Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
SKELLY WILLIAM G
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ACURA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC [ACUR.OB] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O ACURA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC., 616 N. NORTH COURT		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
10/30/2007
(Street)

PALATINE, IL 60067		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 10/30/2007   M   100,000 A $ 0.36 1,110,000 (1) D  

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Director Stock Option $ 0.36 10/30/2007   M     100,000   (2) 08/12/2014 Common Stock 100,000 (3) 100,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
SKELLY WILLIAM G
C/O ACURA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
616 N. NORTH COURT
PALATINE, IL 60067		   X      

Signatures

 /s/ William Skelly   10/31/2007
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) 1,000,000 of such shares represent Restricted Stock Units. Restricted Stock Units represent rights to an equivalent number of shares of Common Stock of the Issuer. Upon receipt of Common Stock under the Restricted Stock Units, holders of Restricted Stock Units must pay par value ($.01) for each share acquired. Restricted Stock Units vest as follows: 388,889 vested upon issuance and 27,777.77 (2.7778%) of such units vest on the first day of each month beginning March 1, 2006 and ending December 1, 2007. Absent a change of control, 250,000 shares of common stock will be distributed under the Restricted Stock Units (after payment of $.01 par value per share) on January 1st of each 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014. If a change of control occurs (whether prior to or after 2011), one share of common stock will be distributed for each outstanding Restricted Stock Unit (after payment of $.01 per share par value) at or about the time of the change of control.
(2) Options with respect to 150,000 underlying shares vested and became exercisable on 8/12/2004. Options with respect to 50,000 underlying shares vested and became exercisable in four equal quarterly installments commencing on November 12, 2004.
(3) Not Applicable

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