global security may be exchanged in whole or in part for debt securities registered in the name of any person other than the depositary or any nominee unless:

 
·
the depositary has notified us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or has ceased to be qualified to act as depositary;

 
·
an event of default is continuing; or

 
·
the Company executes and delivers to the trustee an officers’ certificate stating that the global security is exchangeable.

As long as the depositary, or its nominee, is the registered owner of a global security, the depositary or nominee will be considered the sole owner and holder of the debt securities represented by the global security for all purposes under the indenture. Except in the above limited circumstances, owners of beneficial interests in a global security:

 
·
will not be entitled to have the debt securities registered in their names;

 
·
will not be entitled to physical delivery of certificated debt securities; and

 
·
will not be considered to be holders of those debt securities under the indentures.

Payments on a global security will be made to the depositary or its nominee as the holder of the global security. Some jurisdictions have laws that require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. These laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a global security.

Institutions that have accounts with the depositary or its nominee are referred to as “participants.” Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be limited to participants and to persons that may hold beneficial interests through participants. The depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the respective principal amounts of debt securities represented by the global security to the accounts of its participants.

Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be shown on and effected through records maintained by the depositary, with respect to participants’ interests, or any participant, with respect to interests of persons held by participants on their behalf.
 
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Payments, transfers and exchanges relating to beneficial interests in a global security will be subject to policies and procedures of the depositary.

The depositary policies and procedures may change from time to time. Neither we nor the trustee will have any responsibility or liability for the depositary’s or any participant’s records with respect to beneficial interests in a global security.

Payment and Paying Agent

The provisions of this paragraph will apply to the debt securities unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement. Payment of interest on a debt security on any interest payment date will be made to the person in whose name the debt security is registered at the close of business on the regular record date. Payment on debt securities of a particular series will be payable at the office of a paying agent or paying agents designated by us. However, at our option, we may pay interest by mailing a check to the record holder. The corporate trust office will be designated as our sole paying agent.

We may also name any other paying agents in the prospectus supplement. We may designate additional paying agents, change paying agents or change the office of any paying agent. However, we will be required to maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of a particular series.

All moneys paid by us to a paying agent for payment on any debt security which remain unclaimed at the end of two years after such payment was due will be repaid to us. Thereafter, the holder may look only to us for such payment.

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

Except as otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement, we may not consolidate with or merge into any other person, in a transaction in which we are not the surviving corporation, or convey, transfer or lease our properties and assets substantially as an entirety to, any person, unless:

 
·
the successor, if any, is a U.S. corporation, limited liability company, partnership, trust or other entity;

 
·
the successor assumes our obligations on the debt securities and under the indenture;

 
·
immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no default or event of default shall have occurred and be continuing; and

 
·
certain other conditions are met.

Events of Default

     Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, the indenture will define an event of default with respect to any series of debt securities as one or more of the following events:

 
(1)
failure to pay principal of or any premium on any debt security of that series when due;
 
 
(2)
failure to pay any interest on any debt security of that series for 30 days when due;
 
 
(3)
failure to deposit any sinking fund payment when due;
 
 
(4)
failure to perform any other covenant in the indenture continued for 90 days after being given the notice required in the indenture;
 
 
(5)
our bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization; and
 
 
(6)
any other event of default specified in the prospectus supplement.
 
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An event of default of one series of debt securities is not necessarily an event of default for any other series of debt securities.

If an event of default, other than an event of default described in clause (5) above, shall occur and be continuing, either the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding securities of that series may declare the principal amount of the debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately.

     If an event of default described in clause (5) above shall occur, the principal amount of all the debt securities of that series will automatically become immediately due and payable. Any payment by us on subordinated debt securities following any such acceleration will be subject to the subordination provisions described below under “Subordinated Debt Securities.”

After acceleration the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding securities of that series may, under certain circumstances, rescind and annul such acceleration if all events of default, other than the non-payment of accelerated principal, or other specified amount, have been cured or waived.

     Other than the duty to act with the required care during an event of default, the trustee will not be obligated to exercise any of its rights or powers at the request of the holders unless the holders shall have offered to the trustee reasonable indemnity. Generally, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee.

A holder will not have any right to institute any proceeding under the indentures, or for the appointment of a receiver or a trustee, or for any other remedy under the indentures, unless:

(1) 
the holder has previously given to the trustee written notice of a continuing event of default with respect to the debt securities of that series;

(2) 
the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made a written request and have offered reasonable indemnity to the trustee to institute the proceeding; and

(3)
the trustee has failed to institute the proceeding and has not received direction inconsistent with the original request from the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series within 90 days after the original request.

Holders may, however, sue to enforce the payment of principal or interest on any debt security on or after the due date without following the procedures listed in (1) through (3) above.

Modification and Waiver

Except as provided in the next two succeeding paragraphs, the applicable trustee and we may make modifications and amendments to the indentures (including, without limitation, through consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for, outstanding securities) and may waive any existing default or event of default (including, without limitation, through consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for, outstanding securities) with the consent of the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding securities of each series affected by the modification or amendment.

However, neither we nor the trustee may make any amendment or waiver without the consent of the holder of each outstanding security of that series affected by the amendment or waiver if such amendment or waiver would, among other things:

 
·
change the amount of securities whose holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;
 
 
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·
change the stated maturity of any debt security;

 
·
reduce the principal on any debt security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund;

 
·
reduce the principal of an original issue discount security on acceleration of maturity;

 
·
reduce the rate of interest or extend the time for payment of interest on any debt security;

 
·
make a principal or interest payment on any debt security in any currency other than that stated in the debt security;

 
·
impair the right to enforce any payment after the stated maturity or redemption date;

 
·
waive any default or event of default in payment of the principal of, premium or interest on any debt security (except certain rescissions of acceleration); or

 
·
waive a redemption payment or modify any of the redemption provisions of any debt security.

Notwithstanding the preceding, without the consent of any holder of outstanding securities, we and the trustee may amend or supplement the indentures:

 
·
to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of debt securities of any series as permitted by the indenture;

 
·
to provide for uncertificated securities in addition to or in place of certificated securities;

 
·
to provide for the assumption of our obligations to holders of any debt security in the case of a merger, consolidation, transfer or sale of all or substantially all of our assets;

 
·
to make any change that does not adversely affect the legal rights under the indenture of any such holder;

 
·
to comply with requirements of the Commission in order to effect or maintain the qualification of an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; or

 
·
to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee with respect to the debt securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of the indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts by more than one Trustee.

The consent of holders is not necessary under the indentures to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment. It is sufficient if such consent approves the substance of the proposed amendment.

Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance

We may be discharged from our obligations on the debt securities of any series that have matured or will mature or be redeemed within one year if we deposit with the trustee enough cash to pay all the principal, interest and any premium due to the stated maturity date or redemption date of the debt securities.

Each indenture contains a provision that permits us to elect:

 
·
to be discharged from all of our obligations, subject to limited exceptions, with respect to any series of debt securities then outstanding; and/or

 
·
to be released from our obligations under the following covenants and from the consequences of an event of default resulting from a breach of certain covenants, including covenants as to payment of taxes and maintenance of corporate existence.
 
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To make either of the above elections, we must deposit in trust with the trustee enough money to pay in full the principal and interest on the debt securities. This amount may be made in cash and/or U.S. government obligations. As a condition to either of the above elections, we must deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel that the holders of the debt securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the action.

If any of the above events occurs, the holders of the debt securities of the series will not be entitled to the benefits of the indenture, except for the rights of holders to receive payments on debt securities or the registration of transfer and exchange of debt securities and replacement of lost, stolen or mutilated debt securities.

Notices

Notices to holders will be given by mail to the addresses of the holders in the security register.

Governing Law

The indentures and the debt securities will be governed by, and construed under, the law of the State of New York.

Regarding the Trustee

The indenture limits the right of the trustee, should it become a creditor of us, to obtain payment of claims or secure its claims.

The trustee is permitted to engage in certain other transactions. However, if the trustee acquires any conflicting interest, and there is a default under the debt securities of any series for which they are trustee, the trustee must eliminate the conflict or resign.

Subordination

Payment on subordinated debt securities will, except as otherwise provided in the indenture, be subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all of our senior indebtedness (except that holders of the notes may receive and retain (i) permitted junior securities and (ii) payments made from the trust described under “Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance”). Any subordinated debt securities also are effectively subordinated to all debt and other liabilities, including lease obligations, if any.

Upon any distribution of our assets upon any dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization, the payment of the principal of and interest on subordinated debt securities will be subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in full in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of senior indebtedness. In the event of any acceleration of subordinated debt securities because of an event of default, the holders of any senior indebtedness would be entitled to payment in full in cash or other payment satisfactory to such holders of all senior indebtedness obligations before the holders of subordinated debt securities are entitled to receive any payment or distribution, except for certain payments made by the trust described under “Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance.” The indenture requires us or the trustee to promptly notify holders of designated senior indebtedness if payment of subordinated debt securities is accelerated because of an event of default.

We may not make any payment on subordinated debt securities, including upon redemption at the option of the holder of any subordinated debt securities or at our option, if:

 
·
a default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, interest, rent or other obligations in respect of designated senior indebtedness occurs and is continuing beyond any applicable period of grace (called a “payment default”); or

 
·
a default other than a payment default on any designated senior indebtedness occurs and is continuing that permits holders of designated senior indebtedness to accelerate its maturity, and the trustee receives notice of such default (called a “payment blockage notice) from us or any other person permitted to give such notice under the indenture (called a “non-payment default”).
 
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If the trustee or any holder of the notes receives any payment or distribution of our assets in contravention of the subordination provisions on subordinated debt securities before all senior indebtedness is paid in full in cash, property or securities, including by way of set-off, or other payment satisfactory to holders of senior indebtedness, then such payment or distribution will be held in trust for the benefit of holders of senior indebtedness or their representatives to the extent necessary to make payment in full in cash or payment satisfactory to the holders of senior indebtedness of all unpaid senior indebtedness.

In the event of our bankruptcy, dissolution or reorganization, holders of senior indebtedness may receive more, ratably, and holders of subordinated debt securities may receive less, ratably, than our other creditors (including our trade creditors). This subordination will not prevent the occurrence of any event of default under the indenture.

We are not prohibited from incurring debt, including senior indebtedness, under the indenture unless otherwise provided in the indenture. We may from time to time incur additional debt, including senior indebtedness.

We are obligated to pay reasonable compensation to the trustee and to indemnify the trustee against certain losses, liabilities or expenses incurred by the trustee in connection with its duties under the indenture. The trustee’s claims for these payments will generally be senior to those of noteholders in respect of all funds collected or held by the trustee.

Certain Definitions

“indebtedness” means:

(1)
all indebtedness, obligations and other liabilities for borrowed money, including overdrafts, foreign exchange contracts, currency exchange agreements, interest rate protection agreements, and any loans or advances from banks, or evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, other than any account payable or other accrued current liability or obligation incurred in the ordinary course of business in connection with the obtaining of materials or services;

(2)
all reimbursement obligations and other liabilities with respect to letters of credit, bank guarantees or bankers’ acceptances;

(3)
all obligations and liabilities in respect of leases required in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles to be accounted for as capitalized lease obligations on our balance sheet;

(4)
all obligations and other liabilities under any lease or related document in connection with the lease of real property which provides that we are contractually obligated to purchase or cause a third party to purchase the leased property and thereby guarantee a minimum residual value of the leased property to the lessor and our obligations under the lease or related document to purchase or to cause a third party to purchase the leased property;

(5)
all obligations with respect to an interest rate or other swap, cap or collar agreement or other similar instrument or agreement or foreign currency hedge, exchange, purchase or other similar instrument or agreement;

(6)
all direct or indirect guaranties or similar agreements in respect of, and our obligations or liabilities to purchase, acquire or otherwise assure a creditor against loss in respect of, indebtedness, obligations or liabilities of others of the type described in (1) through (5) above;

(7)
any indebtedness or other obligations described in (1) through (6) above secured by any mortgage, pledge, lien or other encumbrance existing on property which is owned or held by us; and

(8)
any and all refinancings, replacements, deferrals, renewals, extensions and refundings of, or amendments, modifications or supplements to, any indebtedness, obligation or liability of the kind described in clauses (1) through (7) above.
 
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 “permitted junior securities” means (i) equity interests in the Company; or (ii) debt securities of the Company that are subordinated to all senior indebtedness and any debt securities issued in exchange for senior indebtedness to substantially the same extent as, or to a greater extent than the notes are subordinated to senior indebtedness under the indenture.

