Exhibit 4.1


 


THIS WARRANT AND THE SHARES ISSUABLE HEREUNDER
HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “ACT”), OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF
ANY STATE AND, EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN SECTION 5.3 BELOW, MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED UNLESS AND
UNTIL REGISTERED UNDER SAID ACT AND LAWS OR, IN THE OPINION OF LEGAL COUNSEL IN FORM AND SUBSTANCE SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY,
SUCH OFFER, SALE, PLEDGE OR OTHER TRANSFER IS EXEMPT FROM SUCH REGISTRATION.


 


COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT


 


	Company:	ACURA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC., a New York corporation
	 	 
	Number of Shares:	1,782,531
	 	 
	Type/Series of Stock:	Common Stock
	 	 
	Warrant Price:	$0.528 per share (which represents the average closing price of the Company’s common stock for the previous five days of trading, calculated on the day before the issuance of this Warrant)
	 	 
	Issue Date:	July 24, 2017
	 	 
	Expiration Date:	July 23, 2022


 


THIS WARRANT
CERTIFIES THAT, for good and valuable consideration, ______________ (“Investor” and, together with any
successor or permitted assignee or transferee of this Warrant or of any shares issued upon exercise hereof,
“Holder”) is entitled to purchase the number of fully paid and non-assessable shares (the
“Shares”) of the above-stated Type/Series of Stock (the “Class”) of the above-named
company (the “Company”) at the above-stated Warrant Price, all as set forth above and as adjusted pursuant
to Section 2 of this Warrant, subject to the provisions and upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Warrant.


 


SECTION
1.          EXERCISE.


 


1.1           Method
of Exercise. Holder may at any time and from time to time exercise this Warrant, in whole or in part, by delivering to the
Company the original of this Warrant together with a duly executed Notice of Exercise in substantially the form attached hereto
as Appendix 1 and a check, wire transfer of same-day funds (to an account designated by the Company), or other form of payment
acceptable to the Company for the aggregate Warrant Price for the Shares being purchased.


 


1.2           Fair
Market Value. If the Company’s common stock is then traded or quoted on a nationally recognized securities exchange,
inter-dealer quotation system or over-the-counter market (a “Trading Market”) and the Class is common stock,
the fair market value of a Share shall be the closing price or last sale price of a share of common stock reported for the Business
Day immediately before the date on which Holder delivers this Warrant together with its Notice of Exercise to the Company. If the
Company’s common stock is not traded in a Trading Market, the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine the fair
market value of a Share in its reasonable good faith judgment.


 


1.3           Delivery
of Certificate and New Warrant. Within a reasonable time after Holder exercises this Warrant in the manner set forth in Section
1.1 above, the Company shall deliver to Holder a certificate representing the Shares issued to Holder upon such exercise and, if
this Warrant has not been fully exercised and has not expired, a new warrant of like tenor representing the Shares not so acquired.


 




    	 	1	 



     


    

 


1.4           Replacement
of Warrant. On receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
this Warrant and, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, on delivery of an indemnity agreement reasonably satisfactory in form,
substance and amount to the Company or, in the case of mutilation, on surrender of this Warrant to the Company for cancellation,
the Company shall, within a reasonable time, execute and deliver to Holder, in lieu of this Warrant, a new warrant of like tenor
and amount.


 


1.5           Treatment
of Warrant Upon Acquisition of Company.


 


(a)           Acquisition.
For the purpose of this Warrant, “Acquisition” means any transaction or series of related transactions involving:
(i) the sale, lease, exclusive license, or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (ii) any
merger of the Company into or consolidation of the Company with another person or entity (other than a merger or consolidation
effected exclusively to change the Company’s domicile), or any other corporate reorganization, in which the stockholders
of the Company in their capacity as such immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or reorganization, own less than a majority
of the Company’s (or the surviving or successor entity’s) outstanding voting power immediately after such merger, consolidation
or reorganization (or, if such Company stockholders beneficially own a majority of the outstanding voting power of the surviving
or successor entity as of immediately after such merger, consolidation or reorganization, such surviving or successor entity is
not the Company); or (iii) any sale or other transfer by the stockholders of the Company of shares representing at least a majority
of the Company’s then-total outstanding combined voting power.


