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  <H5 align="left" style="page-break-before:always"><A HREF="#toc">Table of Contents</A></H5><P>
  <DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">
  
  
  <DIV align="right" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt">As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December&nbsp;18, 2008<BR>
  Registration No.&nbsp;333-<U>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</U>
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 2pt solid black; font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 1pt solid black; font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;</DIV>
  
  
  
  
  <DIV align="center" style="font-size: 14pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>UNITED STATES<BR>
  SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</B>
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="center" style="font-size: 12pt"><B>Washington, D.C. 20549</B>
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="center" style="font-size: 18pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>FORM S-8</B>
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV align="center" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933</B>
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="center" style="font-size: 24pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>CORNERSTONE THERAPEUTICS INC.</B>
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt">(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)</DIV>
  
  
  <DIV align="center">
  <TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
  <!-- Begin Table Head -->
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      <TD width="48%">&nbsp;</TD>
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  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><B>Delaware</B>
  </TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><B>04-3523569</B></TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top">(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
  </TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="top">(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><B>1255 Crescent Green Drive, Suite&nbsp;250<BR>
  Cary, North Carolina</B><BR>
  (Address of Principal Executive Offices)
  </TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><BR>
  <B>27518</B><BR>
  (Zip Code)</TD>
  </TR>
  <!-- End Table Body -->
  </TABLE>
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt">Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. 2005 Stock Option Plan<BR>
  Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. 2005 Stock Incentive Plan<BR>
  (Full title of the Plans)</DIV>
  
  <DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Craig A. Collard<BR>
  President and Chief Executive Officer<BR>
  Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc.<BR>
  1255 Crescent Green Drive, Suite&nbsp;250<BR>
  Cary, North Carolina 27518<BR>
  (919)&nbsp;678-6611</B><BR>
  (Name, address and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)</DIV>
  
  <DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><I>Copies to:</I></DIV>
  
  <DIV align="center">
  <TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
  <!-- Begin Table Head -->
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD width="47%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="47%">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <!-- End Table Head -->
  <!-- Begin Table Body -->
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><B>David B. Clement <BR>
  Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, <BR>
  Mitchell &#038; Jernigan, L.L.P. <BR>
  2500 Wachovia Capitol Center <BR>
  Raleigh, North Carolina 27601<BR>
  (919)&nbsp;821-1220</B>
  </TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><B>Scott B. Townsend, Esq.<BR>
  General Counsel and Executive Vice<BR>
  President of Legal Affairs<BR>
  Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc.<BR>
  1255 Crescent Green Drive, Suite&nbsp;250<BR>
  Cary, North Carolina 27518<BR>
  (919)&nbsp;413-2840</B></TD>
  </TR>
  <!-- End Table Body -->
  </TABLE>
  </DIV>
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">Indicate by check
  mark whether the
  registrant is a
  large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer,  a non-accelerated
  filer, or a
  
  smaller reporting company.
  See the definitions of &#147;large accelerated
  filer,&#148; &#147;accelerated
  filer&#148;
  and &#147;smaller reporting company&#148; in
  Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="center">
  
  <TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
  
  <!-- Begin Table Head -->
  
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      <TD width="22%">&nbsp;</TD>
  
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     <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD>
  
      <TD width="22%">&nbsp;</TD>
  
     <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD>
  
     <TD width="22%">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  
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  <!-- Begin Table Body -->
  
  <TR valign="bottom">
  
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Large accelerated filer
  <FONT face="Wingdings">&#111;</FONT>
  </TD>
  
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  
    <TD align="center" valign="top">Accelerated filer
  <FONT face="Wingdings">&#254;</FONT></TD>
  
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  
      <TD nowrap align="center" valign="top">Non-accelerated filer <FONT face="Wingdings">&#111;</FONT>
  <BR>(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)</TD>
  
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  
      <TD nowrap align="center" valign="top">Smaller reporting company
  <FONT face="Wingdings">&#111;</FONT></TD>
  
  </TR>
  
  <!-- End Table Body -->
  
  </TABLE>
  </DIV>
  
  
  
  <DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 18pt"><B>CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE</B>
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="center">
  <TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
  <!-- Begin Table Head -->
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="37%">&nbsp;</TD>
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      <TD width="13%">&nbsp;</TD>
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      <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="7%">&nbsp;</TD>
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      <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD><!-- VRule -->
      <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
  
      <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR><TR style="font-size: 1px" valign="bottom">
      <TD nowrap align="left" colspan="21" style="border-bottom: 3px double #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
  
      <TD nowrap align="center">Title of securities</TD>
      <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD nowrap align="center">Amount to be</TD>
      <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD nowrap align="center" colspan="3">Proposed maximum offering</TD>
      <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD nowrap align="center" colspan="3">Proposed maximum</TD>
      <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD nowrap align="center" colspan="3">Amount of</TD>
      <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
  
      <TD nowrap align="center">to be registered</TD>
      <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD nowrap align="center">Registered</TD>
      <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD nowrap align="center" colspan="3">price per share</TD>
      <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD nowrap align="center" colspan="3">aggregate offering price</TD>
      <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD nowrap align="center" colspan="3">registration fee</TD>
      <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  
  <!-- End Table Head -->
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      <TD width="1%" style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
                      <TD valign="top" style="border-top: 2px solid #000000"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">Common Stock
  par value $0.001 per share
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000; border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">2,120,517 (1)
  </TD>
      <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000; border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD nowrap align="right" valign="bottom" style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">$</TD>
      <TD align="right" valign="bottom" style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">1.71</TD>
      <TD nowrap valign="bottom" style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;(2)</TD>
      <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000; border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD nowrap align="right" valign="bottom" style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">$</TD>
      <TD align="right" valign="bottom" style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">3,629,917</TD>
      <TD nowrap valign="bottom" style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;(3)</TD>
      <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000; border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD nowrap align="right" valign="bottom" style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">$</TD>
      <TD align="right" valign="bottom" style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">142.66</TD>
      <TD nowrap valign="bottom" style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;(3)</TD>
      <TD width="1%" style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR style="font-size: 1px" valign="bottom">
      <TD nowrap align="left" colspan="21" style="border-top: 3px double #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  
  <!-- End Table Body -->
  </TABLE>
  </DIV>
  
