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
December15,
2008
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
5.02
|
Departure
of Directors or Principal Officers, Election of
Directors,
|
|
Appointment
of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain
Officers.
|
(e)
On
December 15, 2008, we awarded cash bonuses for 2008 to the named executive
officers listed below in the amounts provided:
|
Name
|
Title
|
2008
Bonus Awarded
|
|
Andrew
D. Reddick
|
President
and Chief Executive Officer
|
$328,500
|
|
Ron
J. Spivey
|
Senior
Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer
|
$630,000*
|
|
Robert
B. Jones
|
Senior
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
|
$130,500
|
|
Peter
A. Clemens
|
Senior
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
|
$102,500
|
|
James
F. Emigh
|
Vice
President Marketing and Administration
|
$40,000
|
|
Robert
A. Seiser
|
Vice
President, Controller and Treasurer
|
$56,000
|
*
Includes a $315,000 retention bonus to which Dr. Spivey is entitled pursuant to
his Executive Employment Agreement if he remains employed by us through December
31, 2008.
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: December
18, 2008