 


(b)           Treatment
of Warrant at Acquisition. In the event of an Acquisition in which the consideration to be received by the Company’s
stockholders consists solely of cash, solely of Marketable Securities or a combination of cash and Marketable Securities (a “Cash/Public
Acquisition”), either (i) Holder shall exercise this Warrant pursuant to Section 1.1 and such exercise will be deemed
effective immediately prior to and contingent upon the consummation of such Acquisition or (ii) if Holder elects not to exercise
the Warrant, this Warrant will expire immediately prior to the consummation of such Acquisition.


 


(c)           The
Company shall provide Holder with written notice of its request relating to the Cash/Public Acquisition (together with such reasonable
information as Holder may reasonably require regarding the treatment of this Warrant in connection with such contemplated Cash/Public
Acquisition giving rise to such notice), which is to be delivered to Holder not less than seven (7) Business Days prior to the
closing of the proposed Cash/Public Acquisition.


 


(d)           Upon
the closing of any Acquisition other than a Cash/Public Acquisition defined above, the acquiring, surviving or successor entity
shall assume the obligations of this Warrant, and this Warrant shall thereafter be exercisable for the same securities and/or other
property as would have been paid for the Shares issuable upon exercise of the unexercised portion of this Warrant as if such Shares
were outstanding on and as of the closing of such Acquisition, subject to further adjustment from time to time in accordance with
the provisions of this Warrant.


 


(e)           As
used in this Warrant, “Marketable Securities” means securities meeting all of the following requirements: (i)
the issuer thereof is then subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and is then current in its filing of all required reports and other
information under the Act and the Exchange Act; (ii) the class and series of shares or other security of the issuer that would
be received by Holder in connection with the Acquisition were Holder to exercise this Warrant on or prior to the closing thereof
is then traded in Trading Market, and (iii) following the closing of such Acquisition, Holder would not be restricted from publicly
re-selling all of the issuer’s shares and/or other securities that would be received by Holder in such Acquisition were Holder
to exercise or convert this Warrant in full on or prior to the closing of such Acquisition, except to the extent that any such
restriction (x) arises solely under federal or state securities laws, rules or regulations, and (y) does not extend beyond six
(6) months from the closing of such Acquisition.


 




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SECTION
2.          ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SHARES AND WARRANT PRICE.


 


2.1           Stock
Dividends, Splits, Etc. If the Company declares or pays a dividend or distribution on the outstanding shares of the Class payable
in common stock or other securities or property (other than cash), then upon exercise of this Warrant, for each Share acquired,
Holder shall receive, without additional cost to Holder, the total number and kind of securities and property which Holder would
have received had Holder owned the Shares of record as of the date the dividend or distribution occurred. If the Company subdivides
the outstanding shares of the Class by reclassification or otherwise into a greater number of shares, the number of Shares purchasable
hereunder shall be proportionately increased and the Warrant Price shall be proportionately decreased. If the outstanding shares
of the Class are combined or consolidated, by reclassification or otherwise, into a lesser number of shares, the Warrant Price
shall be proportionately increased and the number of Shares shall be proportionately decreased.


 


2.2           Reclassification,
Exchange, Combinations or Substitution. Upon any event whereby all of the outstanding shares of the Class are reclassified,
exchanged, combined, substituted, or replaced for, into, with or by Company securities of a different class and/or series, then
from and after the consummation of such event, this Warrant will be exercisable for the number, class and series of Company securities
that Holder would have received had the Shares been outstanding on and as of the consummation of such event, and subject to further
adjustment thereafter from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this Warrant. The provisions of this Section 2.2 shall
similarly apply to successive reclassifications, exchanges, combinations substitutions, replacements or other similar events.


 


2.3           Adjustments
for Diluting Issuances. Without duplication of any adjustment otherwise provided for in this Section 2, the number of shares
of common stock issuable upon conversion of the Shares shall be subject to anti-dilution adjustment from time to time in the manner
set forth in the Company’s Articles or Certificate of Incorporation as if the Shares were issued and outstanding on and as
of the date of any such required adjustment.


 


2.4           No
Fractional Share. No fractional Share shall be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant and the number of Shares to be issued
shall be rounded down to the nearest whole Share. If a fractional Share interest arises upon any exercise of the Warrant, the Company
shall eliminate such fractional Share interest by paying Holder in cash the amount computed by multiplying the fractional interest
by (i) the fair market value (as determined in accordance with Section 1.2 above) of a full Share, less (ii) the then-effective
Warrant Price.