  
  
  <DIV style="margin-top: 3pt">
  <TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">
  <TR>
      <TD width="3%"></TD>
      <TD width="1%"></TD>
      <TD width="96"></TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="top">
      <TD nowrap align="left">(1)</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>Consists of 64,872 shares of Common Stock of Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. (formerly named
  Critical Therapeutics, Inc.) (the &#147;Registrant&#148;) issuable pursuant to assumed options
  previously granted under the Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. 2005 Stock Option Plan, as
  amended and restated effective October&nbsp;31, 2008 (the &#147;2005 Stock Option Plan&#148;), and 2,055,645
  shares of Common Stock of the Registrant issuable pursuant to assumed options previously
  granted under the Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. 2005 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended
  and restated effective October&nbsp;31, 2008 (the &#147;2005 Stock Incentive Plan&#148;), which options were
  assumed by the Registrant pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May&nbsp;1,
  2008, by and among the Registrant, Neptune Acquisition Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of the
  Registrant, and Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc., as more fully described in the
  explanatory note herein. Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
  (the &#147;Securities Act&#148;), this Registration Statement also covers such additional shares of
  Common Stock as may be offered or issued to prevent dilution from stock splits, stock
  dividends and similar transactions.</TD>
  </TR>
  
  <TR style="font-size: 3pt"><TD>&nbsp;</TD></TR>
  
  <TR valign="top">
      <TD nowrap align="left">(2)</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>Represents the weighted-average exercise price of the outstanding options under the 2005
  Stock Option Plan and the 2005 Stock Incentive Plan.</TD>
  </TR>
  
  <TR style="font-size: 3pt"><TD>&nbsp;</TD></TR>
  
  <TR valign="top">
      <TD nowrap align="left">(3)</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule&nbsp;457(h),
  the aggregate offering price and fee have been computed based upon the prices at which the
  options outstanding under the 2005 Stock Option Plan and the 2005 Stock Incentive Plan may be
  exercised.</TD>
  </TR>
  
  </TABLE>
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 1pt solid black; margin-top: 10pt; font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 2pt solid black; font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;</DIV>
  
  
  
  
  
  <P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><!-- Folio -->&nbsp;<!-- /Folio -->
  </DIV>
  
  <!-- PAGEBREAK -->
  <P><HR noshade><P>
  
  <DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  <!-- TOC -->
  <A name="toc"><DIV align="CENTER" style="page-break-before:always"><U><B>TABLE OF CONTENTS</B></U></DIV></A>
  
  <P><CENTER>
  <TABLE border="0" width="90%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
  <TR>
  	<TD width="3%"></TD>
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  	<TD width="76%"></TD>
  </TR>
  <TR><TD colspan="9"><A HREF="#000">PART I</A></TD></TR>
  <TR><TD></TD><TD colspan="8"><A HREF="#001">Item&nbsp;1. Plan Information</A></TD></TR>
  <TR><TD></TD><TD colspan="8"><A HREF="#002">Item&nbsp;2. Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information</A></TD></TR>
  <TR><TD colspan="9"><A HREF="#003">PART II</A></TD></TR>
  <TR><TD colspan="9"><A HREF="#004">Item&nbsp;3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference</A></TD></TR>
  <TR><TD colspan="9"><A HREF="#005">Item&nbsp;4. Description of Securities</A></TD></TR>
  <TR><TD></TD><TD colspan="8"><A HREF="#006">Item&nbsp;5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel</A></TD></TR>
  <TR><TD></TD><TD colspan="8"><A HREF="#007">Item&nbsp;6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers</A></TD></TR>
  <TR><TD></TD><TD colspan="8"><A HREF="#008">Item&nbsp;7. Exemption from Registration Claimed</A></TD></TR>
  <TR><TD></TD><TD colspan="8"><A HREF="#009">Item&nbsp;8. Exhibits</A></TD></TR>
  <TR><TD></TD><TD colspan="8"><A HREF="#010">Item&nbsp;9. Undertakings</A></TD></TR>
  <TR><TD colspan="9"><A HREF="#011">SIGNATURES</A></TD></TR>
  <TR><TD colspan="9"><A HREF="#012">EXHIBIT INDEX</A></TD></TR>
  <TR><TD colspan="9"><A HREF="b73274ctexv5w1.htm">EX-5.1 Opinion of Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan, L.L.P.</A></TD></TR>
  <TR><TD colspan="9"><A HREF="b73274ctexv23w1.htm">EX-23.1 Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.</A></TD></TR>
  <TR><TD colspan="9"><A HREF="b73274ctexv23w2.htm">EX-23.2 Consent of Grant Thornton LLP.LP</A></TD></TR>
  </TABLE>
  </CENTER>
  <!-- /TOC -->
  <P><HR noshade><P>
  <H5 align="left" style="page-break-before:always"><A HREF="#toc">Table of Contents</A></H5><P>
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  <DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 18pt"><B>EXPLANATORY NOTE</B>
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;On May&nbsp;1, 2008, the Registrant, Neptune Acquisition Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of the
  Registrant (the &#147;Transitory Subsidiary&#148;), and Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. (&#147;Cornerstone&#148;)
  entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the &#147;Merger Agreement&#148;). Under the Merger Agreement,
  the Transitory Subsidiary was to be merged with and into Cornerstone (the &#147;Merger&#148;), with
  Cornerstone continuing after the Merger as the surviving corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary
  of the Registrant.
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, on October&nbsp;31, 2008, the effective time of the Merger, each
  outstanding option to purchase shares of Cornerstone common stock, whether vested or unvested, and
  all stock option plans or other stock or equity-related plans of Cornerstone themselves, insofar as
  they relate to outstanding Cornerstone stock options, was assumed by the Registrant and became an
  option to acquire, on the same terms and conditions as were applicable under such Cornerstone stock
  option immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger, such number of shares of the
  Registrant&#146;s common stock as is equal to the number of shares of Cornerstone subject to the
  unexercised portion of such Cornerstone stock option immediately prior to the effective time of the
  merger multiplied by the exchange ratio of 0.2380837 (rounded down to the nearest whole share
  number), at an exercise price per share equal to the exercise price per share of such Cornerstone
  stock option immediately prior to the effective time of the merger divided by the exchange ratio
  (rounded up to the nearest whole cent).
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is being filed by the Registrant to register an
  aggregate of 2,120,517 shares of the Common Stock of the Registrant, par value $0.001 per share,
  underlying options issued under the 2005 Stock Option Plan and the 2005 Stock Incentive Plan. The
  Registrant expects that no future awards will be made under either the 2005 Stock Incentive Plan or
  the 2005 Stock Option Plan, and that any future awards to the Registrant&#146;s employees, officers,
  directors, consultants and advisors will be made under the Registrant&#146;s 2004 Stock Incentive Plan,
  and will be registered pursuant to a Registration Statement relating to such plan, Registration No.
  333-131037, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on January&nbsp;13, 2006.
  </DIV>
  <!-- link1 "PART I" -->
  <DIV align="left"><A NAME="000"></A></DIV>
  