 “senior indebtedness” means the principal, premium, if any, interest, including any interest accruing after bankruptcy, and rent or termination payment on or other amounts due on our current or future indebtedness, whether created, incurred, assumed, guaranteed or in effect guaranteed by us, including any deferrals, renewals, extensions, refundings, amendments, modifications or supplements to the above. However, senior indebtedness does not include:

 
·
indebtedness that expressly provides that it shall not be senior in right of payment to subordinated debt securities or expressly provides that it is on the same basis or junior to subordinated debt securities;

 
·
our indebtedness to any of our majority-owned subsidiaries; or

 
·
subordinated debt securities.

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

General

     We may issue warrants for the purchase of our debt securities, preferred stock or common stock, or any combination thereof. Warrants may be issued independently or together with our debt securities, preferred stock or common stock and may be attached to or separate from any offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement. We may enter into a warrant agreement with a bank or trust company, as warrant agent. We will indicate the name and address and other information regarding the warrant agent in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of warrants. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants. The warrant agent will not have any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants. This summary of certain provisions of the warrants is not complete. For the terms of a particular series of warrants, you should refer to the prospectus supplement for that series of warrants and the warrant agreement for that particular series.

 
Debt Warrants

     The prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of warrants to purchase debt securities will describe the terms of the debt warrants, including the following:

 
·
the title of the debt warrants;

 
·
the offering price for the debt warrants, if any;

 
·
the aggregate number of the debt warrants;

 
·
the designation and terms of the debt securities, including any conversion rights, purchasable upon exercise of the debt warrants;

 
·
if applicable, the date from and after which the debt warrants and any debt securities issued with them will be separately transferable;

 
·
the principal amount of debt securities that may be purchased upon exercise of a debt warrant and the exercise price for the warrants, which may be payable in cash, securities or other property;
 
16

 
 
·
the dates on which the right to exercise the debt warrants will commence and expire;

 
·
if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the debt warrants that may be exercised at any one time;

 
·
whether the debt warrants represented by the debt warrant certificates or debt securities that may be issued upon exercise of the debt warrants will be issued in registered or bearer form;

 
·
information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any;
 
 
·
the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable;

 
·
if applicable, a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations;

 
·
the antidilution provisions of the debt warrants, if any;

 
·
the redemption or call provisions, if any, applicable to the debt warrants;

 
·
any provisions with respect to the holder’s right to require us to repurchase the warrants upon a change in control or similar event; and

 
·
any additional terms of the debt warrants, including procedures, and limitations relating to the exchange, exercise and settlement of the debt warrants.

     Debt warrant certificates will be exchangeable for new debt warrant certificates of different denominations. Debt warrants may be exercised at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement. Prior to the exercise of their debt warrants, holders of debt warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the debt securities purchasable upon exercise and will not be entitled to payment of principal or any premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities purchasable upon exercise.

Equity Warrants

     The prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of warrants to purchase our common stock or preferred stock will describe the terms of the warrants, including the following:

 
·
the title of the warrants;

 
·
the offering price for the warrants, if any;

 
·
the aggregate number of warrants;

 
·
the designation and terms of the common stock or preferred stock that may be purchased upon exercise of the warrants;

 
·
if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each security;

 
·
if applicable, the date from and after which the warrants and any securities issued with the warrants will be separately transferable;

 
·
the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock that may be purchased upon exercise of a warrant and the exercise price for the warrants;

 
·
the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants shall commence and expire;
 
17

 
 
·
if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time;

 
·
the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable;

 
·
if applicable, a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations;

 
·
the antidilution provisions of the warrants, if any;

 
·
the redemption or call provisions, if any, applicable to the warrants;

 
·
any provisions with respect to holder’s right to require us to repurchase the warrants upon a change in control or similar event; and

 
·
any additional terms of the warrants, including procedures, and limitations relating to the exchange, exercise and settlement of the warrants.

     Holders of equity warrants will not be entitled:

 
·
to vote, consent or receive dividends;

 
·
to receive notice as stockholders with respect to any meeting of stockholders for the election of our directors or any other matter; or

 
·
to exercise any rights as stockholders of the Company.

CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF DELAWARE LAW,
THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS

Limitations on Directors’ Liability

Our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws contain provisions indemnifying our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by law. In addition, as permitted by Delaware law, our certificate of incorporation provides that no director will be liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of certain fiduciary duties as a director. The effect of this provision is to restrict our rights and the rights of our stockholders in derivative suits to recover monetary damages against a director for breach of certain fiduciary duties as a director, except that a director will be personally liable for:

 
·
the benefits to be derived from relationships with our collaborators;

 
·
any breach of his or her duty of loyalty to the registrant or its stockholders;

 
·
acts or omissions not in good faith which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

 
·
the payment of dividends or the redemption or purchase of stock in violation of Delaware law; or

 
·
any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

This provision does not affect a director’s liability under the federal securities laws.

To the extent that our directors, officers and controlling persons are indemnified under the provisions contained in our certificate of incorporation, Delaware law or contractual arrangements against liabilities arising under the Securities Act, we have been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act, and is therefore unenforceable.

 
18

 

Provisions that May Have an Anti-Takeover Effect

Certain provisions set forth in our certificate of incorporation, bylaws and in Delaware law, which are summarized below, are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our Board of Directors and in the policies formulated by our Board of Directors and to discourage certain types of transactions that may involve an actual or threatened change of control. In that regard, these provisions are designed to reduce our vulnerability to an unsolicited acquisition proposal. The provisions also are intended to discourage certain tactics that may be used in proxy fights. However, such provisions could have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares and, as a consequence, they also may inhibit fluctuations in the market price of our common stock that could result from actual or rumored takeover attempts. Such provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our management.

Blank Check Preferred Stock. Our certificate of incorporation contains provisions that permit our Board of Directors to issue, without any further vote or action by the stockholders, up to 30,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series and, with respect to each such series, to fix the number of shares constituting the series and the designation of the series, the voting powers (if any) of the shares of the series, and the preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, if any, and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions, of the shares of such series. As a result, our Board of Directors could authorize the issuance of shares of preferred stock with terms and conditions that could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for holders of the registrant’s common stock or otherwise be in their best interest.

Special Meetings of Stockholders. Our bylaws provide that special meetings of stockholders may be called only by the Board of Directors. Stockholders are not permitted to call a special meeting of stockholders or to require that the Board of Directors call such a special meeting.

Delaware Takeover Statute.

In general, Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law prohibits a Delaware corporation that is a public company from engaging in any “business combination” (as defined below) with any “interested stockholder” (defined generally as an entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation and any entity or person affiliated with such entity or person) for a period of three years following the date that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless: (1) prior to such date, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; (2) on consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the number of shares outstanding those shares owned (x) by persons who are directors and also officers and (y) by employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or (3) on or subsequent to such date, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 662/3% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder.

Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law defines “business combination” to include: (1) any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder; (2) any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation involving the interested stockholder; (3) subject to certain exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder; (4) any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested stockholder; or (5) the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation.

 
19

 
 
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
 
We are a reporting company and file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy these reports, proxy statements and other information at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F. Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549 or at the SEC’s other public reference facilities. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for more information about the operation of the public reference rooms. You can request copies of these documents by writing to the SEC and paying a fee for the copying costs.  In addition, the SEC maintains an Internet site at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC.  Our SEC filings are available on the SEC’s Internet site.

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE
 
We are allowed to incorporate by reference information contained in documents that we file with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents and that the information in this prospectus is not complete and you should read the information incorporated by reference for more detail. We incorporate by reference in two ways. First, we list certain documents that we have already filed with the SEC. The information in these documents is considered part of this prospectus. Second, the information in documents that we file in the future will update and supersede the current information in, and incorporated by reference in, this prospectus.

We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we will make with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act (other than information furnished in Current Reports on Form 8-K filed under Item 2.02 or 7.01 of such form), including filings made after the date of the initial registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and prior to the effective date of such registration statement:

 
·
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, filed on March 17, 2010;
 
 
·
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2010, filed on April 30, 2010;
 
 
·
Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 6, 2010; and
 
 
·
The description of our common stock set forth in the registration statement on Form 8-A registering our common stock under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, which was filed with the SEC on September 20, 2006.
 
We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference in this prospectus but not delivered with this prospectus. You may request a copy of this information at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address or telephone number:
 
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
1180 Avenue of the Americas, 19th Floor
New York, NY 10036
Attention: President
Telephone: (646) 214-0700
 
You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus or any supplement. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different information. The selling stockholders will not make an offer of these shares in any state where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of these documents.

 
20

 

LEGAL MATTERS
 
The validity of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon by Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
 
EXPERTS
 
The balance sheets of ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. as of December 31, 2009 and 2008 and the related statements of operations, changes in convertible preferred stock and stockholders’ equity (deficit) and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2009 and for the period from September 9, 2003 (date of inception) through December 31, 2009, included in this prospectus, have been included herein in reliance on the report, dated March 17, 2010, of Caturano and Company, P.C., independent registered public accounting firm, (which report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes an explanatory paragraph relating to the change in the manner in which the Company accounts for certain warrants), given on the authority of that firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 
21

 

PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14.  Other Expenses Of Issuance And Distribution.

The following table sets forth the fees and expenses, other than underwriting compensation, payable in connection with the registration of securities hereunder. All amounts are estimates except for the SEC registration fee. The assumed amount has been used to demonstrate the expenses of an offering and does not represent an estimate of the amount of securities that may be registered or distributed because such amount is unknown at this time.

SEC registration fee
  $ 7,130  
Legal fees and expenses
  $ 75,000  
Accounting fees and expenses
  $ 25,000  
Printing and engraving expenses
  $ 25,000  
Miscellaneous expenses
  $ 25,000  
Blue sky fees and expenses
  $ 25,000  
    $ 182,130  

Item 15.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Under Article 6 of the Registrant’s bylaws, each director and officer of the Registrant will be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Registrant or, while a director or officer of the Registrant, is or was serving at the request of the Registrant as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) reasonably incurred by such director or officer. However, the Registrant shall be required to indemnify a director or officer in connection with a proceeding commenced by such director or officer only if the commencement of such proceeding (or part thereof) by the director or officer was authorized by the Board. The Registrant’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation also eliminates the liability of directors of the Registrant for monetary damages to the fullest extent permissible under Delaware law.

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law states:

(a) A corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action arising by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
 
II-1

 
(b) A corporation shall have power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expense which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

The Registrant maintains insurance on behalf of its officers and directors, insuring them against liabilities that they may incur in such capacities or arising out of this status.

The above discussion of the Registrant’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws and of Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law is not intended to be exhaustive and is respectively qualified in its entirety by such Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws and statute.

To the extent that our directors, officers and controlling persons are indemnified under the provisions contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, Delaware law or contractual arrangements against liabilities arising under the Securities Act, we have been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and is therefore unenforceable.

Item 16.   Exhibits.

The following exhibits are filed as part of this Registration Statement:

Exhibit No.
 
Description of Document
     
1.1  *
 
Underwriting Agreement
4.1
 
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on April 26, 2006 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report of Form 8-K filed April 26, 2006)
4.2
 
Certificate of Merger dated September 13, 2005, relating to the merger of ZIO Acquisition Corp. with and into ZIOPHARM, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed September 19, 2005)
4.3
 
Certificate of Ownership of the Registrant (formerly “EasyWeb, Inc.”) dated as of September 14, 2005, relating the merger of ZIOPHARM, Inc. with and into the Registrant, and changing the Registrant’s corporate name from EasyWeb, Inc. to ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed September 19, 2005)
4.4
 
Bylaws, as amended to date (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed September 19, 2005)
4.5
 
Specimen common stock certificate (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form SB-2 [SEC File No. 333-129020] filed October 14, 2005)
4.6  *
 
Specimen preferred stock certificate
4.7  *
 
Form of Debt Security
4.8
 
Form of Indenture between the Registrant and one or more trustees to be named
4.9  *
 
Form of Warrant
4.10*
 
Form of Warrant Agreement
5.1
 
Legal opinion of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP
12.1
 
Statement of Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
23.1
 
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm - Caturano and Company, P.C.
23.2
 
Consent of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP (included as part of Exhibit 5.1)
24.1
 
Power of Attorney (included on signature page)
25.1**
  
Statement of Eligibility of Trustee on Form T-1
 
II-2

 

*
To be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a report pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
**
To be filed pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act at the time of an offering of debt securities.
 
Item 17.   Undertakings.

(a)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i)      To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

(ii)     To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

(iii)    To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that the undertakings set forth in paragraphs (1)(i), (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is a part of the registration statement.
 
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
 
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
 
(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:
 
II-3

 
(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
 
(b)  The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
 
II-4

 
(c)  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers, and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer, or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

(d) The Registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.
 
II-5

 
SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York, on April 30, 2010.
 
