Purdue Pharma

What Purdue Pharma does

Purdue Pharma L.P. was a privately held, U.S.-domiciled pharmaceutical company headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, that developed, manufactured, and marketed prescription medications and consumer health products. Founded in 1952 and controlled for decades by the Sackler family, the company became widely known for its opioid analgesic franchise, most notably OxyContin (launched 1996), which became one of the most prescribed opioid pain medications in the United States. Purdue also operated wholly-owned subsidiaries spanning biopharmaceutical R&D (Imbrium Therapeutics L.P.), CNS therapeutics (Adlon Therapeutics L.P.), biotech ventures (Greenfield BioVentures L.P.), and additional pharmaceutical product lines (Rhodes Pharmaceuticals L.P. and Purdue Pharmaceuticals L.P.). The company maintained a pre-dissolution workforce of 5,001–10,000 employees and distributed medicines through traditional pharmaceutical channels targeting pharmacies, hospitals, and healthcare providers.

The company's technology base centered on small-molecule drug development and formulation, with proprietary R&D concentrated in opioid analgesics, oncology, and CNS therapeutics. Its most notable pipeline asset at dissolution was tinostamustine, an investigational agent with dual mechanisms of action being evaluated in a registrational-intent Phase 2/3 adaptive platform trial (GBM AGILE) for glioblastoma in partnership with the Global Coalition for Adaptive Research (GCAR). As a prescription pharmaceutical manufacturer, Purdue derived revenue from drug sales through insurance providers, pharmacy benefit managers, and government healthcare programs, though specific pricing and revenue figures were never publicly disclosed.

Following its 2019 Chapter 11 filing, 2020 federal guilty plea, and 2026 sentencing to $5.5 billion in fines and forfeiture, Purdue permanently ceased operations on May 1, 2026 under a $7.4 billion bankruptcy settlement. The Sackler family contributed up to $7 billion over 15 years and relinquished all ownership in exchange for legal protections. The company's operations and remaining assets transitioned to Knoa Pharma LLC, a nonprofit entity owned by the Knoa Foundation, which will distribute former Purdue medicines at or below cost with a mandate focused on opioid abatement, overdose reversal agents, and opioid use disorder treatments.

Name

Purdue Pharma

Legal name

Purdue Pharma L.P.

Website

https://purduepharma.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Purdue Pharma L.P. was a privately held U.S. pharmaceutical company that developed and marketed prescription medicines, notably the opioid analgesic OxyContin, until ceasing operations on May 1, 2026, when it was replaced by nonprofit successor Knoa Pharma LLC focused on opioid abatement.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceuticals

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Pain Management & Anesthesiology Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Neurology & CNS Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAC), Neurology & Psychiatry (CNS) Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAF)

Keywords

• Prescription pharmaceuticals
• Opioid analgesics
• Pain management
• Oncology drug development
• Pharmaceutical manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Stamford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Purdue Pharma developed, manufactured, and marketed prescription medicines, primarily opioid analgesics anchored by OxyContin for managing severe pain, alongside a pipeline of CNS and oncology therapeutics (including the investigational glioblastoma agent tinostamustine). The company also operated several wholly-owned subsidiaries focused on biopharmaceutical research, CNS therapeutics, and bioventures. Following the May 1, 2026 dissolution, successor Knoa Pharma LLC distributes the former Purdue medicines, focusing on overdose reversal agents and opioid use disorder treatments at or below cost.

Product overview

Purdue Pharma L.P. was a pharmaceutical company that developed and marketed prescription medicines, primarily opioid analgesics. The company's flagship product was OxyContin. As of May 1, 2026, Purdue Pharma permanently ceased operations following a $7.4 billion bankruptcy settlement related to opioid litigation. The company operated several subsidiaries including Imbrium Therapeutics L.P., Adlon Therapeutics L.P., Greenfield BioVentures L.P., Rhodes Pharmaceuticals L.P., and Purdue Pharmaceuticals L.P. Prior to dissolution, Purdue was developing tinostamustine, an investigational agent for glioblastoma through clinical trials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OxyContin Opioid analgesic medication for managing severe pain; Purdue Pharma's flagship branded prescription product that became one of the most prescribed opioid pain medications in the United States and the subject of extensive federal and civil litigation.
• Tinostamustine Investigational pharmaceutical agent with dual mechanisms of action being developed as a potential first-in-class treatment for glioblastoma; currently in registrational-intent Phase 2/3 evaluation through the GBM AGILE adaptive platform trial.

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Global Coalition for Adaptive Research (GCAR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2026GCAR and Purdue Pharma L.P. announced the initiation of clinical evaluation of tinostamustine in the GBM AGILE trial, an international adaptive platform trial for patients with glioblastoma. The trial aims to assess the drug's effectiveness for newly diagnosed and recurrent glioblastoma, with a focus on innovative treatment approaches. Tinostamustine is a drug with dual mechanisms of action being developed as a potential first-in-class treatment for aggressive brain cancer.

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Endo International: Specialty pharmaceutical company historically concentrated in opioid pain management and CNS therapeutics, with overlapping exposure to opioid litigation and generic specialty pharma products. Highly comparable to Purdue's pain/CNS focus and legal trajectory.
• Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals: Specialty pharmaceutical manufacturer with significant exposure to opioid pain products and CNS generics, also pursued bankruptcy restructuring amid opioid litigation. Directly comparable in product portfolio, regulatory exposure, and corporate restructuring profile.
• Indivior: Pharmaceutical company specializing in opioid use disorder treatments including buprenorphine-based therapies. Direct peer to the successor Knoa Pharma's addiction treatment portfolio and overlapping with Purdue's historical opioid franchise.

Broad incumbents

• Teva Pharmaceutical Industries: Large generic and specialty pharmaceutical company with a CNS and pain management portfolio that overlaps with Purdue's product mix. Broader scale and geographic footprint make it a broad incumbent comparable rather than a direct niche competitor.
• Johnson & Johnson: Diversified healthcare conglomerate with significant pharmaceutical operations in pain management and oncology, and one of the other major defendants in the broader opioid litigation landscape. Comparable as a broad incumbent in pharma with overlapping therapeutic categories.
• Allergan (now part of AbbVie): Major pharmaceutical company with CNS and pain management franchises, including legacy opioid product exposure. Comparable as a broad incumbent operating in the same therapeutic categories Purdue served.
• Pfizer: Global pharmaceutical leader with significant CNS and oncology pipelines, including active adaptive platform trial participation. Comparable in scale, R&D intensity, and clinical trial partnerships relevant to the tinostamustine GBM AGILE program.
• Eli Lilly: Major pharmaceutical company with established CNS and pain therapeutic franchises plus a substantial oncology pipeline. Comparable as a broad incumbent with overlapping therapeutic area focus.

Regional players

• Emergent BioSolutions: Specialty biopharmaceutical company focused on opioid overdose reversal products (including naloxone-based treatments) — directly aligned with the successor Knoa Pharma mission of providing overdose reversal agents and opioid use disorder treatments.

Emerging players

• Adapt Pharma (acquired by Emergent): Developer of Narcan (naloxone nasal spray) for opioid overdose reversal; closely aligned with the mission Knoa Pharma has assumed from Purdue. Listed as legacy reference for the overdose reversal therapeutic category.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/purduepharma
• Facebookfacebook.com/216892124997348
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/purdue-pharma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments7 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Purdue Pharma