  <DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 18pt"><B>PART I</B>
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV align="Center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt"><B>INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE 10(a) PROSPECTUS</B>
  
  </DIV>
  <!-- link2 "Item&nbsp;1. Plan Information" -->
  <DIV align="left"><A NAME="001"></A></DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Item&nbsp;1. Plan Information.</B>
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The information required by Item&nbsp;1 is included in documents sent or given to participants in
  the plans covered by this registration statement pursuant to Rule&nbsp;428(b)(1) of the Securities Act.
  </DIV>
  <!-- link2 "Item&nbsp;2. Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information" -->
  <DIV align="left"><A NAME="002"></A></DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Item&nbsp;2. Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.</B>
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The written statement required by Item&nbsp;2 is included in documents sent or given to
  participants in the plans covered by this registration statement pursuant to Rule&nbsp;428(b)(1) of the
  Securities Act.
  </DIV>
  <!-- link1 "PART II" -->
  <DIV align="left"><A NAME="003"></A></DIV>
  
  <DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 18pt"><B>PART II</B>
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV align="Center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt"><B>INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT</B>
  
  </DIV>
  <!-- link1 "Item&nbsp;3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference" -->
  <DIV align="left"><A NAME="004"></A></DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Item&nbsp;3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference</B>.
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The following documents filed with the Commission are hereby incorporated by reference in this
  Registration Statement:
  </DIV>
  
  <P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><!-- Folio -->&nbsp;<!-- /Folio -->
  </DIV>
  
  <!-- PAGEBREAK -->
  <P><HR noshade><P>
  <H5 align="left" style="page-break-before:always"><A HREF="#toc">Table of Contents</A></H5><P>
  
  <DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;The Registrant&#146;s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December&nbsp;31, 2007;
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;Amendment No.&nbsp;1 to the Registrant&#146;s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
  December&nbsp;31, 2007, filed with the Commission on April&nbsp;16, 2008;
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)&nbsp;The Registrant&#146;s Registration Statement on Form S-4 and amendments thereto and related
  proxy statement/prospectus containing selected historical consolidated financial information of
  Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. and selected unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial
  information of Critical Therapeutics, Inc. and Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc., filed with the
  Commission on July&nbsp;22, 2008, August&nbsp;28, 2008, September&nbsp;18, 2008, September&nbsp;29, 2008 and October&nbsp;6,
  2008.
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)&nbsp;The Registrant&#146;s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March&nbsp;31, 2008,
  June&nbsp;30, 2008, and September&nbsp;30, 2008;
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e)&nbsp;The Registrant&#146;s Current Reports on Form 8-K/A filed on November&nbsp;14, 2008 and April&nbsp;2,
  2008 and the Registrant&#146;s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on December&nbsp;16, 2008, November&nbsp;5, 2008,
  October&nbsp;31, 2008, October&nbsp;24, 2008, September&nbsp;19, 2008, August&nbsp;14, 2008, July&nbsp;22, 2008, July&nbsp;2,
  2008, June&nbsp;16, 2008, June&nbsp;12, 2008, May&nbsp;20, 2008, May&nbsp;1, 2008, April&nbsp;30, 2008, April&nbsp;22, 2008,
  March&nbsp;6, 2008, February&nbsp;20, 2008, and January&nbsp;18, 2008; and
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f)&nbsp;The description of the Registrant&#146;s Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share, contained in
  the Registrant&#146;s Registration Statement on Form S-4 and amendments thereto and related proxy
  statement/prospectus, filed with the Commission on July&nbsp;22, 2008, August&nbsp;28, 2008, September&nbsp;18,
  2008, September&nbsp;29, 2008 and October&nbsp;6, 2008.
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In addition, all documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections&nbsp;13(a),
  13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the &#147;Exchange Act&#148;), prior
  to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been
  sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated
  by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such
  documents. However, any documents or portions thereof, whether specifically listed above or filed
  in the future, that are not deemed &#147;filed&#148; with the Commission, including without limitation the
  certifications required by Rule&nbsp;13a-14(b) or Rule&nbsp;15d-14(b) under the Exchange Act, any information
  furnished pursuant to Item&nbsp;2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or certain exhibits furnished pursuant to Item
  9.01 of Form 8-K, shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration
  Statement.
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Any statement in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein
  shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for the purposes of this Registration Statement to the
  extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is
  incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such
  statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or
  superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.
  </DIV>
  <!-- link1 "Item&nbsp;4. Description of Securities" -->
  <DIV align="left"><A NAME="005"></A></DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Item&nbsp;4. Description of Securities</B>
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Not applicable.
  </DIV>
  <!-- link2 "Item&nbsp;5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel" -->
  <DIV align="left"><A NAME="006"></A></DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Item&nbsp;5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.</B>
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Not applicable.
  </DIV>
  <!-- link2 "Item&nbsp;6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers" -->
  <DIV align="left"><A NAME="007"></A></DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Item&nbsp;6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.</B>
  </DIV>
  
  
  <P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><!-- Folio -->2<!-- /Folio -->
  </DIV>
  
  <!-- PAGEBREAK -->
  <P><HR noshade><P>
  <H5 align="left" style="page-break-before:always"><A HREF="#toc">Table of Contents</A></H5><P>
  