 
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
     
 
By: 
/s/ Jonathan Lewis
   
Jonathan Lewis
   
Chief Executive Officer
 
POWER OF ATTORNEY
 
Each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Jonathan Lewis and Richard E. Bagley, and each of them, as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent or his substitutes or substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
 
        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
 
Name
 
Title
 
Date
         
/s/ Jonathan Lewis
 
Director and Chief Executive Officer
 
April 30, 2010
Jonathan Lewis
 
(Principal Executive Officer)
   
         
/s/ Richard E. Bagley
 
Director, President, Treasurer and Chief
 
April 30, 2010
Richard E. Bagley
 
Operating Officer (Principal
   
   
Accounting and Financial Officer)
   
/s/ George B. Abercrombie
 
Director
 
April 30, 2010
George B. Abercrombie
       
         
/s/ Murray Brennan
 
Director
 
April 30, 2010
Murray Brennan
       
         
/s/ James Cannon
 
Director
 
April 30, 2010
James Cannon
       
         
/s/ Timothy McInerney
 
Director
 
April 30, 2010
Timothy McInerney
       
         
/s/ Wyche Fowler, Jr.
 
Director
 
April 30, 2010
Wyche Fowler, Jr.
       
         
     
Director
 
April 30, 2010
Gary S. Fragin
       
         
/s/ Michael Weiser
 
Director
 
April 30, 2010
Michael Weiser
  
 
  
 

 
II-6

 

EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No.
 
Description of Document
     
1.1  *
 
Underwriting Agreement
4.6  *
 
Specimen preferred stock certificate
4.7  *
 
Form of Debt Security
4.8
 
Form of Indenture between the Registrant and one or more trustees to be named
4.9  *
 
Form of Warrant
4.10*
 
Form of Warrant Agreement
5.1
 
Legal opinion of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP
12.1
 
Statement of Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
23.1
 
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm - Caturano and Company, P.C.
23.2
 
Consent of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP (included as part of Exhibit 5.1)
24.1
 
Power of Attorney (included on signature page)
25.1*
  
Statement of Eligibility of Trustee on Form T-1
 

*
To be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a report pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
**
To be filed pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act at the time of an offering of debt securities.

 

 

Exhibit 4.8
 
FORM OF INDENTURE TO BE ENTERED INTO BETWEEN THE COMPANY AND
A TRUSTEE TO BE NAMED
 
ZIOPHARM ONCOLOGY, INC.
 
INDENTURE
 
DEBT SECURITIES
 
DATED AS OF                      , 20___
 
[Name of Trustee]
 
TRUSTEE

 
 

 
 
ZIOPHARM ONCOLOGY, INC.
 
Reconciliation and tie between Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and Indenture, dated as of               , 20

Section 310(a) (1)
7.10
(a) (2)
7.10
(a) (3)
Not Applicable
(a) (4)
Not Applicable
(a) (5)
7.10
(b)
7.10
Section 311(a)
7.11
(b)
7.11
(c)
Not Applicable
Section 312(a)
2.6
(b)
10.3
(c)
10.3
Section 313(a)
7.6
(b) (1)
7.6
(b) (2)
7.6
(c) (1)
7.6
(d)
7.6
Section 314(a)
4.2, 10.5
(b)
Not Applicable
(c) (1)
10.4
(c) (2)
10.4
(c) (3)
Not Applicable
(d)
Not Applicable
(e)
10.5
(f)
Not Applicable
Section 315(a)
7.1
(b)
7.5
(c)
7.1
(d)
7.1
(e)
6.14
Section 316(a)
2.10
(a) (1)(a)
6.12
(a) (1)(b)
6.13
(b)
6.8
Section 317(a)(1)
6.3
(a)(2)
6.4
(b)
2.5
Section 318(a)
10.1
 
Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.

 
 

 
 
          Indenture dated as of                      , 20__ between ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.., a Delaware corporation (“Company”), and [Name of Trustee], a                      (“Trustee”).
 
          Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other party and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities issued under this Indenture.
 
ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
 
Section 1.1 Definitions ”Affiliate” of any specified person means any other person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or by agreement or otherwise.
 
          “Agent” means any Registrar, Paying Agent, Service Agent or authenticating agent.
 
          “Bearer” means anyone in possession from time to time of a Bearer Security.
 
          “Bearer Security” means any Security, including any interest coupon appertaining thereto, that does not provide for the identification of the Holder thereof.
 
          “Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee thereof.
 
          “Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been adopted by the Board of Directors or pursuant to authorization by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of the certificate, and delivered to the Trustee.
 
          “Business Day” means, unless otherwise provided by Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture hereto for a particular Series, any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.
 
          “Company” means the party named as such above until a successor replaces it and thereafter means the successor.
 
          “Company Order” means a written order signed in the name of the Company by two Officers, one of whom must be the Company’s chief executive officer, chief financial officer or principal accounting officer.
 
          “Company Request” means a written request signed in the name of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, a President or a Vice President, and by its Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, and delivered to the Trustee.
 
          “Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be principally administered.
 
          “Debt” of any person as of any date means, without duplication, all indebtedness of such person in respect of borrowed money, including all interest, fees and expenses owed in respect thereto (whether or not the recourse of the lender is to the whole of the assets of such person or only to a portion thereof), or evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments.
 
          “Default” means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time would be, an Event of Default.
 
          “Depository” means, with respect to the Securities of any Series issuable or issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, the person designated as Depository for such Series by the Company, which Depository shall be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act; and if at any time there is more than one such person, “Depository” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Depository with respect to the Securities of such Series.

 
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[INCLUDE THIS LANGUAGE FOR SUBORDINATED SECURITIES:
 
          “Designated Senior Indebtedness” means any of our senior indebtedness that expressly provides that it is “designated senior indebtedness” for purposes of this Indenture (provided that the instrument, agreement or other document creating or evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may place limitations and conditions on the right of such Senior Indebtedness to exercise the rights of Designated Senior Indebtedness).]
 
          “Discount Security” means any Security that provides for an amount less than the stated principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2.
 
          “Dollars” means the currency of The United States of America.
 
          “ECU” means the European Currency Unit as determined by the Commission of the European Union.
 
          “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
 
          “Foreign Currency” means any currency or currency unit issued by a government other than the government of The United States of America.
 
          “Foreign Government Obligations” means with respect to Securities of any Series that are denominated in a Foreign Currency, (i) direct obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency for the payment of which obligations its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a person controlled or supervised by or acting as an agency or instrumentality of such government the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by such government, which, in either case under clauses (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.
 
          “Global Security” or “Global Securities” means a Security or Securities, as the case may be, in the form established pursuant to Section 2.2 evidencing all or part of a Series of Securities, issued to the Depository for such Series or its nominee, and registered in the name of such Depository or nominee.
 
          “Holder” or “Securityholder” means a person in whose name a Security is registered or the holder of a Bearer Security.
 
[INCLUDE THIS LANGUAGE FOR SUBORDINATED SECURITIES:
 
          “Indebtedness” means, with respect to any person, and without duplication, (a) all indebtedness, obligations and other liabilities (contingent or otherwise) of such person for borrowed money (including obligations of the Company in respect of overdrafts, foreign exchange contracts, currency exchange agreements, interest rate protection agreements, and any loans or advances from banks, whether or not evidenced by notes or similar instruments) or evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments (whether or not the recourse of the lender is to the whole of the assets of such person or to only a portion thereof) (other than any account payable or other accrued current liability or obligation incurred in the ordinary course of business in connection with the obtaining of materials or services), (b) all reimbursement obligations and other liabilities (contingent or otherwise) of such person with respect to letters of credit, bank guarantees or bankers’ acceptances, (c) all obligations and liabilities (contingent or otherwise) in respect of leases of such person required, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, to be accounted for as capitalized lease obligations on the balance sheet of such person and all obligations and other liabilities (contingent or otherwise) under any lease or related document (including a purchase agreement) in connection with the lease of real property which provides that such person is contractually obligated to purchase or cause a third party to purchase the leased property and thereby guarantee a minimum residual value of the leased property to the lessor and the obligations of such person under such lease or related document to purchase or to cause a third party to purchase such leased property, (d) all obligations of such person (contingent or otherwise) with respect to an interest rate or other swap, cap or collar agreement or other similar instrument or agreement or foreign currency hedge, exchange, purchase or similar instrument or agreement, (e) all direct or indirect guaranties or similar agreements by such person in respect of, and obligations or liabilities (contingent or otherwise) of such person to purchase or otherwise acquire or otherwise assure a creditor against loss in respect of indebtedness, obligations or liabilities of another person of the kind described in clauses (a) through (d), (f) any indebtedness or other obligations described in clauses (a) through (e) secured by any mortgage, pledge, lien or other encumbrance existing on property which is owned or held by such person, regardless of whether the indebtedness or other obligation secured thereby shall have been assumed by such person and (g) any and all refinancings, replacements, deferrals, renewals, extensions and refundings of, or amendments, modifications or supplements to, any indebtedness, obligation or liability of the kind described in clauses (a) through (f).]

 
2

 
 
          “Indenture” means this Indenture as amended from time to time and shall include the form and terms of particular Series of Securities established as contemplated hereunder.
 
          “interest” with respect to any Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity.
 
          “Maturity,” when used with respect to any Security or installment of principal thereof, means the date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption, notice of option to elect repayment or otherwise.
 
          “Officer” means the Chairman of the Board, any President, any Vice-President, the Treasurer, the Secretary, any Assistant Treasurer or any Assistant Secretary of the Company.
 
          “Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by two Officers, one of whom must be the Company’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer.
 
          “Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of legal counsel who is acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company.
 
          “person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, limited liability company, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.
 
          “principal” of a Security means the principal of the Security plus, when appropriate, the premium, if any, on the Security.
 
[INCLUDE THIS LANGUAGE FOR SUBORDINATED SECURITIES:
 
          “Representative” means the (a) indenture trustee or other trustee, agent or representative for any Senior Indebtedness or (b) with respect to any Senior Indebtedness that does not have any such trustee, agent or other representative, (i) in the case of such Senior Indebtedness issued pursuant to an agreement providing for voting arrangements as among the holders or owners of such Senior Indebtedness, any holder or owner of such Senior Indebtedness acting with the consent of the required persons necessary to bind such holders or owners of such Senior Indebtedness and (ii) in the case of all other such Senior Indebtedness, the holder or owner of such Senior Indebtedness.]
 
          “Responsible Officer” means any officer of the Trustee in its Corporate Trust Office and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with a particular subject.
 
          “SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
 
          “Securities” means the debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company of any Series authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

 
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[INCLUDE THIS LANGUAGE FOR SUBORDINATED SECURITIES:
 
          “Senior Indebtedness” means the principal, premium, if any, interest, including any interest accruing after bankruptcy, and rent or termination payment on or other amounts due on our current or future Indebtedness, whether created, incurred, assumed, guaranteed or in effect guaranteed by us, including any deferrals, renewals, extensions, refundings, amendments, modifications or supplements to the above. However, Senior Indebtedness does not include: (i) Indebtedness that expressly provides that it shall not be senior in right of payment to the Securities or expressly provides that it is on the same basis or junior to the Securities; (ii) our indebtedness to any of our majority-owned subsidiaries; and (iii) the Securities.]
 
          “Series” or “Series of Securities” means each series of debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company created pursuant to Sections 2.1 and 2.2 hereof.
 
          “Significant Subsidiary” means (i) any direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Company that would be a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as such regulation is in effect on the date hereof, or (ii) any group of direct or indirect Subsidiaries of the Company that, taken together as a group, would be a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as such regulation is in effect on the date hereof.
 
          “Stated Maturity” when used with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is due and payable.
 
          “Subsidiary” of any specified person means any corporation of which at least a majority of the outstanding stock having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power for the election of directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether or not at the time stock of any other class or classes of such corporation shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time directly or indirectly owned by such person, or by one or more other Subsidiaries, or by such person and one or more other Subsidiaries.
 
          “TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S. Code Sections 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date of this Indenture; provided, however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, “TIA” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act as so amended.
 
          “Trustee” means the person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean or include each person who is then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Securities of that Series.
 
          “U.S. Government Obligations” means securities which are (i) direct obligations of The United States of America for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of The United States of America the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by The United States of America, and which in the case of (i) and (ii) are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such U.S. Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

 
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Section 1.2 Other Definitions.

   
DEFINED IN
TERM
 
SECTION
“Bankruptcy Law”
 
6.1
“Custodian”
 
6.1
“Event of Default”
 
6.1
“Journal”
 
10.15
“Judgment Currency”
 
10.16
“Legal Holiday”
 
10.7
“mandatory sinking fund payment”
 
11.1
“Market Exchange Rate”
 
10.15
“New York Banking Day”
 
10.16
“optional sinking fund payment”
 
11.1
“Paying Agent”
 
2.4
[INCLUDE THIS LANGUAGE FOR SUBORDINATED SECURITIES:
   
“Payment Blockage Notice”
 
12.2] 
“Registrar”
 
2.4
“Required Currency”
 
10.16
“Service Agent”
 
2.4
“successor person”
 
5.1
 
Section 1.3 Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.
 
          Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture. The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:
 
          “Commission” means the SEC.
 
          “indenture securities” means the Securities. “indenture security holder” means a Securityholder. “indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture.
 
          “indenture trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the Trustee.
 
          “obligor” on the indenture securities means the Company and any successor obligor upon the Securities.
 
          All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule under the TIA and not otherwise defined herein are used herein as so defined.
 
Section 1.4 Rules of Construction.
 
          Unless the context otherwise requires:

   (a)
a term has the meaning assigned to it;

   (b)
an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

   (c)
references to “generally accepted accounting principles” shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in the United States in effect as of the time when and for the period as to which such accounting principles are to be applied;

   (d)
“or” is not exclusive;

   (e)
words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the singular; and

   (f)
provisions apply to successive events and transactions.

 
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ARTICLE II.
THE SECURITIES
 
Section 2.1 Issuable in Series.
 
          The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more Series. All Securities of a Series shall be identical except as may be set forth in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to the authority granted under a Board Resolution. In the case of Securities of a Series to be issued from time to time, the Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture may provide for the method by which specified terms (such as interest rate, maturity date, record date or date from which interest shall accrue) are to be determined. Securities may differ between Series in respect of any matters, provided that all Series of Securities shall be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits of the Indenture [INCLUDE THIS LANGUAGE FOR SUBORDINATED SECURITIES: but all Securities issued hereunder shall be subordinate and junior in right of payment, to the extent and in the manner set forth in Article XII, to all Senior Indebtedness of the Company.]
 
Section 2.2 Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities.
 
          At or prior to the issuance of any Securities within a Series, the following shall be established (as to the Series generally, in the case of Subsection 2.2.1 and either as to such Securities within the Series or as to the Series generally in the case of Subsections 2.2.2 through 2.2.22) by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution:
 
          2.2.1. the title of the Series (which shall distinguish the Securities of that particular Series from the Securities of any other Series);
 
          2.2.2. the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof) at which the Securities of the Series will be issued;
 
          2.2.3. any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the Series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the Series pursuant to Section 2.7, 2.8, 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6);
 
          2.2.4. the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the Series is payable;
 
          2.2.5. the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or, if applicable, the method used to determine such rate or rates (including, but not limited to, any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the Securities of the Series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest, if any, shall accrue, the date or dates on which such interest, if any, shall commence and be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date;
 
          2.2.6. the place or places where the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series shall be payable, or the method of such payment, if by wire transfer, mail or other means;
 
          2.2.7. if applicable, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which the Securities of the Series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;
 
          2.2.8. the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase the Securities of the Series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the Series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;
 
          2.2.9. the dates, if any, on which and the price or prices at which the Securities of the Series will be repurchased by the Company at the option of the Holders thereof and other detailed terms and provisions of such repurchase obligations;
 
          2.2.10. if other than denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple thereof, the denominations in which the Securities of the Series shall be issuable;
 
          2.2.11. the forms of the Securities of the Series in bearer or fully registered form (and, if in fully registered form, whether the Securities will be issuable as Global Securities);

 
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          2.2.12. if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of the Securities of the Series that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2;
 
          2.2.13. the currency of denomination of the Securities of the Series, which may be Dollars or any Foreign Currency, including, but not limited to, the ECU, and if such currency of denomination is a composite currency other than the ECU, the agency or organization, if any, responsible for overseeing such composite currency;
 
          2.2.14. the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series will be made;
 
          2.2.15. if payments of principal of or interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series are to be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which such Securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to such payments will be determined;
 
          2.2.16. the manner in which the amounts of payment of principal of or interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series will be determined, if such amounts may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index;
 
          2.2.17. the provisions, if any, relating to any security provided for the Securities of the Series;
 
          2.2.18. if the holders of Securities of the Series may convert or exchange the Securities into or for securities of the Issuer or of other entities or other property, the period or periods within which, the rate or rates at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the Series may be converted or exchanged, in whole or in part;
 
          2.2.19. any addition to or change in the Events of Default which applies to any Securities of the Series and any change in the right of the Trustee or the requisite Holders of such Securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable pursuant to Section 6.2;
 
          2.2.20. any addition to or change in the covenants set forth in Articles IV or V which applies to Securities of the Series;
 
          2.2.21. any other terms of the Securities of the Series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, except as permitted by Section 9.1, but which may modify or delete any provision of this Indenture insofar as it applies to such Series); and
 
          2.2.22. any depositories, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to Securities of such Series if other than those appointed herein.
 
          All Securities of any one Series need not be issued at the same time and may be issued from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Indenture, if so provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate referred to above, and the authorized principal amount of any Series may not be increased to provide for issuances of additional Securities of such Series, unless otherwise provided in such Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate.
 
Section 2.3 Execution and Authentication.
 
          Two Officers shall sign the Securities for the Company by manual or facsimile signature.
 
          If an Officer whose signature is on a Security no longer holds that office at the time the Security is authenticated, the Security shall nevertheless be valid.
 
          A Security shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security has been authenticated under this Indenture.

 
7

 
 
          The Trustee shall at any time, and from time to time, authenticate Securities for original issue in the principal amount provided in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate, upon receipt by the Trustee of a Company Order. Such Company Order may authorize authentication and delivery pursuant to oral or electronic instructions from the Company or its duly authorized agent or agents, which oral instructions shall be promptly confirmed in writing. Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication unless otherwise provided by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate.
 
          The aggregate principal amount of Securities of any Series outstanding at any time may not exceed any limit upon the maximum principal amount for such Series set forth in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2, except as provided in Section 2.8.
 
          Prior to the issuance of Securities of any Series, the Trustee shall have received and (subject to Section 7.2) shall be fully protected in relying on:

   (a)
the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate establishing the form of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series and the terms of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series,

   (b)
an Officers’ Certificate complying with Section 10.4, and

   (c)
an Opinion of Counsel complying with Section 10.4.
 
          The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Securities of such Series: (a) if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken; or (b) if the Trustee in good faith by its board of directors or trustees, executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or vice-presidents shall determine that such action would expose the Trustee to personal liability to Holders of any then outstanding Series of Securities.
 
          The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Company to authenticate Securities. An authenticating agent may authenticate Securities whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Company or an Affiliate.
 
Section 2.4 Registrar and Paying Agent.
 
          The Company shall maintain, with respect to each Series of Securities, at the place or places specified with respect to such Series pursuant to Section 2.2, an office or agency where Securities of such Series may be presented or surrendered for payment (“Paying Agent”), where Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange (“Registrar”) and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be served (“Service Agent”). The Registrar shall keep a register with respect to each Series of Securities and to their transfer and exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the name and address, and any change in the name or address, of each Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the name and address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.
 
          The Company may also from time to time designate one or more co-registrars, additional paying agents or additional service agents and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligations to maintain a Registrar, Paying Agent and Service Agent in each place so specified pursuant to Section 2.2 for Securities of any Series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the name or address of any such co-registrar, additional paying agent or additional service agent. The term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar; the term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent; and the term “Service Agent” includes any additional service agent.

 
8

 
 
          The Company hereby appoints the Trustee the initial Registrar, Paying Agent and Service Agent for each Series unless another Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent, as the case may be, is appointed prior to the time Securities of that Series are first issued.
 
Section 2.5 Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.
 
          The Company shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust, for the benefit of Securityholders of any Series of Securities, or the Trustee, all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of or interest on the Series of Securities, and will notify the Trustee of any default by the Company in making any such payment. While any such default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Company or a Subsidiary) shall have no further liability for the money. If the Company or a Subsidiary acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of Securityholders of any Series of Securities all money held by it as Paying Agent.
 
Section 2.6 Securityholder Lists.
 
          The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of Securities and shall otherwise comply with TIA Section 312(a). If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee at least ten days before each interest payment date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing a list, in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of Securities.
 
Section 2.7 Transfer and Exchange.
 
          Where Securities of a Series are presented to the Registrar or a co-registrar with a request to register a transfer or to exchange them for an equal principal amount of Securities of the same Series, the Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange if its requirements for such transactions are met. To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Trustee shall authenticate Securities at the Registrar’s request. No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange (except as otherwise expressly permitted herein), but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable upon exchanges pursuant to Sections 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6).
 
          Neither the Company nor the Registrar shall be required (a) to issue, register the transfer of, or exchange Securities of any Series for the period beginning at the opening of business fifteen days immediately preceding the mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of that Series selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (b) to register the transfer of or exchange Securities of any Series selected, called or being called for redemption as a whole or the portion being redeemed of any such Securities selected, called or being called for redemption in part.
 
Section 2.8 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.
 
          If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.
 
          If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and upon its request the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

 
9

 
 
          In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.
 
          Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.
 
          Every new Security of any Series issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of that Series duly issued hereunder.
 
          The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.
 
Section 2.9 Outstanding Securities.
 
          The Securities outstanding at any time are all the Securities authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those reductions in the interest on a Global Security effected by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof and those described in this Section as not outstanding.
 
          If a Security is replaced pursuant to Section 2.8, it ceases to be outstanding until the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Security is held by a bona fide purchaser.
 
          If the Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate of any thereof) holds on the Maturity of Securities of a Series money sufficient to pay such Securities payable on that date, then on and after that date such Securities of the Series cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue.
 
          A Security does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate holds the Security.
 
          In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of a Discount Security that shall be deemed to be outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2.
 
Section 2.10 Treasury Securities.
 
          In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Securities of a Series have concurred in any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver Securities of a Series owned by the Company or an Affiliate shall be disregarded, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver only Securities of a Series that the Trustee knows are so owned shall be so disregarded.
 
Section 2.11 Temporary Securities.
 
          Until definitive Securities are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate temporary Securities upon a Company Order. Temporary Securities shall be substantially in the form of definitive Securities but may have variations that the Company considers appropriate for temporary Securities. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall prepare and the Trustee upon request shall authenticate definitive Securities of the same Series and date of maturity in exchange for temporary Securities. Until so exchanged, temporary securities shall have the same rights under this Indenture as the definitive Securities.

 
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Section 2.12 Cancellation.
 
          The Company at any time may deliver Securities to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Securities surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee shall cancel all Securities surrendered for transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and shall destroy such canceled Securities (subject to the record retention requirement of the Exchange Act) and deliver a certificate of such destruction to the Company, unless the Company otherwise directs. The Company may not issue new Securities to replace Securities that it has paid or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.
 
Section 2.13 Defaulted Interest.
 
          If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on a Series of Securities, it shall pay the defaulted interest, plus, to the extent permitted by law, any interest payable on the defaulted interest, to the persons who are Securityholders of the Series on a subsequent special record date. The Company shall fix the record date and payment date. At least 30 days before the record date, the Company shall mail to the Trustee and to each Securityholder of the Series a notice that states the record date, the payment date and the amount of interest to be paid. The Company may pay defaulted interest in any other lawful manner.
 
Section 2.14 Global Securities.
 
          2.14.1. Terms of Securities. A Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate shall establish whether the Securities of a Series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and the Depository for such Global Security or Securities.
 
          2.14.2. Transfer and Exchange. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in Section 2.7 of the Indenture and in addition thereto, any Global Security shall be exchangeable pursuant to Section 2.7 of the Indenture for Securities registered in the names of Holders other than the Depository for such Security or its nominee only if (i) such Depository notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depository for such Global Security or if at any time such Depository ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and, in either case, the Company fails to appoint a successor Depository within 90 days of such event, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate to the effect that such Global Security shall be so exchangeable or (iii) an Event of Default with respect to the Securities represented by such Global Security shall have happened and be continuing. Any Global Security that is exchangeable pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be exchangeable for Securities registered in such names as the Depository shall direct in writing in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security with like tenor and terms.
 
          Except as provided in this Section 2.14.2, a Global Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository with respect to such Global Security to a nominee of such Depository, by a nominee of such Depository to such Depository or another nominee of such Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or a nominee of such a successor Depository.
 
          2.14.3. Legend. Unless otherwise provided pursuant to Section 2.2, any Global Security issued hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
 
          “This Security is a Global Security within the meaning of the Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of the Depository or a nominee of the Depository. This Security is exchangeable for Securities registered in the name of a person other than the Depository or its nominee only in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture, and may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository, by a nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or a nominee of such a successor Depository.”
 
          2.14.4. Acts of Holders. The Depository, as a Holder, may appoint agents and otherwise authorize participants to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which a Holder is entitled to give or take under the Indenture.
 
          2.14.5. Payments. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Indenture, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.2, payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on any Global Security shall be made to the Holder thereof.

 
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          2.14.6. Consents, Declaration and Directions. Except as provided in Section 2.14.5, the Company, the Trustee and any Agent shall treat a person as the Holder of such principal amount of outstanding Securities of such Series represented by a Global Security as shall be specified in a written statement of the Depositary with respect to such Global Security, for purposes of obtaining any consents, declarations, waivers or directions required to be given by the Holders pursuant to this Indenture.
 