 


2.5           Notice/Certificate
as to Adjustments. Upon each adjustment of the Warrant Price, Class and/or number of Shares, the Company, at the Company’s
expense, shall notify Holder in writing within a reasonable time setting forth the adjustments to the Warrant Price, Class and/or
number of Shares and facts upon which such adjustment is based. The Company shall, upon written request from Holder, furnish Holder
with a certificate of its Chief Financial Officer, including computations of such adjustment and the Warrant Price, Class and number
of Shares in effect upon the date of such adjustment.


 


SECTION
3.          REPRESENTATIONS AND COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.


 


3.1           Representations
and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Holder that all Shares which may be issued upon
the exercise of this Warrant, and all securities, if any, issuable upon conversion of the Shares, shall, upon issuance, be duly
authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and free of any liens and encumbrances except for restrictions on transfer
provided for herein or under applicable federal and state securities laws. The Company covenants that it shall at all times cause
to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued capital stock such number of shares of the Class, common stock
and other securities as will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of this Warrant and the conversion of the Shares into
common stock or such other securities.


 


3.2           Notice
of Certain Events. If the Company proposes at any time to:


 


(a)          declare
any dividend or distribution upon the outstanding shares of the Class or common stock, whether in cash, property, stock, or other
securities and whether or not a regular cash dividend;


 




    	 	3	 



     


    

 


(b)           offer
for subscription or sale pro rata to the holders of the outstanding shares of the Class any additional shares of any class or series
of the Company’s stock (other than pursuant to contractual pre-emptive rights);


 


(c)           effect
any reclassification, exchange, combination, substitution, reorganization or recapitalization of the outstanding shares of the
Class; or


 


(d)           effect
an Acquisition or to liquidate, dissolve or wind up;


 


then, in connection with each such event,
the Company shall give Holder:


 


(1)         at
least seven (7) Business Days prior written notice of the date on which a record will be taken for such dividend, distribution,
or subscription rights (and specifying the date on which the holders of outstanding shares of the Class will be entitled thereto)
or for determining rights to vote, if any, in respect of the matters referred to in (a) and (b) above; and


 


(2)         in
the case of the matters referred to in (c) and (d) above at least seven (7) Business Days prior written notice of the date when
the same will take place (and specifying the date on which the holders of outstanding shares of the Class will be entitled to exchange
their shares for the securities or other property deliverable upon the occurrence of such event).


 


SECTION
4.          REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES OF THE HOLDER.


 


The Holder represents
and warrants to the Company as follows:


 


4.1           Purchase
for Own Account. This Warrant and the securities to be acquired upon exercise of this Warrant by Holder are being acquired
for investment for Holder’s account, not as a nominee or agent, and not with a view to the public resale or distribution
within the meaning of the Act. Holder also represents that it has not been formed for the specific purpose of acquiring this Warrant
or the Shares.


 


4.2           Disclosure
of Information. Holder is aware of the Company’s business affairs and financial condition and has received or has had
full access to all the information it considers necessary or appropriate to make an informed investment decision with respect to
the acquisition of this Warrant and its underlying securities. Holder further has had an opportunity to ask questions and receive
answers from the Company regarding the terms and conditions of the offering of this Warrant and its underlying securities and to
obtain additional information (to the extent the Company possessed such information or could acquire it without unreasonable effort
or expense) necessary to verify any information furnished to Holder or to which Holder has access.


 


4.3           Investment
Experience. Holder understands that the purchase of this Warrant and its underlying securities involves substantial risk. Holder
has experience as an investor in securities of companies in the development stage and acknowledges that Holder can bear the economic
risk of such Holder’s investment in this Warrant and its underlying securities and has such knowledge and experience in financial
or business matters that Holder is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of its investment in this Warrant and its underlying
securities and/or has a preexisting personal or business relationship with the Company and certain of its officers, directors or
controlling persons of a nature and duration that enables Holder to be aware of the character, business acumen and financial circumstances
of such persons.


 


4.4           Accredited
Investor Status. Holder is an “accredited investor” within the meaning of Regulation D promulgated under the Act.