  <DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">
  
  
  
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Section&nbsp;102 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware allows a corporation to eliminate the
  personal liability of directors of a corporation to the corporation or its stockholders for
  monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached
  his or her duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or
  knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in
  violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit. The Registrant&#146;s
  Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that, except to the extent that the
  General Corporation Law of Delaware prohibits the elimination or limitation of liability of
  directors for breach of fiduciary duty, no director of the Registrant shall be personally liable to
  the Registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a
  director.
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Section&nbsp;145 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware provides that a corporation has the
  power to indemnify a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation and certain other
  persons serving at the request of the corporation in related capacities against amounts paid and
  expenses incurred in connection with an action or proceeding to which such person is or is
  threatened to be made a party by reason of such position, if such person shall have acted in good
  faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests
  of the corporation, and, in any criminal proceeding, if such person had no reasonable cause to
  believe his or her conduct was unlawful; provided that, in the case of actions brought by or in the
  right of the corporation, no indemnification shall be made with respect to any matter as to which
  such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent
  that the adjudicating court determines that such indemnification is proper under the circumstances.
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Registrant&#146;s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that:
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
  <TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">
  
  <TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
      <TD width="2%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="3%" nowrap align="left"><B>&#149;</B></TD>
      <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>The Registrant must indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent
  permitted by Delaware law; and</TD>
  </TR>
  
  <TR>
      <TD style="font-size: 6pt">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR><TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
      <TD width="2%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="3%" nowrap align="left"><B>&#149;</B></TD>
      <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>The Registrant must advance expenses, as incurred, to its directors and executive
  officers in connection with a legal proceeding to the fullest extent permitted by
  Delaware law.</TD>
  </TR>
  
  </TABLE>
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The indemnification provisions contained in the Amended and Restated Certificate of
  Incorporation are not exclusive of any other rights to which a person may be entitled by law,
  agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with Craig A. Collard and Alastair
  McEwan. Among other things, the indemnification agreements require the Registrant to indemnify
  Messrs.&nbsp;Collard and McEwan for expenses incurred by Mr.&nbsp;Collard or Mr.&nbsp;McEwan in connection with
  actions or proceedings in connection with his service as a director, officer, employee, agent or
  fiduciary of the Registrant or of any other enterprise that he is or was serving at the
  Registrant&#146;s express written request. The indemnification agreements also provide for mandatory
  advancement of expenses to Messrs.&nbsp;Collard and McEwan.
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In addition, the Registrant maintains insurance on behalf of its directors and officers
  insuring them against liability asserted against them in their capacities as directors or officers
  or arising out of such status.
  </DIV>
  <!-- link2 "Item&nbsp;7. Exemption from Registration Claimed" -->
  <DIV align="left"><A NAME="008"></A></DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Item&nbsp;7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.</B>
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Not applicable.
  </DIV>
  
  <P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><!-- Folio -->3<!-- /Folio -->
  </DIV>
  
  <!-- PAGEBREAK -->
  <P><HR noshade><P>
  <H5 align="left" style="page-break-before:always"><A HREF="#toc">Table of Contents</A></H5><P>
  
  <DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">
  <!-- link2 "Item&nbsp;8. Exhibits" -->
  <DIV align="left"><A NAME="009"></A></DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Item&nbsp;8. Exhibits.</B>
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="center">
  <TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
  <!-- Begin Table Head -->
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD width="6%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="92%">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">
      <TD nowrap align="left" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>Exhibit No.</B></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD nowrap align="left" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>Description</B></TD>
  </TR>
  
  <!-- End Table Head -->
  <!-- Begin Table Body -->
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">4.1
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant
  (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit&nbsp;3.1 to the Registrant&#146;s Quarterly
  Report on Form&nbsp;10-Q for the quarter ended June&nbsp;30, 2004 (SEC File No.
  000-50767)).</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">4.2
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Amendment to the Registrant&#146;s Certificate of Incorporation, effecting a
  10-to-1 reverse stock split of Critical Therapeutics, Inc.&#146;s common
  stock (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit&nbsp;3.1 to the Registrant&#146;s
  Current Report on Form&nbsp;8-K filed on November&nbsp;5, 2008 (SEC File No.
  000-50767)).</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">4.3
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Amendment to the Registrant&#146;s Certificate of Incorporation, changing
  the name of the corporation from Critical Therapeutics, Inc. to
  Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit&nbsp;3.2
  to the Registrant&#146;s Current Report on Form&nbsp;8-K filed on November&nbsp;5,
  2008 (SEC File No.&nbsp;000-50767)).</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">4.4
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Third Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant (Incorporated by
  reference to Exhibit&nbsp;3.1 to the Registrant&#146;s Current Report on Form&nbsp;8-K
  filed on October&nbsp;5, 2007 (SEC File No.&nbsp;000-50767)).</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">5.1
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Opinion of Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell &#038; Jernigan, L.L.P.</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">23.1
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Consent of Deloitte &#038; Touche LLP.</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">23.2
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Consent of Grant Thornton LLP.</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">23.3
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Consent of Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell &#038; Jernigan,
  L.L.P. (Contained in Exhibit&nbsp;5.1).</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">99.1
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. 2005 Stock Option Plan (as Amended
  and Restated effective October&nbsp;31, 2008) (Incorporated by reference to
  Exhibit&nbsp;10.38 to the Registrant&#146;s Current Report on Form&nbsp;8-K filed on
  November&nbsp;5, 2008 (SEC File No.&nbsp;000-50767)).</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">99.2
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. 2005 Stock Incentive Plan (as
  Amended and Restated effective October&nbsp;31, 2008) (Incorporated by
  reference to Exhibit&nbsp;10.37 to the Registrant&#146;s Current Report on Form
  8-K filed on November&nbsp;5, 2008 (SEC File No.&nbsp;000-50767)).</TD>
  </TR>
  <!-- End Table Body -->
  </TABLE>
  </DIV>
  