Section 2.15 CUSIP Numbers.
 
          The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other elements of identification printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers.
 
ARTICLE III.
REDEMPTION
 
Section 3.1 Notice to Trustee.
 
          The Company may, with respect to any Series of Securities, reserve the right to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or may covenant to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or any part thereof prior to the Stated Maturity thereof at such time and on such terms as provided for in such Securities. If a Series of Securities is redeemable and the Company wants or is obligated to redeem prior to the Stated Maturity thereof all or part of the Series of Securities pursuant to the terms of such Securities, it shall notify the Trustee of the redemption date and the principal amount of Series of Securities to be redeemed. The Company shall give the notice at least 45 days before the redemption date (or such shorter notice as may be acceptable to the Trustee).
 
Section 3.2 Selection of Securities to be Redeemed.
 
          Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate, if less than all the Securities of a Series are to be redeemed, the Trustee shall select the Securities of the Series to be redeemed in any manner that the Trustee deems fair and appropriate. The Trustee shall make the selection from Securities of the Series outstanding not previously called for redemption. The Trustee may select for redemption portions of the principal of Securities of the Series that have denominations larger than $2,000. Securities of the Series and portions of them it selects shall be in amounts of $2,000 or whole multiples of $2,000 or, with respect to Securities of any Series issuable in other denominations pursuant to Section 2.2.10, the minimum principal denomination for each Series and integral multiples thereof. Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Securities of a Series called for redemption also apply to portions of Securities of that Series called for redemption.
 
Section 3.3 Notice of Redemption.
 
          Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate, at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, the Company shall mail a notice of redemption by first-class mail to each Holder whose Securities are to be redeemed.
 
          The notice shall identify the Securities of the Series to be redeemed and shall state:

   (a)
the redemption date;

   (b)
the redemption price;

   (c)
the name and address of the Paying Agent;

   (d)
that Securities of the Series called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price;

 
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   (e)
that interest on Securities of the Series called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date; and

   (f)
any other information as may be required by the terms of the particular Series or the Securities of a Series being redeemed.
 
          At the Company’s request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Company’s name and at its expense.
 
Section 3.4 Effect of Notice of Redemption.
 
          Once notice of redemption is mailed or published as provided in Section 3.3, Securities of a Series called for redemption become due and payable on the redemption date and at the redemption price. A notice of redemption may not be conditional. Upon surrender to the Paying Agent, such Securities shall be paid at the redemption price plus accrued interest to the redemption date.
 
Section 3.5 Deposit of Redemption Price.
 
          On or before the redemption date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued interest, if any, on all Securities to be redeemed on that date.
 
Section 3.6 Securities Redeemed in Part.
 
          Upon surrender of a Security that is redeemed in part, the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder a new Security of the same Series and the same maturity equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Security surrendered.
 
ARTICLE IV.
COVENANTS
 
Section 4.1 Payment of Principal and Interest.
 
          The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of each Series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of that Series in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture.
 
Section 4.2 SEC Reports.
 
          The Company shall deliver to the Trustee within 15 days after it files them with the SEC copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents, and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the SEC may by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company is required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. The Company also shall comply with the other provisions of TIA Section 314(a).
 
Section 4.3 Compliance Certificate.
 
          The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, an Officers’ Certificate stating that a review of the activities of the Company and its Subsidiaries during the preceding fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the signing Officers with a view to determining whether the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture, and further stating, as to each such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of his knowledge the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled each and every covenant contained in this Indenture and is not in default in the performance or observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions hereof (or, if a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred, describing all such Defaults or Events of Default of which he may have knowledge).

 
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          The Company will, so long as any of the Securities are outstanding, deliver to the Trustee, forthwith upon becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, an Officers’ Certificate specifying such Default or Event of Default and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.
 
Section 4.4 Stay, Extension and Usury Laws.
 
          The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture or the Securities; and the Company (to the extent it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law has been enacted.
 
Section 4.5 Corporate Existence.
 
          Subject to Article V, the Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence and the corporate, partnership or other existence of each Significant Subsidiary in accordance with the respective organizational documents of each Significant Subsidiary and the rights (charter and statutory), licenses and franchises of the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to preserve any such right, license or franchise, or the corporate, partnership or other existence of any Significant Subsidiary, if the Board of Directors shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole and that the loss thereof is not adverse in any material respect to the Holders.
 
Section 4.6 Taxes.
 
          The Company shall, and shall cause each of its Significant Subsidiaries to, pay prior to delinquency all taxes, assessments and governmental levies, except as contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings.
 
ARTICLE V.
SUCCESSORS
 
Section 5.1 When Company May Merge, Etc.
 
          The Company shall not consolidate with or merge into, or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its properties and assets to, any person (a “successor person”), and may not permit any person to merge into, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to, the Company, unless:

   (a)
the successor person (if any) is a corporation, partnership, trust or other entity organized and validly existing under the laws of any U.S. domestic jurisdiction and in a subsequent indenture expressly assumes the Company’s obligations on the Securities and under this Indenture and

   (b)
immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Default or Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing.
 
          The Company shall deliver to the Trustee prior to the consummation of the proposed transaction an Officers’ Certificate to the foregoing effect and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the proposed transaction and such supplemental indenture comply with this Indenture.
 
Section 5.2 Successor Corporation Substituted.
 
          Upon any consolidation or merger, or any sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company in accordance with Section 5.1, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into or with which the Company is merged or to which such sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor person has been named as the Company herein; provided, however, that the predecessor Company in the case of a sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition shall not be released from the obligation to pay the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities.

 
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ARTICLE VI.
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES
 
Section 6.1 Events of Default.
 
          “Event of Default,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any Series, means any one of the following events, unless in the establishing Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate, it is provided that such Series shall not have the benefit of said Event of Default:

   (a)
default in the payment of any interest on any Security of that Series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (unless the entire amount of such payment is deposited by the Company with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent prior to the expiration of such period of 30 days); or

   (b)
default in the payment of the principal of any Security of that Series at its Maturity; or

   (c)
default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, when and as due in respect of any Security of that Series; or

   (d)
default in the performance or breach of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty that has been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of Series of Securities other than that Series), which default continues uncured for a period of 90 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

   (e)
the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:

 
(i)
commences a voluntary case,

(ii)
consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,

(iii)
consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property,

(iv)
makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, or

(v)
generally is unable to pay its debts as the same become due; or

   (f)
a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:

 
(i)
is for relief against the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries in an involuntary case,

(ii)
appoints a Custodian of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or for all or substantially all of its property, or

(iii)
orders the liquidation of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries, and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 days; or

 
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   (g)
any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that Series, which is specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate, in accordance with Section 2.2.19.
 
          The term “Bankruptcy Law” means title 11, U.S. Code or any similar Federal or State law for the relief of debtors. The term “Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
 
Section 6.2 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.
 
If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any Series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing (other than an Event of Default referred to in Section 6.1(e) or (f) ) then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series may declare the principal amount (or, if any Securities of that Series are Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such Securities) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all of the Securities of that Series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or specified amount) and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(e) or (f) shall occur, the principal amount (or specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding Securities shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.
 
          At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to any Series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if:

   (a)
the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay

 
(i)
all overdue interest, if any, on all Securities of that Series,

(ii)
the principal of any Securities of that Series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities,

(iii)
to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest upon any overdue principal and overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and

(iv)
all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel; and

   (b)
all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that Series, other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities of that Series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 6.13.
 
          No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
 
Section 6.3 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.
 
          The Company covenants that if

   (a)
default is made in the payment of any interest on any Security when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

   (b)
default is made in the payment of principal of any Security at the Maturity thereof, or
 
 
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   (c)
default is made in the deposit of any sinking fund payment when and as due by the terms of a Security, then, the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal or any overdue interest, at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.
 
          If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities and collect the moneys adjudged or deemed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities, wherever situated.
 
          If an Event of Default with respect to any Securities of any Series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such Series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.
 
Section 6.4 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.
 
          In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

   (a)
to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

   (b)
to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same, and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.7.
 
          Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.
 
Section 6.5 Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities.
 
          All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

 
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Section 6.6 Application of Money Collected.
 
          Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal or interest, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:
 
          First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.7; and
 
          Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and interest on the Securities in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest, respectively; and
 
          Third: To the Company.
 
Section 6.7 Limitation on Suits.
 
          No Holder of any Security of any Series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

   (a)
such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that Series;

   (b)
the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

   (c)
such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee reasonable indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

   (d)
the Trustee for 90 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

   (e)
no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 90-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series; it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.
 
Section 6.8 Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest.
 
          Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on such Security on the Stated Maturity or Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.
 
Section 6.9 Restoration of Rights and Remedies.
 
          If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

 
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Section 6.10 Rights and Remedies Cumulative.
 
          Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in Section 2.8, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.
 
Section 6.11 Delay or Omission Not Waiver.
 
          No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.
 
Section 6.12 Control by Holders.
 
          The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such Series, provided that

   (a)
such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture,

   (b)
the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and

   (c)
subject to the provisions of Section 6.1, the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, determine that the proceeding so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability.
 
Section 6.13 Waiver of Past Defaults.
 
          Subject to Section 6.2, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such Series waive any past Default hereunder with respect to such Series and its consequences, except a Default in the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security of such Series (provided, however, that the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration). Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
 
Section 6.14 Undertaking for Costs.
 
          All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Company, to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security on or after the Stated Maturity or Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date).

 
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ARTICLE VII.
TRUSTEE
 
Section 7.1 Duties of Trustee.

 
   (a)
If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a prudent man would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.

 
   (b)
Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:

(i)
The Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others.

(ii)
In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon Officers’ Certificates or Opinions of Counsel furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; however, in the case of any such Officers’ Certificates or Opinions of Counsel which by any provisions hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine such Officers’ Certificates and Opinions of Counsel to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture.

   (c)
The Trustee may not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:

(i)
This paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section.

(ii)
The Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts.

(iii)
 The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it with respect to Securities of any Series in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such Series.

(d)
Every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraph (a), (b) and (c) of this Section.

(e)
The Trustee may refuse to perform any duty or exercise any right or power unless it receives indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.

(f)
The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

(g)
No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk is not reasonably assured to it.

 
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(h)
The Paying Agent, the Registrar and any authenticating agent shall be entitled to the protections and immunities as are set forth in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section with respect to the Trustee.
 
Section 7.2 Rights of Trustee.

 
    (a)
The Trustee may rely on and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.

 
    (b)
Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers’ Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel.

 
    (c)
The Trustee may act through agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed with due care. No Depository shall be deemed an agent of the Trustee and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any act or omission by any Depository.

 
    (d)
The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers.

 
    (e)
The Trustee may consult with counsel and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon.

 
    (f)
The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.
 
Section 7.3 Individual Rights of Trustee.
 
          The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and may otherwise deal with the Company or an Affiliate with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Agent may do the same with like rights. The Trustee is also subject to Sections 7.10 and 7.11.
 
Section 7.4 Trustee’s Disclaimer.
 
          The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Securities, it shall not be accountable for the Company’s use of the proceeds from the Securities, and it shall not be responsible for any statement in the Securities other than its authentication.
 
Section 7.5 Notice of Defaults.
 
          If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Securities of any Series and if it is known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to each Securityholder of the Securities of that Series notice of a Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs or, if later, after a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has knowledge of such Default or Event of Default. Except in the case of a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal of or interest on any Security of any Series, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as its corporate trust committee or a committee of its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of Securityholders of that Series.

 
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Section 7.6 Reports by Trustee to Holders.
 
          Within 60 days after May 15 in each year, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Securityholders, as their names and addresses appear on the register kept by the Registrar, a brief report dated as of such May 15, in accordance with, and to the extent required under, TIA Section 313.
 
          A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to Securityholders of any Series shall be filed with the SEC and each stock exchange on which the Securities of that Series are listed. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee when Securities of any Series are listed on any stock exchange.
 
Section 7.7 Compensation and Indemnity.
 
          The Company shall pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for its services. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by it. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel.
 
          The Company shall indemnify the Trustee (including the cost of defending itself) against any loss, liability or expense incurred by it except as set forth in the next paragraph in the performance of its duties under this Indenture as Trustee or Agent. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. The Company shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense. The Trustee may have separate counsel and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. This indemnification shall apply to officers, directors, employees, shareholders and agents of the Trustee.
 
          The Company need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss or liability incurred by the Trustee or by any officer, director, employee, shareholder or agent of the Trustee through negligence or bad faith.
 
          To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any Series on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except that held in trust to pay principal and interest on particular Securities of that Series.
 
          When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(e) or (f) occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.
 
Section 7.8 Replacement of Trustee.
 
