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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>UNITED
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      8-K</strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>CURRENT
      REPORT </strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>Pursuant
      to Section 13 or 15(d) of the</strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>Securities
      Exchange Act Of 1934</strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>May
      24, 2006</strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Date
      of
      Report (Date of earliest event reported)</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>___________________________________________________________</strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 20pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>ACURA
      PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.</strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(Exact
      Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
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            <td width="30%">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><strong><font size="2">State
                of New
                York</font></strong></div>
            </td>
            <td width="5%">&#160;</td>
            <td width="30%">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><strong><font size="2">1-10113</font></strong></div>
            </td>
            <td width="5%">&#160;</td>
            <td width="30%">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><strong><font size="2">11-0853640</font></strong></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr bgcolor="white">
            <td width="30%">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font size="2">(State
                of Other Jurisdiction <br>of
                Incorporation)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td width="5%">&#160;</td>
            <td width="30%">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font size="2">(Commission
                File Number)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td width="5%">&#160;</td>
            <td width="30%">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font size="2">(I.R.S.
                Employer<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;<br>Identification
                Number)</font></font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>616
      N. North Court, Suite 120</strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>Palatine,
      Illinois 60067</strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(Address
      of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>(847)
      705-7709</strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(Registrant&#8217;s
      telephone number, including area code)</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; 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>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><br></div>
    <div>
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          <tr valign="top" style="line-height: 1.25;">
            <td align="left" style="width: 36pt;"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings">o</font></td>
            <td align="left">
              <div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Written
                communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
                CFR
                230.425)</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>

      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><br></div>
    <div>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">

          <tr valign="top" style="line-height: 1.25;">
            <td align="left" style="width: 36pt;"><font face="Wingdings">o</font></td>
            <td align="left">
              <div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Soliciting
                material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
                240.14a-12)</font></div>
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      </table>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><br></div>
    <div>
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              <div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Pre-commencement
                communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17
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                240.14d-</font><font id="TAB2" style="COLOR: black; LETTER-SPACING: 27pt">&#160;</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">2(b))</font></div>
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    <div>
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          <tr valign="top" style="line-height: 1.25;">
            <td align="left" style="width: 36pt;"><font face="Wingdings">o</font></td>
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              <div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">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: 27pt">&#160;</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">4(c))</font><font id="TAB2" style="COLOR: black; LETTER-SPACING: 27pt">&#160;</font></div>
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    </div>
    <div>&#160;</div>
    <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
      <div id="FTR">
        <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left">&#160;</div>
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        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">&#160;</div>
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
          <hr style="COLOR: black" noshade size="2">
        </div>
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      <div id="HDR">
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>Item
      1.01<font id="TAB2" style="LETTER-SPACING: 9pt">&#160;&#160;&#160;</font>&#160;</strong></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>Entry
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">On
      May
      24, 2006, the Registrant amended bridge loan agreements (&#8220;Bridge Loan
      Agreements&#8221;) with Essex Woodlands Health Venture V, L.P., Care Capital
      Investments II, L.P., Care Capital Offshore Investments II, L.P., Galen Partners
      III, L.P., Galen Partners International III, L.P. and Galen Employee Fund III,
      L.P. (collectively, the &#8220;VC Lenders&#8221;) and certain individual lenders dated June
      22, 2005, September 16, 2005, November 9, 2005 and January 31, 2006, under
      which
      the Registrant has borrowed the principal amount of $4.85 million (inclusive
      of
      the May 24, 2006 bridge loan described in Item 8.01 below) to extend the
      maturity date of such bridge loans from June 1, 2006 to September 1, 2006.
      </font></div>
    <div>&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">GCE
      Holdings, LLC, which is controlled by the VC Lenders, beneficially owns
      approximately 78% of the Registrant's outstanding common stock</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">.</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">
      and has
      the right to designate four directors (of which it has exercised the right
      with
      respect to three directors) to the Registrant&#8217;s Board of Directors.
</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>Item
      8.01<font id="TAB2" style="LETTER-SPACING: 9pt">&#160;&#160;&#160;</font>&#160;</strong></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>Other
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">On
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      Agreement dated January 31, 2006 with various lenders.</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>Item
      9.01<font id="TAB2" style="LETTER-SPACING: 9pt">&#160;&#160;&#160;</font>&#160;</strong></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>Financial
      Statements and Exhibits</strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><br></div>
    <div>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">

          <tr valign="top" style="line-height: 1.25;">
            <td align="left" style="width: 108pt;"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong><u>Exhibit
              Number</u></strong><font id="TAB2" style="COLOR: black; LETTER-SPACING: 171pt" size="3">&#160;</font></font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="bottom">
              <div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong><u>Description</u></strong></font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>

      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 180pt; TEXT-INDENT: -180pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><br></div>
    <div>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">

          <tr valign="top" style="line-height: 1.25;">
            <td align="left" style="width: 108pt;"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">10.1</font></td>
            <td align="left">
              <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Omnibus
                Amendment and Consent effective as of May 24, 2006 between the Registrant
                and various lenders.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>

      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 180pt; TEXT-INDENT: -180pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><br></div>
    <div>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">

          <tr valign="top" style="line-height: 1.25;">
            <td align="left" style="width: 108pt;"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">99.1</font></td>
            <td align="left">
              <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Press
                Release dated May 24, 2006 Announcing Receipt of Bridge Funding and
                the
                Extension of the Maturity Date of Outstanding Bridge
                Loans</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>

