SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

______________________

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): March 27, 2009

PAR PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	File Number 1-10827	22-3122182
(State or other jurisdiction of	(Commission File Number)	(I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)		Identification No.)

300 Tice Boulevard, Woodcliff Lake, NJ	07677
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (201) 802-4000

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:

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 (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 8.01 Other Events.

Par Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc. recently learned that the United States Department of Justice is currently investigating Strativa Pharmaceuticals’ (a division of Par Pharmaceutical, Inc., our wholly owned operating subsidiary) promotional practices in the sales and marketing of Strativa’s brand name product Megace ES®. We were served with a subpoena by the Department of Justice for documents related to Megace ES® and we intend to fully cooperate with the Department of Justice’s inquiry.

Certain statements in this Current Report on Form 8-K constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. To the extent that any statements made in this Current Report on Form 8-K contain information that is not historical, such statements are essentially forward-looking and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties discussed from time to time in our filings with the SEC, including its Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Any forward-looking statements included in this Current Report on Form 8-K are made as of the date hereof only, based on information available to us as of the date hereof, and, subject to any applicable law to the contrary, we assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

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.

Dated as of: March 27, 2009

	PAR PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES, INC.
	(Registrant)



	/s/ Thomas J. Haughey
	Thomas J. Haughey, Executive Vice President,
	Chief Administration Officer and General Counsel