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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">UNITED STATES</font></div>

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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">FORM 8-K</font></div>

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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">CURRENT REPORT</font></div>

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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><a name="ReportDate"><!--EFPlaceholder--></a>September 27, 2011</font></div>

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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">ACURA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.</font></div>

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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Identification Number)</font></div>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">616 N. North Court, Suite 120</font></div>

<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;Palatine, Illinois 60067</font></div>

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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):</font></div>

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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline;" face="Symbol, serif"><font style="DISPLAY: inline;" face="Wingdings">o<font id="TAB2" style="LETTER-SPACING: 9pt">&#160;&#160;</font></font></font>Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)</font></div>

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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline;" face="Symbol, serif"><font style="DISPLAY: inline;" face="Wingdings">o<font id="TAB2" style="LETTER-SPACING: 9pt">&#160;&#160;</font></font></font>Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17CFR240.14d-<font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 12pt"></font>2(b))</font></div>

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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;" face="Symbol, serif"><font style="DISPLAY: inline;" face="Wingdings">o<font id="TAB2" style="LETTER-SPACING: 9pt">&#160;&#160;</font></font></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17CFR 240.13e-</font><font id="TAB2" style="COLOR: black; LETTER-SPACING: 3pt">&#160;</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">4(c))</font></font></div>

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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>On September 27, 2011 we issued a press release disclosing the issuance by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office of U.S. Patent No. 7,981,439, titled &#8220;Methods and compositions for deterring abuse of drugs susceptible to abuse and dosage forms thereof.&#8221;&#160;&#160;A copy of our press release is being furnished as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.</font></div>

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<div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Press Release dated September 27, 2011 Announcing Issuance of U.S. Patent for Abuse Deterrent Drug Formulations.</font></div>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.</font></div>

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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">ACURA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.</font></font></font></div>
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<td align="left" nowrap valign="top" width="35%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">/s/&#160;<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Peter A. Clemens</font></font></td>
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<td align="left" nowrap valign="bottom" width="35%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Peter A. Clemens</font></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Senior Vice President &amp; Chief Financial Officer</font></font></div>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Date:&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;September 27, 2011</font></div>

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<div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Press Release dated September 27, 2011 Announcing Issuance of U.S. Patent for Abuse Deterrent Drug Formulations.</font></div>
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[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "v235885_8k.htm", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 25398}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "ACURA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC", "cik": "0000786947", "assigned-sic": "2834", "irs-number": "110853640", "state-of-incorporation": "NY", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-10113", "film-number": "111109989"}, "business-address": {"street1": "616 N. NORTH COURT, SUITE 120", "city": "PALATINE", "state": "IL", "zip": "60067", "phone": "847-705-7709"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "616 N. NORTH COURT, SUITE 120", "street2": ".", "city": "PALATINE", "state": "IL", "zip": "60067"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "HALSEY DRUG CO INC/NEW", "date-changed": "19920703"}}
Unassociated Document
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549
____________
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act Of 1934
September 27, 2011
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
___________________________________________________________
ACURA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
___________________________________________________________
State of New York
1-10113
11-0853640
(State of Other Jurisdiction
(Commission File Number)
(I.R.S. Employer
of Incorporation)
Identification Number)
616 N. North Court, Suite 120
Palatine, Illinois 60067
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(847) 705-7709
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
o
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17CFR 240.14a-12)
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17CFR240.14d-
2(b))
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17CFR 240.13e-
4(c))
Item 8.01
Other Events
On September 27, 2011 we issued a press release disclosing the issuance by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office of U.S. Patent No. 7,981,439, titled "Methods and compositions for deterring abuse of drugs susceptible to abuse and dosage forms thereof."  A copy of our press release is being furnished as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits
Exhibit Number
99.1
Description
Press Release dated September 27, 2011 Announcing Issuance of U.S. Patent for Abuse Deterrent Drug Formulations.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
ACURA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
By:
/s/
Peter A. Clemens
Peter A. Clemens
Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Date:           September 27, 2011
Exhibit Number
99.1
Description
Press Release dated September 27, 2011 Announcing Issuance of U.S. Patent for Abuse Deterrent Drug Formulations.