          A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee shall become effective only upon the successor Trustee’s acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section.
 
          The Trustee may resign with respect to the Securities of one or more Series by so notifying the Company. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of any Series may remove the Trustee with respect to that Series by so notifying the Trustee and the Company. The Company may remove the Trustee with respect to Securities of one or more Series if:

  (a)
the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10;

  (b)
the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee under any Bankruptcy Law;

  (c)
a Custodian or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or

  (d)
the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.
 
          If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee. Within one year after the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Securities may appoint a successor Trustee to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Company.

 
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          If a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any one or more Series does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Company or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Securities of the applicable Series may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
 
          If the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any one or more Series fails to comply with Section 7.10, any Securityholder of the applicable Series may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.
 
          A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Immediately after that, the retiring Trustee shall transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.7, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee with respect to each Series of Securities for which it is acting as Trustee under this Indenture. A successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to each Securityholder of each such Series. Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.8, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.7 hereof shall continue for the benefit of the retiring trustee with respect to expenses and liabilities incurred by it prior to such replacement.
 
Section 7.9 Successor Trustee by Merger, etc.
 
          If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation, the successor corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee.
 
Section 7.10 Eligibility; Disqualification.
 
          This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIA Section 310(a) (1), (2) and (5). The Trustee shall always have a combined capital and surplus of at least $25,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition. The Trustee shall comply with TIA Section 310(b).
 
Section 7.11 Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company.
 
          The Trustee is subject to TIA Section 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA Section 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA Section 311(a) to the extent indicated.
 
ARTICLE VIII.
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE
 
Section 8.1 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.
 
          This Indenture shall upon Company Order cease to be of further effect (except as hereinafter provided in this Section 8.1), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when

  (a)
either

(i)
all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than Securities that have been destroyed, lost or stolen and that have been replaced or paid) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

(ii)
all such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation

 
(1)
   have become due and payable, or

 
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(2)
will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

(3)
are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company, or

(4)
are deemed paid and discharged pursuant to Section 8.3, as applicable; and the Company, in the case of (1), (2) or (3) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust an amount sufficient for the purpose of paying and discharging the entire indebtedness on such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable on or prior to the date of such deposit) or to the Stated Maturity or redemption date, as the case may be;

  (b)
the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company; and

  (c)
the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied with.
 
          Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 7.7, and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to clause (a) of this Section, the provisions of Sections 2.4, 2.7, 2.8, 8.1, 8.2 and 8.5 shall survive.
 
Section 8.2 Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification .

  (a)
Subject to the provisions of Section 8.5, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.1, all money and U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.3 or 8.4 and all money received by the Trustee in respect of U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.3 or 8.4, shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the persons entitled thereto, of the principal and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with or received by the Trustee or to make mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments as contemplated by Sections 8.3 or 8.4.

  (b)
The Company shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Sections 8.3 or 8.4 or the interest and principal received in respect of such obligations other than any payable by or on behalf of Holders.

  (c)
The Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money held by it as provided in Sections 8.3 or 8.4 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are then in excess of the amount thereof which then would have been required to be deposited for the purpose for which such U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money were deposited or received. This provision shall not authorize the sale by the Trustee of any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations held under this Indenture.

 
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Section 8.3 Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series.
 
          Unless this Section 8.3 is otherwise specified, pursuant to Section 2.2.21, to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the outstanding Securities of such Series on the 91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (c)(i) hereof, and the provisions of this Indenture, as it relates to such outstanding Securities of such Series, shall no longer be in effect (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall, at Company Request, execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except as to:

  (a)
the rights of Holders of Securities of such Series to receive, from the trust funds described in subparagraph (d) hereof, (i) payment of the principal of and each installment of principal of and interest on the outstanding Securities of such Series on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (ii) the benefit of any mandatory sinking fund payments applicable to the Securities of such Series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and the Securities of such Series;

  (b)
the provisions of Sections 2.4, 2.7, 2.8, 8.2, 8.3 and 8.5; and

  (c)
the rights, powers, trust and immunities of the Trustee hereunder; provided that, the following conditions shall have been satisfied:

 
  (i)
the Company shall have deposited or caused to be deposited irrevocably with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for and dedicated solely to the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (A) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars (or such other money or currencies as shall then be legal tender in the United States) and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (B) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof, in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal (including mandatory sinking fund or analogous payments) of and interest, if any, on all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of interest or principal are due;

  (ii)
such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;

  (iii)
no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 91st day after such date;

  (iv)
the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (A) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (B) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred;
 
  (v)
the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring the Holders of the Securities of such Series over any other creditors of the company or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company;
 
 
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  (vi)
such deposit shall not result in the trust arising from such deposit constituting an investment company (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended), or such trust shall be qualified under such Act or exempt from regulation thereunder; and

  (vi)
the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with.
 
Section 8.4 Covenant Defeasance.
 
          Unless this Section 8.4 is otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.2.21 to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, on and after the 91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (a) hereof, the Company may omit to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth under Sections 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, and 5.1 as well as any additional covenants contained in a supplemental indenture hereto for a particular Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2.21 (and the failure to comply with any such covenants shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default under Section 6.1) and the occurrence of any event described in clause (e) of Section 6.1 shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default hereunder, with respect to the Securities of such Series, provided that the following conditions shall have been satisfied:

  (a)
With reference to this Section 8.4, the Company has deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited (except as provided in Section 8.2(c) ) with the Trustee as trust funds in trust, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars (or such other money or currencies as shall then be legal tender in the United States) and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof, in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay principal and interest, if any, on and any mandatory sinking fund in respect of the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of interest or principal are due;

  (b)
Such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;

  (c)
No Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 91st day after such date;

  (d)
the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel confirming that Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred;

  (e)
the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring the Holders of the Securities of such Series over any other creditors of the Company or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company; and

 
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  (f)
The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with.
 
Section 8.5 Repayment to Company.
 
          The Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Company upon request any money held by them for the payment of principal and interest that remains unclaimed for two years. After that, Securityholders entitled to the money must look to the Company for payment as general creditors unless an applicable abandoned property law designates another person.
 
Section 8.6 Reinstatement.
 
          If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with Sections 8.1, 8.3 or 8.4, as the case may be, by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 8.1, 8.3 or 8.4, as the case may be, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with Section 8.1, 8.3 or 8.4, as the case may be; provided, however, that if the Company makes any payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Securities because of reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.
 
ARTICLE IX.
AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS
 
Section 9.1 Without Consent of Holders.
 
          The Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series without the consent of any Securityholder:

  (a)
to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;

  (b)
to comply with Article V;

  (c)
to provide for uncertificated Securities in addition to or in place of certificated Securities;

  (d)
to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Securityholder;

  (e)
to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of Securities of any Series as permitted by this Indenture;

  (f)
to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more Series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee; or

  (g)
to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA.

 
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Section 9.2 With Consent of Holders.
 
          The Company and the Trustee may enter into a supplemental indenture with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each Series affected by such supplemental indenture (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series), for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Securityholders of each such Series. Except as provided in Section 6.13, the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each Series affected by such waiver by notice to the Trustee (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series) may waive compliance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the Securities with respect to such Series.
 
          It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders of Securities under this Section 9.2 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof. After a supplemental indenture or waiver under this Section becomes effective, the Company shall mail to the Holders of Securities affected thereby a notice briefly describing the supplemental indenture or waiver. Any failure by the Company to mail such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture or waiver.
 
Section 9.3 Limitations.
 
          Without the consent of each Securityholder affected, an amendment or waiver may not:

  (a)
change the amount of Securities whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

  (b)
reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including default interest) on any Security;

  (c)
reduce the principal or change the Stated Maturity of any Security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation;

  (d)
reduce the principal amount of Discount Securities payable upon acceleration of the maturity thereof;

  (e)
waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security (except a rescission of acceleration of the Securities of any Series by the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

  (f)
make the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security payable in any currency other than that stated in the Security;

  (g)
make any change in Sections 6.8, 6.13, 9.3 (this sentence), 10.15 or 10.16; or

  (h)
waive a redemption payment with respect to any Security or change any of the provisions with respect to the redemption of any Securities.
 
Section 9.4 Compliance with Trust Indenture Act.
 
          Every amendment to this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series shall be set forth in a supplemental indenture hereto that complies with the TIA as then in effect.
 
Section 9.5 Revocation and Effect of Consents.
 
          Until an amendment or waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Security is a continuing consent by the Holder and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Security. However, any such Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent as to his Security or portion of a Security if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date the amendment or waiver becomes effective.

 
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          Any amendment or waiver once effective shall bind every Securityholder of each Series affected by such amendment or waiver unless it is of the type described in any of clauses (a) through (g) of Section 9.3. In that case, the amendment or waiver shall bind each Holder of a Security who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security.
 
Section 9.6 Notation on or Exchange of Securities.
 
          The Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment or waiver on any Security of any Series thereafter authenticated. The Company in exchange for Securities of that Series may issue and the Trustee shall authenticate upon request new Securities of that Series that reflect the amendment or waiver.
 
Section 9.7 Trustee Protected.
 
          In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 7.1) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee shall sign all supplemental indentures, except that the Trustee need not sign any supplemental indenture that adversely affects its rights.
 
ARTICLE X.
MISCELLANEOUS
 
Section 10.1 Trust Indenture Act Controls.
 
          If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies, or conflicts with another provision which is required or deemed to be included in this Indenture by the TIA, such required or deemed provision shall control.
 
Section 10.2 Notices.
 
          Any notice or communication by the Company or the Trustee to the other is duly given if in writing and delivered in person or mailed by first-class
 
          if to the Company:
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
1180 Avenue of the Americas, 19th Floor
New York, NY  10036
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
 
          if to the Trustee:
[Name of Trustee]
[Address]
Attention:
 
          The Company or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.
 
          Any notice or communication to a Securityholder shall be mailed by first-class mail to his address shown on the register kept by the Registrar. Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Securityholder of any Series or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Securityholders of that or any other Series.
 
          If a notice or communication is mailed in the manner provided above, within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the Securityholder receives it.

 
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          If the Company mails a notice or communication to Securityholders, it shall mail a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.
 
Section 10.3 Communication by Holders with Other Holders.
 
          Securityholders of any Series may communicate pursuant to TIA Section 312(b) with other Securityholders of that Series or any other Series with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Securities of that Series or all Series. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA Section 312(c).
 
Section 10.4 Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.
 
          Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee:

  (a)
an Officers’ Certificate stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and

  (b)
an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.
 
Section 10.5 Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.
 
          Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to TIA Section 314(a) (4)) shall comply with the provisions of TIA Section 314(e) and shall include:

  (a)
a statement that the person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;

  (b)
a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

  (c)
a statement that, in the opinion of such person, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

  (d)
a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
 
Section 10.6 Rules by Trustee and Agents.
 
          The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or a meeting of Securityholders of one or more Series. Any Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions.
 
Section 10.7 Legal Holidays.
 
          Unless otherwise provided by Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture for a particular Series, a “Legal Holiday” is any day that is not a Business Day. If a payment date is a Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment may be made at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period.
 
Section 10.8 No Recourse Against Others.
 
          A director, officer, employee or stockholder, as such, of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Securities or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. Each Securityholder by accepting a Security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.

 
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Section 10.9 Counterparts.
 
          This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
 
Section 10.10 Governing Laws.
 
          THIS INDENTURE AND THE SECURITIES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED IN SUCH STATE, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICT OF LAWS PROVISIONS THEREOF.
 
Section 10.11 No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.
 
          This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture, loan or debt agreement of the Company or a Subsidiary. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.
 
Section 10.12 Successors.
 
          All agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Securities shall bind its successor. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successor.
 
Section 10.13 Severability.
 
          In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
 
Section 10.14 Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.
 
          The Table of Contents, Cross Reference Table, and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part hereof, and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.
 
Section 10.15 Securities in a Foreign Currency or in ECU.
 
          Unless otherwise specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 of this Indenture with respect to a particular Series of Securities, whenever for purposes of this Indenture any action may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of Securities of all Series or all Series affected by a particular action at the time outstanding and, at such time, there are outstanding Securities of any Series which are denominated in a coin or currency other than Dollars (including ECUs), then the principal amount of Securities of such Series which shall be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of taking such action shall be that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount at the Market Exchange Rate at such time. For purposes of this Section 10.15, “Market Exchange Rate” shall mean the noon Dollar buying rate in New York City for cable transfers of that currency as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York; provided, however, in the case of ECUs, Market Exchange Rate shall mean the rate of exchange determined by the Commission of the European Union (or any successor thereto) as published in the Official Journal of the European Union (such publication or any successor publication, the “Journal”). If such Market Exchange Rate is not available for any reason with respect to such currency, the Trustee shall use, in its sole discretion and without liability on its part, such quotation of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or, in the case of ECUs, the rate of exchange as published in the Journal, as of the most recent available date, or quotations or, in the case of ECUs, rates of exchange from one or more major banks in The City of New York or in the country of issue of the currency in question or, in the case of ECUs, in Luxembourg or such other quotations or, in the case of ECUs, rates of exchange as the Trustee, upon consultation with the Company, shall deem appropriate. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply in determining the equivalent principal amount in respect of Securities of a Series denominated in currency other than Dollars in connection with any action taken by Holders of Securities pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.