  <!-- link2 "Item&nbsp;9. Undertakings" -->
  <DIV align="left"><A NAME="010"></A></DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Item&nbsp;9. Undertakings.</B>
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">(a)&nbsp;The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1)&nbsp;To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective
  amendment to this Registration Statement:
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i)&nbsp;To include any prospectus required by Section&nbsp;10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)&nbsp;To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the
  Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or
  in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration
  Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered
  (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and
  any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in
  the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the
  changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering
  price set forth in the &#147;Calculation of Registration Fee&#148; table in the effective Registration
  Statement;
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii)&nbsp;To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
  previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in
  the Registration Statement.
  </DIV>
  
  
  <P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><!-- Folio -->4<!-- /Folio -->
  </DIV>
  
  <!-- PAGEBREAK -->
  <P><HR noshade><P>
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  <DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">
  
  
  
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<I>Provided, however, that </I>paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) of this section do not apply if
  the Registration Statement is on Form S-8, and the information required to be included in a
  post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the
  Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section&nbsp;13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
  of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2)&nbsp;That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each
  such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
  securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
  the initial bona fide offering thereof.
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(3)&nbsp;To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities
  being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(4)&nbsp;That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any
  purchaser, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement
  relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule&nbsp;430B or other than
  prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule&nbsp;430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the
  registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. <I>Provided, however</I>, that
  no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration
  statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the
  registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a
  purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any
  statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the
  registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(5)&nbsp;That, for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the Securities Act
  of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned Registrant
  undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this
  Registration Statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the
  purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following
  communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered
  to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i)&nbsp;Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the
  offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule&nbsp;424;
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)&nbsp;Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the
  undersigned Registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned Registrant;
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii)&nbsp;The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing
  material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of
  the undersigned Registrant; and
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv)&nbsp;Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned
  Registrant to the purchaser.
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">(b)&nbsp;The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability
  under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant&#146;s annual report pursuant to Section
  13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in
  the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
  securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
  the initial bona fide offering thereof.
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">(h)&nbsp;Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be
  permitted to
  </DIV>
  <P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><!-- Folio -->5<!-- /Folio -->
  </DIV>
  
  <!-- PAGEBREAK -->
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  <DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">
  
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the
  foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
  Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in
  the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against
  such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a
  director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action,
  suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with
  the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
  matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the
  question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
  will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
  </DIV>
  
  
  <P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><!-- Folio -->6<!-- /Folio -->
  </DIV>
  
  <!-- PAGEBREAK -->
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  <H5 align="left" style="page-break-before:always"><A HREF="#toc">Table of Contents</A></H5><P>
  
  <DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">
  
  
  
  <!-- link1 "SIGNATURES" -->
  <DIV align="left"><A NAME="011"></A></DIV>
  
  <DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 18pt"><B>SIGNATURES</B>
  </DIV>
  
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it
  has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and
  has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
  thereunto duly authorized, in the Town of Cary, State of North Carolina, on December&nbsp;18, 2008.
  </DIV>
  
  <TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="font-size: 10pt">
  <TR>
      <TD width="48%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="35%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="15%">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR>
      <TD valign="top" align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD colspan="3" align="left">CORNERSTONE THERAPEUTICS INC.<BR>
  &nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR><TR>
      <TD align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD valign="top">By:&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD colspan="2" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000" align="left">/s/ Craig A. Collard
  &nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR><TR>
      <TD align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD colspan="2" align="left">Craig A. Collard&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR><TR>
      <TD align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD colspan="2" align="left">President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  
  </TABLE>
  
  <DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 18pt"><B>POWER
  OF ATTORNEY AND SIGNATURES</B>
  </DIV>
  
  
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS that each individual whose signature appears below
  constitutes and appoints Craig A. Collard and David Price, and each of them, his or her true and
  lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or
  her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all
  amendments, including post-effective amendments, to this Registration Statement, and to file the
  same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, making such changes in
  this Registration Statement as such person or persons so acting deems appropriate, with the
  Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and
  authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and
  about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person,
  hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or his,
  her or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done or by virtue hereof.
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has
  been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 18pt">
  *&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
  *&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
  *&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
  *&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
  *
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="center">
  <TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
  <!-- Begin Table Head -->
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD width="30%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="36%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="30%">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">
      <TD nowrap align="center" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>Name</B></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD nowrap align="center" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>Title</B></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD nowrap align="center" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>Date</B></TD>
  </TR>
  
  <!-- End Table Head -->
  <!-- Begin Table Body -->
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ Craig A. Collard
  <DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
  Craig A. Collard
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">President, Chief Executive
  Officer and Chairman<br>
  (Principal Executive Officer)
  </TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="top">December&nbsp;18, 2008</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ David Price
  <DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
  David Price
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Executive Vice President,
  Finance, and Chief Financial
  Officer<br>
  (Principal Financial Officer)
  </TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="top">December&nbsp;18, 2008</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ Chenyqua Baldwin
  <DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
  Chenyqua Baldwin
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Vice President, Finance,
  Chief Accounting Officer and
  Controller<br>
  (Principal Accounting
  Officer and Controller)
  </TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="top">December&nbsp;18, 2008</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ Christopher Codeanne
  <DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
  Christopher Codeanne
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Director
  </TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="top">December&nbsp;18, 2008&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ Michael Enright
  <DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
  Michael Enright
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Director
  </TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="top">December&nbsp;18, 2008&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ Michael Heffernan
  <DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
  Michael Heffernan
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Director
  </TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="top">December&nbsp;18, 2008&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ Alastair McEwan
  <DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
  Alastair McEwan
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Director
  </TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="center" valign="top">December&nbsp;18, 2008&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <!-- End Table Body -->
  </TABLE>
  </DIV>
  
  
  <P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><!-- Folio -->7<!-- /Folio -->
  </DIV>
  
  <!-- PAGEBREAK -->
  <P><HR noshade><P>
  <H5 align="left" style="page-break-before:always"><A HREF="#toc">Table of Contents</A></H5><P>
  
  <DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">
  
  <!-- link1 "EXHIBIT INDEX" -->
  <DIV align="left"><A NAME="012"></A></DIV>
  
  <DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 18pt"><B>EXHIBIT INDEX</B>
  </DIV>
  
  <DIV align="center">
  <TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
  <!-- Begin Table Head -->
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD width="6%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD width="92%">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">
      <TD nowrap align="left" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>Exhibit No.</B></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD nowrap align="left" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>Description</B></TD>
  </TR>
  
