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

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  January 9, 2012

PACIRA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (973) 254-3560

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

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 (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 Information.

On January 9, 2012, Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing an update on commercial launch and product availability timing for EXPAREL® and that EXPAREL is expected to by commercially available in April 2012.  A copy of the press release is attached as exhibit 99.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits:

SAFE HARBOR FOR FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Any statements in this 8-K about our future expectations, plans and prospects, including statements about EXPAREL’s potential and the expected timing of commercial launch, and other statements containing the words “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including risks relating to: the success of our sales and manufacturing efforts in support of the planned commercial launch of EXPAREL; the rate and degree of market acceptance of EXPAREL; the size and growth of the potential markets for EXPAREL and our ability to serve those markets; our commercialization and marketing capabilities; and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of our final prospectus related to our public offering filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 16, 2011, and in other filings that we periodically make with the SEC. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this 8-K represent our views as of the date of this 8-K. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause our views to change. However, while we may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this 8-K.

2

SIGNATURE

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 hereunto duly authorized.

3