 
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          All decisions and determinations of the Trustee regarding the Market Exchange Rate or any alternative determination provided for in the preceding paragraph shall be in its sole discretion and shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive to the extent permitted by law for all purposes and irrevocably binding upon the Company and all Holders.
 
Section 10.16 Judgment Currency.
 
          The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of or interest or other amount on the Securities of any Series (the “Required Currency”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “Judgment Currency”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered, unless such day is not a New York Banking Day, then, the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with Subsection (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable, and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “New York Banking Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.
 
ARTICLE XI.
SINKING FUNDS
 
Section 11.1 Applicability of Article.
 
          The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of the Securities of a Series, except as otherwise permitted or required by any form of Security of such Series issued pursuant to this Indenture.
 
          The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of the Securities of any Series is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment” and any other amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such Series is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment.” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any Series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 11.2. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any Series as provided for by the terms of the Securities of such Series.
 
 
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Section 11.2 Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities.
 
          The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any Series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (1) deliver outstanding Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable (other than any of such Securities previously called for mandatory sinking fund redemption) and (2) apply as credit Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable and which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Series of Securities (except pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund) or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments or other optional redemptions pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received by the Trustee, together with an Officers’ Certificate with respect thereto, not later than 15 days prior to the date on which the Trustee begins the process of selecting Securities for redemption, and shall be credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 11.2, the principal amount of Securities of such Series to be redeemed in order to exhaust the aforesaid cash payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such Series for redemption, except upon receipt of a Company Order that such action be taken, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall from time to time upon receipt of a Company Order pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that Series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment required to be released to the Company.
 
Section 11.3 Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund.
 
          Not less than 45 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate in respect of a particular Series of Securities) prior to each sinking fund payment date for any Series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that Series pursuant to the terms of that Series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that Series pursuant to Section 11.2, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 30 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture in respect of a particular Series of Securities) before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 3.2 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 3.3. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6.
 
[INCLUDE ARTICLE XII FOR SUBORDINATED SECURITIES:
 
ARTICLE XII.
SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES
 
Section 12.1 Agreement of Subordination.
 
          The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of Securities issued hereunder by his acceptance thereof likewise covenants and agrees, that all Securities shall be issued subject to the provisions of this Article XII; and each Person holding any Security, whether upon original issue or upon transfer, assignment or exchange thereof, accepts and agrees to be bound by such provisions.
 
          The payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on all Securities (including, but not limited to, the redemption price with respect to the Securities called for redemption in accordance with Article 3 as provided in the Indenture) issued hereunder shall, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth, be subordinated and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, whether outstanding at the date of this Indenture or thereafter incurred.
 
          No provision of this Article XII shall prevent the occurrence of any default or Event of Default hereunder.
 
Section 12.2 Payments to Holders.
 
          No payment shall be made with respect to the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on the Securities (including, but not limited to, the redemption price with respect to the Securities to be called for redemption in accordance with Article III as provided in the Indenture), except payments and distributions made by the Trustee as permitted by the first or second paragraph of Section 12.5, if:

 
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(i)
a default in the payment of principal, premium, interest, rent or other obligations due on any Senior Indebtedness occurs and is continuing (or, in the case of Senior Indebtedness for which there is a period of grace, in the event of such a default that continues beyond the period of grace, if any, specified in the instrument or lease evidencing such Senior Indebtedness), unless and until such default shall have been cured or waived or shall have ceased to exist; or

(ii)
a default, other than a payment default, on a Designated Senior Indebtedness occurs and is continuing that then permits holders of such Designated Senior Indebtedness to accelerate its maturity and the Trustee receives a notice of the default (a “Payment Blockage Notice”) from a Representative or the Company.
 
          Upon any payment by the Company, or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to creditors upon any dissolution or winding-up or liquidation or reorganization of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary or in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other proceedings, all amounts due or to become due upon all Senior Indebtedness shall first be paid in full in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, or payment thereof in accordance with its terms provided for in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, before any payment is made on account of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Securities (except payments made pursuant to Article VI from monies deposited with the Trustee pursuant thereto prior to commencement of proceedings for such dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization); and upon any such dissolution or winding-up or liquidation or reorganization of the Company or bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other proceeding, any payment by the Company, or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to which the Holders of the Securities or the Trustee would be entitled, except for the provision of this Article XII, shall (except as aforesaid) be paid by the Company or by any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, or by the Holders of the Securities or by the Trustee under this Indenture if received by them or it, directly to the holders of Senior Indebtedness (pro rata to such holders on the basis of the respective amounts of Senior Indebtedness held by such holders, or as otherwise required by law or a court order) or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing any Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, to the extent necessary to pay all Senior Indebtedness in full, in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of Senior Indebtedness, before any payment or distribution or provision therefor is made to the Holders of the Securities or to the Trustee.
 
          For purposes of this Article XII, the words, “cash, property or securities” shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which is subordinated at least to the extent provided in this Article XII with respect to the Securities to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness which may at the time be outstanding; provided that (i) the Senior Indebtedness is assumed by the new corporation, if any, resulting from any reorganization or readjustment, and (ii) the rights of the holders of Senior Indebtedness (other than leases which are not assumed by the Company or the new corporation, as the case may be) are not, without the consent of such holders, altered by such reorganization or readjustment. The consolidation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another corporation or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance or transfer of its property as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to another corporation upon the terms and conditions provided for in Article V shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this Section 12.2 if such other corporation shall, as a part of such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions stated in Article V.

 
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          In the event of the acceleration of the Securities because of an Event of Default, no payment or distribution shall be made to the Trustee or any Holder of Securities in respect of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Securities (including, but not limited to, the redemption price with respect to the Securities called for redemption in accordance with Article 3 as provided in the Indenture), except payments and distributions made by the Trustee as permitted by the first or second paragraph of Section 12.5, until all Senior Indebtedness has been paid in full in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of Senior Indebtedness or such acceleration is rescinded in accordance with the terms of this Indenture. If payment of the Securities is accelerated because of an Event of Default, the Company shall promptly notify holders of Senior Indebtedness of the acceleration at the address set forth in the notice from the Agent (or successor agent) to the Trustee as being the address to which the Trustee should send its notice pursuant to this Section 12.2, unless there are no payment obligations of the Company thereunder and all obligations thereunder to extend credit have been terminated or expired.
 
          In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities (including, without limitation, by way of setoff or otherwise), prohibited by the foregoing, shall be received by the Trustee or the Holders of the Securities before all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, or provision is made for such payment thereof in accordance with its terms in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, such payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit of and shall be paid over or delivered to the holders of Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing any Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, as calculated by the Company, for application to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay all Senior Indebtedness in full in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.
 
          Nothing in this Section 12.2 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 7.7. This Section 12.2 shall be subject to the further provisions of Section 12.5.
 
Section 12.3 Subrogation of Securities.
 
          Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, the rights of the Holders of the Securities shall be subrogated to the extent of the payments or distributions made to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness pursuant to the provisions of this Article XII (equally and ratably with the holders of all indebtedness of the Company which by its express terms is subordinated to other indebtedness of the Company to substantially the same extent as the Securities are subordinated and is entitled to like rights of subrogation) to the rights of the holders of Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company applicable to the Senior Indebtedness until the principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Securities shall be paid in full; and, for the purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of the Senior Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the Holders of the Securities or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article XII, and no payment over pursuant to the provisions of this Article XII, to or for the benefit of the holders of Senior Indebtedness by Holders of the Securities or the Trustee, shall, as between the Company, its creditors other than holders of Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders of the Securities, be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of the Senior Indebtedness; and no payments or distributions of cash, property or securities to or for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities pursuant to the subrogation provisions of this Article XII, which would otherwise have been paid to the holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or for the account of the Securities. It is understood that the provisions of this Article XII are and are intended solely for the purposes of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities, on the one hand, and the holders of the Senior Indebtedness, on the other hand.
 
          Nothing contained in this Article XII or elsewhere in this Indenture or in the Securities is intended to or shall impair, as among the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders of the Securities, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the Holders of the Securities the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Securities as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is intended to or shall affect the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities and creditors of the Company other than the holders of the Senior Indebtedness, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Security from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article XII of the holders of Senior Indebtedness in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company received upon the exercise of any such remedy.

 
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          Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article XII, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 7.1, and the Holders of the Securities shall be entitled to rely upon any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such bankruptcy, dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings are pending, or a certificate of the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities, for the purpose of ascertaining the persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of the Senior Indebtedness and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article XII.
 
Section 12.4 Authorization to Effect Subordination.
 
          Each Holder of a Security by the holder’s acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee on the holder’s behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination as provided in this Article XII and appoints the Trustee to act as the holder’s attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes. If the Trustee does not file a proper proof of claim or proof of debt in the form required in any proceeding referred to in Section 6.3 hereof at least 30 days before the expiration of the time to file such claim, the holders of any Senior Indebtedness or their representatives are hereby authorized to file an appropriate claim for and on behalf of the Holders of the Securities.
 
Section 12.5 Notice to Trustee.
 
          The Company shall give prompt written notice in the form of an Officers’ Certificate to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and to any paying agent of any fact known to the Company which would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee or any paying agent in respect of the Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Article XII. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article XII or any other provision of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts which would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Article XII, unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof at the Corporate Trust Office from the Company (in the form of an Officers’ Certificate) or a Representative or a holder or holders of Senior Indebtedness or from any trustee thereof; and before the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 7.1, shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided that if on a date not fewer than two Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any such monies may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on any Security) the Trustee shall not have received, with respect to such monies, the notice provided for in this Section 12.5, then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such monies and to apply the same to the purpose for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be received by it on or after such prior date.
 
          Notwithstanding anything in this Article XII to the contrary, nothing shall prevent any payment by the Trustee to the Holders of monies deposited with it pursuant to Section 8.1, and any such payment shall not be subject to the provisions of Section 12.1 or 12.2.
 
          The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 7.1, shall be entitled to rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Representative or a person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness (or a trustee on behalf of such holder) to establish that such notice has been given by a Representative or a holder of Senior Indebtedness or a trustee on behalf of any such holder or holders. In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any person as a holder of Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article XII, the Trustee may request such person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of Senior Indebtedness held by such person, the extent to which such person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such person under this Article XII, and if such evidence is not furnished the Trustee may defer any payment to such person pending judicial determination as to the right of such person to receive such payment.

 
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Section 12.6 Trustee’s Relation to Senior Indebtedness.
 
          The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article XII in respect of any Senior Indebtedness at any time held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of Senior Indebtedness, and nothing in Section 7.11 or elsewhere in this Indenture shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.
 
          With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article XII, and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior Indebtedness and, subject to the provisions of Section 7.1, the Trustee shall not be liable to any holder of Senior Indebtedness if it shall pay over or deliver to Holders of Securities, the Company or any other person money or assets to which any holder of Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article XII or otherwise.
 
Section 12.7 No Impairment of Subordination.
 
          No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any noncompliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof which any such holder may have or otherwise be charged with.
 
Section 12.8 Article Applicable to Paying Agents.
 
          If at any time any Paying Agent other than the Trustee shall have been appointed by the Company and be then acting hereunder, the term “Trustee” as used in this Article shall (unless the context otherwise requires) be construed as extending to and including such Paying Agent within its meaning as fully for all intents and purposes as if such Paying Agent were named in this Article in addition to or in place of the Trustee; provided, however, that the first paragraph of Section 12.5 shall not apply to the Company or any Affiliate of the Company if it or such Affiliate acts as Paying Agent.
 
Section 12.9 Senior Indebtedness Entitled to Rely.
 
          The holders of Senior Indebtedness (including, without limitation, Designated Senior Indebtedness) shall have the right to rely upon this Article XII, and no amendment or modification of the provisions contained herein shall diminish the rights of such holders unless such holders shall have agreed in writing thereto.
END ARTICLE XII, INCLUDED FOR SUBORDINATED SECURITIES.]
 
          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
   
   
   
ZIOPHARM ONCOLOGY, INC.  
   