 




    	 	4	 



     


    

 


4.5           The
Act. Holder understands that this Warrant and the Shares issuable upon exercise hereof have not been registered under the Act
in reliance upon a specific exemption therefrom, which exemption depends upon, among other things, the bona fide nature of the
Holder’s investment intent as expressed herein. Holder understands that this Warrant and the Shares issued upon any exercise
hereof must be held indefinitely unless subsequently registered under the Act and qualified under applicable state securities laws,
or unless exemption from such registration and qualification are otherwise available. Holder is aware of the provisions of Rule
144 promulgated under the Act.


 


4.6           No
Voting Rights. Holder, as a Holder of this Warrant, will not have any voting rights until the exercise of this Warrant.


 


SECTION
5.          MISCELLANEOUS.


 


5.1           Term.


 


Term.
Subject to the provisions of Section 1.5 above, this Warrant is exercisable in whole or in part at any time and from time to time
on or before 6:00 PM, Eastern time, on the Expiration Date and shall be void thereafter.


 


5.2           Legends.
Each certificate evidencing Shares (and each certificate evidencing the securities issued upon conversion of any Shares, if any)
shall be imprinted with a legend in substantially the following form:


 


THE SHARES EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE
HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “ACT”), OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF
ANY STATE AND, EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN THAT CERTAIN WARRANT TO PURCHASE STOCK ISSUED BY THE ISSUER TO INVESTOR DATED July 24, 2017,
MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED UNLESS AND UNTIL REGISTERED UNDER SAID ACT AND LAWS OR, IN THE OPINION
OF LEGAL COUNSEL IN FORM AND SUBSTANCE SATISFACTORY TO THE ISSUER, SUCH OFFER, SALE, PLEDGE OR OTHER TRANSFER IS EXEMPT FROM SUCH
REGISTRATION.


 


5.3           Compliance
with Securities Laws on Transfer. This Warrant and the Shares issued upon exercise of this Warrant (and the securities issuable,
directly or indirectly, upon conversion of the Shares, if any) may not be transferred or assigned in whole or in part except in
compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws by the transferor and the transferee (including, without limitation,
the delivery of investment representation letters and legal opinions reasonably satisfactory to the Company, as reasonably requested
by the Company). The Company shall not require Holder to provide an opinion of counsel if the transfer is to an affiliate of Holder,
provided that any such transferee is an “accredited investor” as defined in Regulation D promulgated under the Act.
Additionally, the Company shall also not require an opinion of counsel if there is no material question as to the availability
of Rule 144 promulgated under the Act.


 


5.4           Transfer
Procedure. After receipt by Investor of the executed Warrant, Investor may transfer all or part of this Warrant to one or more
of Investor’s affiliates (each, an “Investor Affiliate”), by execution of an Assignment substantially
in the form of Appendix 2. Subject to the provisions of Article 5.3 and upon providing the Company with written notice, Investor,
any such Investor Affiliate and any subsequent Holder, may transfer all or part of this Warrant or the Shares issuable upon exercise
of this Warrant (or the Shares issuable directly or indirectly, upon conversion of the Shares, if any) to any other transferee,
provided, however, in connection with any such transfer, the Investor Affiliate(s) or any subsequent Holder will give the Company
notice of the portion of the Warrant being transferred with the name, address and taxpayer identification number of the transferee
and Holder will surrender this Warrant to the Company for reissuance to the transferee(s) (and Holder if applicable).


 




    	 	5	 



     


    

 


5.5           Notices.
All notices and other communications hereunder from the Company to the Holder, or vice versa, shall be deemed delivered and effective
(i) when given personally, (ii) on the third (3rd) Business Day after being mailed by first-class registered or certified mail,
postage prepaid, (iii) upon actual receipt if given by facsimile or electronic mail and such receipt is confirmed in writing by
the recipient, or (iv) on the first Business Day following delivery to a reliable overnight courier service, courier fee prepaid,
in any case at such address as may have been furnished to the Company or Holder, as the case may be, in writing by the Company
or such Holder from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this Section 5.5. All notices to Holder shall be addressed
as follows until the Company receives notice of a change of address in connection with a transfer or otherwise:


 


______________


______________


______________


Email: ______________


 


Notice to the Company
shall be addressed as follows until Holder receives notice of a change in address:


 


ACURA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.