  <!-- End Table Head -->
  <!-- Begin Table Body -->
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">4.1
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant
  (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit&nbsp;3.1 to the Registrant&#146;s Quarterly
  Report on Form&nbsp;10-Q for the quarter ended June&nbsp;30, 2004 (SEC File No.
  000-50767)).</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">4.2
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Amendment to the Registrant&#146;s Certificate of Incorporation, effecting a
  10-to-1 reverse stock split of Critical Therapeutics, Inc.&#146;s common
  stock (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit&nbsp;3.1 to the Registrant&#146;s
  Current Report on Form&nbsp;8-K filed on November&nbsp;5, 2008 (SEC File No.
  000-50767)).</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">4.3
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Amendment to the Registrant&#146;s Certificate of Incorporation, changing
  the name of the corporation from Critical Therapeutics, Inc. to
  Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit&nbsp;3.2
  to the Registrant&#146;s Current Report on Form&nbsp;8-K filed on November&nbsp;5,
  2008 (SEC File No.&nbsp;000-50767)).</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">4.4
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Third Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant (Incorporated by
  reference to Exhibit&nbsp;3.1 to the Registrant&#146;s Current Report on Form&nbsp;8-K
  filed on October&nbsp;5, 2007 (SEC File No.&nbsp;000-50767)).</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">5.1
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Opinion of Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell &#038; Jernigan, L.L.P.</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">23.1
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Consent of Deloitte &#038; Touche LLP.</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">23.2
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Consent of Grant Thornton LLP.</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">23.3
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Consent of Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell &#038; Jernigan,
  L.L.P. (Contained in Exhibit&nbsp;5.1).</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">99.1
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. 2005 Stock Option Plan (as Amended
  and Restated effective October&nbsp;31, 2008) (Incorporated by reference to
  Exhibit&nbsp;10.38 to the Registrant&#146;s Current Report on Form&nbsp;8-K filed on
  November&nbsp;5, 2008 (SEC File No.&nbsp;000-50767)).</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR valign="bottom">
      <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">99.2
  </DIV></TD>
      <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD align="left" valign="top">Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. 2005 Stock Incentive Plan (as
  Amended and Restated effective October&nbsp;31, 2008) (Incorporated by
  reference to Exhibit&nbsp;10.37 to the Registrant&#146;s Current Report on Form
  8-K filed on November&nbsp;5, 2008 (SEC File No.&nbsp;000-50767)).</TD>
  </TR>
  <!-- End Table Body -->
  </TABLE>
  </DIV>
  
  
  
  <P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><!-- Folio -->8<!-- /Folio -->
  </DIV>
  
  </BODY>
  </HTML>
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text: sv8
  Table of Contents
  As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 18, 2008
  Registration No. 333-
  UNITED STATES
  SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  Washington, D.C. 20549
  FORM S-8
  REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
  CORNERSTONE THERAPEUTICS INC.
  (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  Delaware
  04-3523569
  (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
  1255 Crescent Green Drive, Suite 250
  Cary, North Carolina
  (Address of Principal Executive Offices)
  27518
  (Zip Code)
  Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. 2005 Stock Option Plan
  Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. 2005 Stock Incentive Plan
  (Full title of the Plans)
  Craig A. Collard
  President and Chief Executive Officer
  Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc.
  1255 Crescent Green Drive, Suite 250
  Cary, North Carolina 27518
  (919) 678-6611
  (Name, address and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
  Copies to:
  David B. Clement
  Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett,
  Mitchell & Jernigan, L.L.P.
  2500 Wachovia Capitol Center
  Raleigh, North Carolina 27601
  (919) 821-1220
  Scott B. Townsend, Esq.
  General Counsel and Executive Vice
  President of Legal Affairs
  Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc.
  1255 Crescent Green Drive, Suite 250
  Cary, North Carolina 27518
  (919) 413-2840
  Indicate by check
  mark whether the
  registrant is a
  large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer,  a non-accelerated
  filer, or a
  