   
   
By:
  
   
Name:
 
   
Its:
 
   
   
   
[Name of Trustee]  
   
   
   
By:
  
   
Name:
 
   
Its:
 
 
 
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Unassociated Document
Exhibit 5.1

April 30, 2010
 
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
1180 Avenue of the Americas, 19th Floor
New York, New York 10036

Re: Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”)

Ladies and Gentlemen:
 
We have acted as counsel to ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with their filing on April 30, 2010 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) of a registration statement on Form S-3 (as amended, the “Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), pertaining to the registration of securities for sale from time to time. This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement (both as herein defined) other than as to (i) the enforceability of the Agreements, the Debt Securities and the Warrants (each as herein defined) and (ii) the validity of the shares of the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock (both as herein defined).

You have provided us with a draft of the Registration Statement in the form in which it will be filed, which includes the prospectus (the “Prospectus”). The Prospectus provides that it will be supplemented in the future by one or more supplements to the Prospectus (each, a “Prospectus Supplement”). The Prospectus, as supplemented by various Prospectus Supplements, will provide for the registration by the Company of (i) one or more series of debt securities (the “Debt Securities”), (ii) shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), (iii) shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”) and (iv) warrants to purchase Common Stock, Preferred Stock or Debt Securities (the “Warrants”), or any combination of the foregoing (collectively, the “Securities”), for an aggregate initial offering price of up to $100,000,000. Any Debt Securities may be exchangeable for and/or convertible into shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock or into other securities. The Preferred Stock may also be convertible into shares of Common Stock or another series of Preferred Stock or into other securities. The Debt Securities may be issued pursuant to an indenture by and between the Company and a financial institution to be identified therein as trustee (the “Trustee”) in the form filed as Exhibit 4.8 to the Registration Statement, as such indenture may be supplemented from time to time (the “Indenture”). The Warrants may be issued under one or more warrants and warrant agreements in the forms to be incorporated by reference as Exhibits 4.9 and 4.10 to the Registration Statement (each, a “Warrant Agreement”) between the Company and, if applicable, a bank or trust company to be identified therein as warrant agent (each, a “Warrant Agent”). The Indenture and the Warrant Agreements are herein collectively called the “Agreements.”

For the purposes of this opinion, we have assumed that such proceedings to be taken in the future will be timely completed in the manner presently proposed and that the terms of each issuance will otherwise be in compliance with law. As counsel to the Company, we have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as we have considered appropriate for purposes of this letter. With your consent, we have relied upon the foregoing and upon certificates and other assurances of officers of the Company and others as to factual matters without having independently verified such factual matters.

 
 

 

ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
April 30, 2010
Page 2

We are opining herein as to the effect on the subject transaction only of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and we express no opinion with respect to the applicability thereto, or the effect thereon, of the laws of any other jurisdiction or, in the case of Delaware, any other laws, or as to any matters of municipal law or the laws of any local agencies within any state. With respect to our opinion in Paragraph 1 relating to the enforceability of the Indenture, the form of which is by its terms governed by the laws of the State of New York, we have assumed without investigation or review that the internal law of the State of New York is identical to the internal law of the State of Delaware.

Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that as of the date hereof:

1.   When (i) the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Trustee, (ii) the Debt Securities have been duly authorized and duly established in accordance with the Indenture and applicable law (including, without limitation, by the adoption by the Board of Directors of the Company of a resolution duly authorizing the issuance and delivery of the Debt Securities) (the “Debt Securities Authorization”), duly authenticated by the Trustee and duly executed and delivered on behalf of the Company against payment therefor in accordance with the terms and provisions of the Indenture and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and the Debt Securities Authorization, and assuming that (a) the terms of the Debt Securities as executed and delivered are as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and the Debt Securities Authorization, (b) the Debt Securities as executed and delivered do not violate any law applicable to the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company, (c) the Debt Securities as executed and delivered comply with all requirements and restrictions, if any, applicable to the Company, whether imposed by any court or governmental or regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Company or otherwise, and (d) the Debt Securities are then issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and the Debt Securities Authorization, the Debt Securities (including any Debt Securities duly issued (i) upon the exchange or conversion of any Debt Securities that are exchangeable or convertible into another series of Debt Securities or (ii) upon the exercise of any Warrants pursuant to the terms thereof that are exercisable for the purchase of Debt Securities) will constitute legally valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

2.   When (i) a form of certificate representing the shares of Preferred Stock has been duly adopted by resolution of the Board of Directors and certificates in such form have been executed, countersigned, registered and delivered, (ii) a series of Preferred Stock has been duly established in accordance with the terms of the Company’s certificate of incorporation (the “ Certificate of Incorporation ”), and applicable law, and upon adoption by the Board of Directors of the Company of a resolution in form and content as required by applicable law authorizing the issuance of such shares and upon issuance and delivery of and payment of legal consideration not less than the par value thereof, and assuming that (a) the terms of such shares as issued and delivered are as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and such resolution, (b) at the time of issuance of such shares, the Company has a sufficient number of authorized but unissued shares under the Certificate of Incorporation, (c) such shares as issued and delivered comply with all requirements and restrictions, if any, applicable to the Company, whether imposed by any court or governmental or regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Company or otherwise and (d) such shares are then issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and such resolution, such shares of such series of Preferred Stock (including any Preferred Stock duly issued (i) upon the exchange or conversion of any shares of Preferred Stock that are exchangeable or convertible into another series of Preferred Stock, (ii) upon the exercise of any Warrants pursuant to the terms thereof that are exercisable for the purchase of Preferred Stock or (iii) upon the exchange or conversion of Debt Securities that are exchangeable or convertible into Preferred Stock) will be validly issued, fully-paid and nonassessable.

 
 

 

ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
April 30, 2010
Page 3

3.   Upon adoption by the Board of Directors of the Company of a resolution in form and content as required by applicable law authorizing the issuance of shares of Common Stock and upon issuance and delivery of and payment of legal consideration not less than the par value thereof for certificates representing the shares of Common Stock in the form of the specimen certificate incorporated by reference as Exhibit 4.5 to the Registration Statement being duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered, and assuming that (i) at the time of issuance of such shares, the Company has a sufficient number of authorized but unissued shares under the Certificate of Incorporation, (ii) such shares as issued and delivered comply with all requirements and restrictions, if any, applicable to the Company, whether imposed by any court or governmental or regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Company or otherwise and (iii) such shares are then issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the related Prospectus Supplement(s) and such resolution, such shares of Common Stock (including any Common Stock duly issued (a) upon the exchange or conversion of any shares of Preferred Stock that are exchangeable or convertible into Common Stock, (b) upon the exercise of any Warrants pursuant to the terms thereof that are exercisable for the purchase of Common Stock or (c) upon the exchange or conversion of Debt Securities that are exchangeable or convertible into Common Stock) will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

4.   When (i) the applicable Warrant Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Warrant Agent, (ii) the Warrants have been duly authorized and duly established in accordance with the terms of the Warrant Agreement and applicable law (including, without limitation, by the adoption by the Board of Directors of the Company of a resolution duly authorizing the issuance and delivery of the Warrants) (the “ Warrant Authorization ”) and (iii) the Warrants have been duly executed, authenticated and/or countersigned in accordance with the Warrant Agreement relating to such Warrants and delivered on behalf of the Company against payment therefor (which, in the case of Warrants for Common Stock or Preferred Stock, shall consist of legal consideration not less than the par value of such shares) as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the related Prospectus Supplement(s) and the Warrant Authorization, and assuming that (a) the terms of the Warrants as executed and delivered are as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the related Prospectus Supplement(s) and the Warrant Authorization, (b) the Warrants as executed and delivered do not violate any law applicable to the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company, (c) the Warrants as executed and delivered comply with all requirements and restrictions, if any, applicable to the Company, whether imposed by any court or governmental or regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Company or otherwise and (d) the Warrants are then issued and sold as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the related Prospectus Supplement(s) and the Warrant Authorization, the Warrant Agreement and the Warrants will constitute legally valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

 
 

 

ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
April 30, 2010
Page 4

5.   When the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Trustee, and assuming that (i) the Indenture does not violate any law applicable to the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company, and (ii) the Indenture complies with all requirements and restrictions, if any, applicable to the Company, whether imposed by any court or governmental or regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Company or otherwise, the Indenture will constitute the legally valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms.
 
Our opinions are subject to: (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, preference, fraudulent transfer, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors; (ii) the effects of general principles of equity, whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law (including the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief), concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and the discretion of the court before which a proceeding is brought; and (iii) the invalidity under certain circumstances under law or court decisions of provisions for the indemnification of or contribution to a party with respect to a liability where such indemnification or contribution is contrary to public policy; and we express no opinion with respect to (a) consents to, or restrictions upon, governing law, jurisdiction, venue, arbitration, remedies or judicial relief; (b) advance waivers of claims, defenses, rights granted by law, or notice, opportunity for hearing, evidentiary requirements, statutes of limitation, trial by jury or at law, or other procedural rights; (c) waivers of broadly or vaguely stated rights; (d) covenants not to compete; (e) provisions for exclusivity, election or cumulation of rights or remedies; (f) provisions authorizing or validating conclusive or discretionary determinations; (g) grants of setoff rights; (h) provisions to the effect that a guarantor is liable as a primary obligor, and not as a surety; (i) provisions for the payment of attorneys’ fees where such payment is contrary to law or public policy; (j) proxies, powers and trusts; (k) provisions prohibiting, restricting, or requiring consent to assignment or transfer of any right or property; (l) provisions for liquidated damages, default interest, late charges, monetary penalties, make-whole premiums or other economic remedies to the extent such provisions are deemed to constitute a penalty; and (m) the severability, if invalid, of provisions to the foregoing effect.

In addition, we express no opinion with respect to (i) whether acceleration of the Debt Securities may affect the collectibility of that portion of the stated principal amount thereof that might be determined to constitute unearned interest thereon, (ii) compliance with laws relating to permissible rates of interest, (iii) the creation, validity, perfection or priority of any security interest, mortgage, or lien, or (iv) any provision to the extent it requires any party to indemnify any other person against loss in obtaining the currency due following a court judgment in another currency.

We have not been requested to express and, with your consent, do not render any opinion as to the applicability to the obligations of the Company under the Indenture or the Debt Securities of Sections 547 and 548 of the United States Bankruptcy Code or applicable state law relating to preferences and fraudulent transfers and obligations.

With your consent, we have assumed for purposes of this opinion that (i) each of the parties to the Agreements, the Debt Securities and the Warrants other than the Company (a) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; (b) has the requisite power and authority to execute and deliver and to perform its obligations under each of the Agreements, the Debt Securities and the Warrants to which it is a party; and (c) has duly authorized, executed and delivered each such Agreement, Debt Security and Warrant; (ii) that the Agreements, the Debt Securities and the Warrants will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and constitute legally valid and binding obligations of, the parties thereto and will be, other than as to the Company, enforceable against it in accordance with their respective terms; and (iii) that the status of the Agreements, the Debt Securities and the Warrants as legally valid and binding obligations of the respective parties thereto will not be affected by any (a) breaches of, or defaults under, agreements or instruments, (b) violations of statutes, rules, regulations or court or governmental orders, or (c) failures to obtain required consents, approvals or authorizations from, or make required registrations, declarations or filings with, governmental authorities.

 
 

 

ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
April 30, 2010
Page 5

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name in the Prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement under the caption “Legal Matters.” In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 
Very truly yours,
   
 
/s/ Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP
 
 
 

 
 

Exhibit 12.1
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
 
   
Fiscal Year Ended December 31,
   
Three Months
Ended
March 31,
 
$ In Thousands, Except Ratio
 
2005
   
2006
   
2007
   
2008
   
2009
   
2010
 
Fixed charges:
                                   
Interest Expense
  $ -     $ -     $ -     $ -     $ -     $ -  
Amortized premiums discounts and capitalized expenses related to indebtedness
    -       -       -       -       -       -  
    $ -     $ -     $ -     $ -     $ -     $ -  
                                                 
Earnings (loss):
                                               
Net income (loss) before tax benefit (provision)
  $ (9,517 )   $ (17,857 )   $ (26,608 )   $ (25,231 )   $ (7,649 )   $ (17,653 )
Add fixed charges
    -       -       -       -       -       -  
    $ (9,517 )   $ (17,857 )   $ (26,608 )   $ (25,231 )   $ (7,649 )   $ (17,653 )
                                                 
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges
    -       -       -       -       -       -  
                                                 
Deficiency of earnings to fixed charges
  $ (9,517 )   $ (17,857 )   $ (26,608 )   $ (25,231 )   $ (7,649 )   $ (17,653 )
 
 
 

 
 
 
Exhibit 23.1
 
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

As independent registered public accountants, we hereby consent to the use of the report of Caturano and Company, P.C dated March 17, 2010 relating to the financial statements of ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. as of December 31, 2009 and 2008, and for each of the three years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2009 and from September 9, 2003 (date of inception) through December 31, 2009 (which report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes an explanatory paragraph relating to the change in the manner in which the Company accounts for certain warrants), and to all references to our Firm included in or made part of this Registration Statement on Form S-3.

/s/ Caturano and Company, P.C.
April 29, 2010