616 N. North Court, Suite 120


Palatine, Illinois


Attn: Peter A. Clemens


Fax: (847) 705-5399


Email: pclemens@acurapharm.com


 


With a copy (which
shall not constitute notice) to:


 


LeClairRyan


One Riverfront Plaza

1037 Raymond Boulevard


Sixteenth Floor


Newark, New Jersey 07102


Attn: John P. Reilly


Fax: (973) 491-3511


Email: John.Reilly@leclairryan.com


 


5.6           Waiver.
This Warrant and any term hereof may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated (either generally or in a particular instance
and either retroactively or prospectively) only by an instrument in writing signed by the party against which enforcement of such
change, waiver, discharge or termination is sought.


 


5.7           Attorneys’
Fees. In the event of any dispute between the parties concerning the terms and provisions of this Warrant, the party prevailing
in such dispute shall be entitled to collect from the other party all costs incurred in such dispute, including reasonable attorneys’
fees.


 


5.8           Counterparts;
Facsimile/Electronic Signatures. This Warrant may be executed in counterparts, all of which together shall constitute one and
the same agreement. Any signature page delivered electronically or by facsimile shall be binding to the same extent as an original
signature page with regards to any agreement subject to the terms hereof or any amendment thereto.


 


5.9           Governing
Law. This Warrant shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect
to its principles regarding conflicts of law.


 




    	 	6	 



     


    

 


5.10         Headings.
The headings in this Warrant are for purposes of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning of any provision
of this Warrant.


 


5.11         Business
Days. “Business Day” is any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or a day which banks in the State of New
York or Commonwealth of Virginia are closed.


 


[Remainder of page left blank intentionally]


 


[Signature page follows]


 




    	 	7	 



     


    

 


IN WITNESS WHEREOF,
the parties have caused this Warrant to Purchase Stock to be executed by their duly authorized representatives effective as of
the Issue Date written above.


 


	“COMPANY”	 
	 	 
	ACURA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.	 
	 	 
	By:	 	 
	 	 	 
	Name:	 	 
	 	(Print)	 
	 	 	 
	Title:	 	 
	 	 	 
	“HOLDER”	 
	 	 	 
	By:	 	 
	 	 	 
	Name:	  	 
	 	(Print)	 


 


[Signature
Page to Warrant to Purchase Stock-A3]


 




     


     


    

 


APPENDIX 1


 


NOTICE OF EXERCISE


 


1.           The
undersigned Holder hereby exercises its right purchase ___________ shares of the Common Stock of ACURA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. (the
“Company”) in accordance with the attached Warrant To Purchase Stock, and tenders payment of the aggregate Warrant
Price for such shares as follows:


 


		 ̈	check
in the amount of $________ payable to order of the Company enclosed herewith



 


		 ̈	Wire
transfer of immediately available funds to the Company’s account



 


		 ̈	Other
[Describe] __________________________________________



 


2.           Please
issue a certificate or certificates representing the Shares in the name specified below:


 


	 	 	 
	 	Holder’s Name	 
	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	 	(Address)	 


 


3.           By
its execution below and for the benefit of the Company, Holder hereby restates each of the representations and warranties in Section
4 of the Warrant to Purchase Stock as of the date hereof.


 


	 	HOLDER:
	 	 
	 	 
	 	 
	 	By:	 
	 	 	 
	 	Name:	 
	 	 	 
	 	Title:	 
	 	 	 
	 	Date:	 


 


Appendix 1


 




     


     


    

 


APPENDIX 2


 


ASSIGNMENT


 


For value received,
Holder hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto


 


	 	Name:	[HOLDER TRANSFEREE]	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	Address:	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	Tax ID:	 	]


 


that certain Warrant to Purchase
Stock issued by ACURA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. (the “Company”), on [_____] (the “Warrant”) together
with all rights, title and interest therein.


 


	 	 	HOLDER
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	By:	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	Name:	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	Title:	 
	 	 	 	 
	Date:	 	 	 	 


 


By its execution below, and for the benefit
of the Company, [HOLDER TRANSFEREE] makes each of the representations and warranties set forth in Article 4 of the Warrant and
agrees to all other provisions of the Warrant as of the date hereof.


 


	 	 	[HOLDER TRANSFEREE]
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	By:	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	Name:	 
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	Title: 	 	]


 


Schedule 1