      </table>
    </div>
    <div>&#160;</div>
    <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
      <div id="FTR">
        <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left">&#160;</div>
      </div>
      <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: always">
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">&#160;</div>
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
          <hr style="COLOR: black" noshade size="2">
        </div>
      </div>
      <div id="HDR">
        <div id="GLHDR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="right">&#160;</div>
      </div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>SIGNATURES</strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; 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>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">
      <table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">

          <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#ffffff">
            <td width="50%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: ">&#160;</font></td>
            <td width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: ">&#160;</font></td>
            <td width="49%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: ">&#160;</font></td>
          </tr>
          <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#ffffff">
            <td><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: ">&#160;</font></td>
            <td colspan="2"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: "><strong>ACURA
              PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.</strong></font></td>
          </tr>
          <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#ffffff">
            <td><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: ">&#160;<br>&#160;</font></td>
            <td><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: ">&#160;<br>&#160;</font></td>
            <td><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: ">&#160;<br>&#160;</font></td>
          </tr>
          <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#ffffff">
            <td>&#160;</td>
            <td><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: ">By:&#160;&#160;</font></td>
            <td><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: ">/s/&#160;Peter
              A.
              Clemens</font></td>
          </tr>
          <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#ffffff">
            <td colspan="2"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: " size="1">&#160;</font></td>
            <td align="left">
              <hr style="COLOR: black" align="left" noshade size="2" width="80%"><font size="2">Peter
              A. Clemens</font></td>
          </tr>
          <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#ffffff">
            <td colspan="2"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: ">&#160;</font></td>
            <td><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: ">Senior
              Vice President &amp; Chief Financial
              Officer</font></td>
          </tr>

      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font size="2">Date:</font><font id="TAB2" style="COLOR: black; LETTER-SPACING: 27pt">&#160;</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">May
      24,
      2006</font><br></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong><u>Exhibit
      Index</u></strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
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            <tr valign="top" style="line-height: 1.25;">
              <td align="left" style="width: 108pt;"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong><u>Exhibit
                Number</u></strong><font id="TAB2" style="COLOR: black; LETTER-SPACING: 171pt" size="3">&#160;</font></font></td>
              <td align="left" valign="bottom">
                <div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong><u>Description</u></strong></font></div>
              </td>
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            <tr valign="top" style="line-height: 1.25;">
              <td align="left" style="width: 108pt;"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">10.1</font></td>
              <td align="left">
                <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Omnibus
                  Amendment and Consent effective as of May 24, 2006 between the
                  Registrant
                  and various lenders.</font></div>
              </td>
            </tr>

        </table>
      </div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 180pt; TEXT-INDENT: -180pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><br></div>
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              <td align="left" style="width: 108pt;"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">99.1</font></td>
              <td align="left">
                <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Press
                  Release dated May 24, 2006 Announcing Receipt of Bridge Funding
                  and the
                  Extension of the Maturity Date of Outstanding Bridge
                  Loans</font></div>
              </td>
            </tr>

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{"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": "06864393"}, "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"}}
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
May
      24, 2006
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
of
                Incorporation)
(Commission
                File Number)
(I.R.S.
                Employer
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 (17 CFR
                240.14a-12)
o
Pre-commencement
                communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17
                CFR
                240.14d-
2(b))
o
Pre-commencement
                communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17CFR
                240.13e-
4(c))
Item
      1.01
Entry
      Into a Material Definitive Agreement
On
      May
      24, 2006, the Registrant amended bridge loan agreements ("Bridge Loan
      Agreements") with Essex Woodlands Health Venture V, L.P., Care Capital
      Investments II, L.P., Care Capital Offshore Investments II, L.P., Galen Partners
      III, L.P., Galen Partners International III, L.P. and Galen Employee Fund III,
      L.P. (collectively, the "VC Lenders") and certain individual lenders dated June
      22, 2005, September 16, 2005, November 9, 2005 and January 31, 2006, under
      which
      the Registrant has borrowed the principal amount of $4.85 million (inclusive
      of
      the May 24, 2006 bridge loan described in Item 8.01 below) to extend the
      maturity date of such bridge loans from June 1, 2006 to September 1, 2006.
GCE
      Holdings, LLC, which is controlled by the VC Lenders, beneficially owns
      approximately 78% of the Registrant's outstanding common stock
.
and has
      the right to designate four directors (of which it has exercised the right
      with
      respect to three directors) to the Registrant's Board of Directors.
Item
      8.01
Other
      Events
On
      May
      24, 2006, the Registrant's borrowed $800,000 pursuant to a certain Bridge Loan
      Agreement dated January 31, 2006 with various lenders.
Item
      9.01
Financial
      Statements and Exhibits
Exhibit
              Number
Description
10.1
Omnibus
                Amendment and Consent effective as of May 24, 2006 between the Registrant
                and various lenders.
99.1
Press
                Release dated May 24, 2006 Announcing Receipt of Bridge Funding and
                the
                Extension of the Maturity Date of Outstanding Bridge
                Loans
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:
May
      24,
      2006
Exhibit
      Index
Exhibit
                Number
Description
10.1
Omnibus
                  Amendment and Consent effective as of May 24, 2006 between the
                  Registrant
                  and various lenders.
99.1
Press
                  Release dated May 24, 2006 Announcing Receipt of Bridge Funding
                  and the
                  Extension of the Maturity Date of Outstanding Bridge
                  Loans