  smaller reporting company.
  See the definitions of "large accelerated
  filer," "accelerated
  filer"
  and "smaller reporting company" in
  Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
  Large accelerated filer
  o
  Accelerated filer
  þ
  Non-accelerated filer
  o
  (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
  Smaller reporting company
  o
  CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
  Title of securities
  Amount to be
  Proposed maximum offering
  Proposed maximum
  Amount of
  to be registered
  Registered
  price per share
  aggregate offering price
  registration fee
  Common Stock
  par value $0.001 per share
  2,120,517 (1)
  $
  1.71
  (2)
  $
  3,629,917
  (3)
  $
  142.66
  (3)
  (1)
  Consists of 64,872 shares of Common Stock of Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. (formerly named
  Critical Therapeutics, Inc.) (the "Registrant") issuable pursuant to assumed options
  previously granted under the Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. 2005 Stock Option Plan, as
  amended and restated effective October 31, 2008 (the "2005 Stock Option Plan"), and 2,055,645
  shares of Common Stock of the Registrant issuable pursuant to assumed options previously
  granted under the Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. 2005 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended
  and restated effective October 31, 2008 (the "2005 Stock Incentive Plan"), which options were
  assumed by the Registrant pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 1,
  2008, by and among the Registrant, Neptune Acquisition Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of the
  Registrant, and Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc., as more fully described in the
  explanatory note herein. Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
  (the "Securities Act"), this Registration Statement also covers such additional shares of
  Common Stock as may be offered or issued to prevent dilution from stock splits, stock
  dividends and similar transactions.
  (2)
  Represents the weighted-average exercise price of the outstanding options under the 2005
  Stock Option Plan and the 2005 Stock Incentive Plan.
  (3)
  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(h),
  the aggregate offering price and fee have been computed based upon the prices at which the
  options outstanding under the 2005 Stock Option Plan and the 2005 Stock Incentive Plan may be
  exercised.
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  PART I
  Item 1. Plan Information
  Item 2. Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information
  PART II
  Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference
  Item 4. Description of Securities
  Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel
  Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
  Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed
  Item 8. Exhibits
  Item 9. Undertakings
  SIGNATURES
  EXHIBIT INDEX
  EX-5.1 Opinion of Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan, L.L.P.
  EX-23.1 Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.
  EX-23.2 Consent of Grant Thornton LLP.LP
  Table of Contents
  EXPLANATORY NOTE
  On May 1, 2008, the Registrant, Neptune Acquisition Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of the
  Registrant (the "Transitory Subsidiary"), and Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. ("Cornerstone")
  entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement"). Under the Merger Agreement,
  the Transitory Subsidiary was to be merged with and into Cornerstone (the "Merger"), with
  Cornerstone continuing after the Merger as the surviving corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary
  of the Registrant.
  Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, on October 31, 2008, the effective time of the Merger, each
  outstanding option to purchase shares of Cornerstone common stock, whether vested or unvested, and
  all stock option plans or other stock or equity-related plans of Cornerstone themselves, insofar as
  they relate to outstanding Cornerstone stock options, was assumed by the Registrant and became an
  option to acquire, on the same terms and conditions as were applicable under such Cornerstone stock
  option immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger, such number of shares of the
  Registrant's common stock as is equal to the number of shares of Cornerstone subject to the
  unexercised portion of such Cornerstone stock option immediately prior to the effective time of the
  merger multiplied by the exchange ratio of 0.2380837 (rounded down to the nearest whole share
  number), at an exercise price per share equal to the exercise price per share of such Cornerstone
  stock option immediately prior to the effective time of the merger divided by the exchange ratio
  (rounded up to the nearest whole cent).
  This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is being filed by the Registrant to register an
  aggregate of 2,120,517 shares of the Common Stock of the Registrant, par value $0.001 per share,
  underlying options issued under the 2005 Stock Option Plan and the 2005 Stock Incentive Plan. The
  Registrant expects that no future awards will be made under either the 2005 Stock Incentive Plan or
  the 2005 Stock Option Plan, and that any future awards to the Registrant's employees, officers,
  directors, consultants and advisors will be made under the Registrant's 2004 Stock Incentive Plan,
  and will be registered pursuant to a Registration Statement relating to such plan, Registration No.
  333-131037, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on January 13, 2006.
  PART I
  INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE 10(a) PROSPECTUS
  Item 1. Plan Information.
  The information required by Item 1 is included in documents sent or given to participants in
  the plans covered by this registration statement pursuant to Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act.
  Item 2. Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.
  The written statement required by Item 2 is included in documents sent or given to
  participants in the plans covered by this registration statement pursuant to Rule 428(b)(1) of the
  Securities Act.
  PART II
  INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
  Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference
  .
  The following documents filed with the Commission are hereby incorporated by reference in this
  Registration Statement:
  Table of Contents
  (a) The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007;
  (b) Amendment No. 1 to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
  December 31, 2007, filed with the Commission on April 16, 2008;
  (c) The Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-4 and amendments thereto and related
  proxy statement/prospectus containing selected historical consolidated financial information of
  Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. and selected unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial
  information of Critical Therapeutics, Inc. and Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc., filed with the
  Commission on July 22, 2008, August 28, 2008, September 18, 2008, September 29, 2008 and October 6,
  2008.
  (d) The Registrant's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2008,
  June 30, 2008, and September 30, 2008;
  (e) The Registrant's Current Reports on Form 8-K/A filed on November 14, 2008 and April 2,
  2008 and the Registrant's Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on December 16, 2008, November 5, 2008,
  October 31, 2008, October 24, 2008, September 19, 2008, August 14, 2008, July 22, 2008, July 2,
  2008, June 16, 2008, June 12, 2008, May 20, 2008, May 1, 2008, April 30, 2008, April 22, 2008,
  March 6, 2008, February 20, 2008, and January 18, 2008; and
  (f) The description of the Registrant's Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share, contained in
  the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-4 and amendments thereto and related proxy
  statement/prospectus, filed with the Commission on July 22, 2008, August 28, 2008, September 18,
  2008, September 29, 2008 and October 6, 2008.
  In addition, all documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a),
  13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), prior
  to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been
  sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated
  by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such
  documents. However, any documents or portions thereof, whether specifically listed above or filed
  in the future, that are not deemed "filed" with the Commission, including without limitation the
  certifications required by Rule 13a-14(b) or Rule 15d-14(b) under the Exchange Act, any information
  furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or certain exhibits furnished pursuant to Item
  9.01 of Form 8-K, shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration
  Statement.
  Any statement in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein
  shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for the purposes of this Registration Statement to the
  extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is
  incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such
  statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or
  superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.
  Item 4. Description of Securities
  Not applicable.
  Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
  Not applicable.
  Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
  2
  Table of Contents
  Section 102 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware allows a corporation to eliminate the
  personal liability of directors of a corporation to the corporation or its stockholders for
  monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached
  his or her duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or
  knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in
  violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit. The Registrant's
  Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that, except to the extent that the
  General Corporation Law of Delaware prohibits the elimination or limitation of liability of
  directors for breach of fiduciary duty, no director of the Registrant shall be personally liable to
  the Registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a
  director.
  Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware provides that a corporation has the
  power to indemnify a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation and certain other
  persons serving at the request of the corporation in related capacities against amounts paid and
  expenses incurred in connection with an action or proceeding to which such person is or is
  threatened to be made a party by reason of such position, if such person shall have acted in good
  faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests
  of the corporation, and, in any criminal proceeding, if such person had no reasonable cause to
  believe his or her conduct was unlawful; provided that, in the case of actions brought by or in the
  right of the corporation, no indemnification shall be made with respect to any matter as to which
  such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent
  that the adjudicating court determines that such indemnification is proper under the circumstances.
  The Registrant's Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that:
  •
  The Registrant must indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent
  permitted by Delaware law; and
  •
