<?xml version="1.0"?>
<edgarSubmission>

    <schemaVersion>X0301</schemaVersion>

    <submissionType>D</submissionType>

    <testOrLive>LIVE</testOrLive>

    <primaryIssuer>
        <cik>0000003116</cik>
        <entityName>AKORN INC</entityName>
        <issuerAddress>
            <street1>1925 W. FIELD COURT, SUITE 300</street1>
            <street2></street2>
            <city>LAKE FOREST</city>
            <stateOrCountry>IL</stateOrCountry>
            <zipCode>60045</zipCode>
        </issuerAddress>
        <issuerPhoneNumber>8472796100</issuerPhoneNumber>
        <issuerPreviousNameList>
            <value>None</value>
        </issuerPreviousNameList>
        <jurisdictionOfInc>LA</jurisdictionOfInc>
        <entityType>Corporation</entityType>
        <yearOfInc>
            <overFiveYears>true</overFiveYears>
        </yearOfInc>
    </primaryIssuer>

    <relatedPersonsList>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Jeffrey</firstName>
                <middleName>A.</middleName>
                <lastName>Whitnell</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>1925 W. Field Court, Suite 300</street1>
                <street2></street2>
                <city>Lake Forest</city>
                <stateOrCountry>IL</stateOrCountry>
                <zipCode>60045</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Executive Officer</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Jerry</firstName>
                <middleName>N.</middleName>
                <lastName>Ellis</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>1925 W. Field Court, Suite 300</street1>
                <street2></street2>
                <city>Lake Forest</city>
                <stateOrCountry>IL</stateOrCountry>
                <zipCode>60045</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Director</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Ronald</firstName>
                <middleName>M.</middleName>
                <lastName>Johnson</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>c</street1>
                <street2></street2>
                <city>Lake Forest</city>
                <stateOrCountry>IL</stateOrCountry>
                <zipCode>60045</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Director</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Jerry</firstName>
                <middleName>I.</middleName>
                <lastName>Treppel</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>1925 W. Field Court, Suite 300</street1>
                <street2></street2>
                <city>Lake Forest</city>
                <stateOrCountry>IL</stateOrCountry>
                <zipCode>60045</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Director</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Randall</firstName>
                <middleName></middleName>
                <lastName>Wall</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>1925 W. Field Court, Suite 300</street1>
                <street2></street2>
                <city>Lake Forest</city>
                <stateOrCountry>IL</stateOrCountry>
                <zipCode>60045</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Director</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Subhash</firstName>
                <middleName></middleName>
                <lastName>Kapre</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>1925 W. Field Court, Suite 300</street1>
                <street2></street2>
                <city>Lake Forest</city>
                <stateOrCountry>IL</stateOrCountry>
                <zipCode>60045</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Director</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Abu, Ph.D</firstName>
                <middleName></middleName>
                <lastName>Alam</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>1925 W. Field Court, Suite 300</street1>
                <street2></street2>
                <city>Lake Forest</city>
                <stateOrCountry>IL</stateOrCountry>
                <zipCode>60045</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Executive Officer</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>John</firstName>
                <middleName>R.</middleName>
                <lastName>Sabat</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>1925 W. Field Court, Suite 300</street1>
                <street2></street2>
                <city>Lake Forest</city>
                <stateOrCountry>IL</stateOrCountry>
                <zipCode>60045</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Executive Officer</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Mark</firstName>
                <middleName></middleName>
                <lastName>Silverberg</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>1925 W. Field Court, Suite 300</street1>
                <street2></street2>
                <city>Lake Forest</city>
                <stateOrCountry>IL</stateOrCountry>
                <zipCode>60045</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Executive Officer</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Michael</firstName>
                <middleName>P.</middleName>
                <lastName>Stehn</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>1925 W. Field Court, Suite 300</street1>
                <street2></street2>
                <city>Lake Forest</city>
                <stateOrCountry>IL</stateOrCountry>
                <zipCode>60045</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Executive Officer</relationship>
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            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Sam, Ph.D</firstName>
                <middleName></middleName>
                <lastName>Boddapati</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>1925 W. Field Court, Suite 300</street1>
                <street2></street2>
                <city>Lake Forest</city>
                <stateOrCountry>IL</stateOrCountry>
                <zipCode>60045</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Executive Officer</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Neill</firstName>
                <middleName></middleName>
                <lastName>Shanahan</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>1925 W. Field Court, Suite 300</street1>
                <street2></street2>
                <city>Lake Forest</city>
                <stateOrCountry>IL</stateOrCountry>
                <zipCode>60045</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Executive Officer</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
    </relatedPersonsList>

    <offeringData>
        <industryGroup>
            <industryGroupType>Pharmaceuticals</industryGroupType>
        </industryGroup>
        <issuerSize>
            <revenueRange>$25,000,001 - $100,000,000</revenueRange>
        </issuerSize>
        <federalExemptionsExclusions>
            <item>06</item>
        </federalExemptionsExclusions>
        <typeOfFiling>
            <newOrAmendment>
                <isAmendment>false</isAmendment>
            </newOrAmendment>
            <dateOfFirstSale>
                <value>2009-04-13</value>
            </dateOfFirstSale>
        </typeOfFiling>
        <durationOfOffering>
            <moreThanOneYear>false</moreThanOneYear>
        </durationOfOffering>
        <typesOfSecuritiesOffered>
            <isOptionToAcquireType>true</isOptionToAcquireType>
        </typesOfSecuritiesOffered>
        <businessCombinationTransaction>
            <isBusinessCombinationTransaction>false</isBusinessCombinationTransaction>
            <clarificationOfResponse></clarificationOfResponse>
        </businessCombinationTransaction>
        <minimumInvestmentAccepted>0</minimumInvestmentAccepted>
        <salesCompensationList></salesCompensationList>
        <offeringSalesAmounts>
            <totalOfferingAmount>2152999</totalOfferingAmount>
            <totalAmountSold>0</totalAmountSold>
            <totalRemaining>2152999</totalRemaining>
            <clarificationOfResponse></clarificationOfResponse>
        </offeringSalesAmounts>
        <investors>
            <hasNonAccreditedInvestors>false</hasNonAccreditedInvestors>
            <totalNumberAlreadyInvested>1</totalNumberAlreadyInvested>
        </investors>
        <salesCommissionsFindersFees>
            <salesCommissions>
                <dollarAmount>0</dollarAmount>
            </salesCommissions>
            <findersFees>
                <dollarAmount>0</dollarAmount>
            </findersFees>
            <clarificationOfResponse></clarificationOfResponse>
        </salesCommissionsFindersFees>
        <useOfProceeds>
            <grossProceedsUsed>
                <dollarAmount>0</dollarAmount>
            </grossProceedsUsed>
            <clarificationOfResponse></clarificationOfResponse>
        </useOfProceeds>
        <signatureBlock>
            <authorizedRepresentative>false</authorizedRepresentative>
            <signature>
                <issuerName>AKORN INC</issuerName>
                <signatureName>Jeffrey A. Whitnell</signatureName>
                <nameOfSigner>Jeffrey A. Whitnell</nameOfSigner>
                <signatureTitle>Interim CEO/CFO</signatureTitle>
                <signatureDate>2009-04-28</signatureDate>
            </signature>
        </signatureBlock>
    </offeringData>
</edgarSubmission>