  The Registrant must advance expenses, as incurred, to its directors and executive
  officers in connection with a legal proceeding to the fullest extent permitted by
  Delaware law.
  The indemnification provisions contained in the Amended and Restated Certificate of
  Incorporation are not exclusive of any other rights to which a person may be entitled by law,
  agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.
  The Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with Craig A. Collard and Alastair
  McEwan. Among other things, the indemnification agreements require the Registrant to indemnify
  Messrs. Collard and McEwan for expenses incurred by Mr. Collard or Mr. McEwan in connection with
  actions or proceedings in connection with his service as a director, officer, employee, agent or
  fiduciary of the Registrant or of any other enterprise that he is or was serving at the
  Registrant's express written request. The indemnification agreements also provide for mandatory
  advancement of expenses to Messrs. Collard and McEwan.
  In addition, the Registrant maintains insurance on behalf of its directors and officers
  insuring them against liability asserted against them in their capacities as directors or officers
  or arising out of such status.
  Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.
  Not applicable.
  3
  Table of Contents
  Item 8. Exhibits.
  Exhibit No.
  Description
  4.1
  Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant
  (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant's Quarterly
  Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004 (SEC File No.
  000-50767)).
  4.2
  Amendment to the Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation, effecting a
  10-to-1 reverse stock split of Critical Therapeutics, Inc.'s common
  stock (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant's
  Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 5, 2008 (SEC File No.
  000-50767)).
  4.3
  Amendment to the Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation, changing
  the name of the corporation from Critical Therapeutics, Inc. to
  Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2
  to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 5,
  2008 (SEC File No. 000-50767)).
  4.4
  Third Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant (Incorporated by
  reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K
  filed on October 5, 2007 (SEC File No. 000-50767)).
  5.1
  Opinion of Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan, L.L.P.
  23.1
  Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.
  23.2
  Consent of Grant Thornton LLP.
  23.3
  Consent of Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan,
  L.L.P. (Contained in Exhibit 5.1).
  99.1
  Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. 2005 Stock Option Plan (as Amended
  and Restated effective October 31, 2008) (Incorporated by reference to
  Exhibit 10.38 to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on
  November 5, 2008 (SEC File No. 000-50767)).
  99.2
  Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. 2005 Stock Incentive Plan (as
  Amended and Restated effective October 31, 2008) (Incorporated by
  reference to Exhibit 10.37 to the Registrant's Current Report on Form
  8-K filed on November 5, 2008 (SEC File No. 000-50767)).
  Item 9. Undertakings.
  (a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
  (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective
  amendment to this Registration Statement:
  (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;
  (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the
  Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or
  in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration
  Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered
  (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and
  any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in
  the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the
  changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering
  price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective Registration
  Statement;
  (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
  previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in
  the Registration Statement.
  4
  Table of Contents
  Provided, however, that
  paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) of this section do not apply if
  the Registration Statement is on Form S-8, and the information required to be included in a
  post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the
  Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
  of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.
  (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each
  such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
  securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
  the initial bona fide offering thereof.
  (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities
  being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
  (4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any
  purchaser, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement
  relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than
  prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the
  registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness.
  Provided, however
  , that
  no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration
  statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the
  registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a
  purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any
  statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the
  registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.
  (5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the Securities Act
  of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned Registrant
  undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this
  Registration Statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the
  purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following
  communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered
  to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
  (i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the
  offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
  (ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the
  undersigned Registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned Registrant;
  (iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing
  material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of
  the undersigned Registrant; and
  (iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned
  Registrant to the purchaser.
  (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability
  under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section
  13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in
  the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
  securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
  the initial bona fide offering thereof.
  (h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be
  permitted to
  5
  Table of Contents
  directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the
  foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
  Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in
  the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against
  such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a
  director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action,
  suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with
  the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
  matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the
  question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
  will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
  6
  Table of Contents
  SIGNATURES
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it
  has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and
  has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
  thereunto duly authorized, in the Town of Cary, State of North Carolina, on December 18, 2008.
  CORNERSTONE THERAPEUTICS INC.
  By:
  /s/ Craig A. Collard
  Craig A. Collard
  President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman
  POWER
  OF ATTORNEY AND SIGNATURES
  KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS that each individual whose signature appears below
  constitutes and appoints Craig A. Collard and David Price, and each of them, his or her true and
  lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or
  her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all
  amendments, including post-effective amendments, to this Registration Statement, and to file the
  same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, making such changes in
  this Registration Statement as such person or persons so acting deems appropriate, with the
  Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and
  authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and
  about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person,
  hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or his,
  her or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done or by virtue hereof.
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has
  been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.
  *                               
  *                               
  *                               
  *                               
  *
  Name
  Title
  Date
  /s/ Craig A. Collard
  Craig A. Collard
  President, Chief Executive
  Officer and Chairman
  (Principal Executive Officer)
  December 18, 2008
  /s/ David Price
  David Price
  Executive Vice President,
  Finance, and Chief Financial
  Officer
  (Principal Financial Officer)
  December 18, 2008
  /s/ Chenyqua Baldwin
  Chenyqua Baldwin
  Vice President, Finance,
  Chief Accounting Officer and
  Controller
  (Principal Accounting
  Officer and Controller)
  December 18, 2008
  /s/ Christopher Codeanne
  Christopher Codeanne
  Director
  December 18, 2008
  /s/ Michael Enright
  Michael Enright
  Director
  December 18, 2008
  /s/ Michael Heffernan
  Michael Heffernan
  Director
  December 18, 2008
  /s/ Alastair McEwan
  Alastair McEwan
  Director
  December 18, 2008
  7
  Table of Contents
  EXHIBIT INDEX
  Exhibit No.
  Description
  4.1
  Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant
  (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant's Quarterly
  Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004 (SEC File No.
  000-50767)).
  4.2
  Amendment to the Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation, effecting a
  10-to-1 reverse stock split of Critical Therapeutics, Inc.'s common
  stock (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant's
  Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 5, 2008 (SEC File No.
  000-50767)).
  4.3
  Amendment to the Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation, changing
  the name of the corporation from Critical Therapeutics, Inc. to
  Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2
  to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 5,
  2008 (SEC File No. 000-50767)).
  4.4
  Third Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant (Incorporated by
  reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K
  filed on October 5, 2007 (SEC File No. 000-50767)).
  5.1
  Opinion of Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan, L.L.P.
  23.1
  Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.
  23.2
  Consent of Grant Thornton LLP.
  23.3
  Consent of Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan,
  L.L.P. (Contained in Exhibit 5.1).
  99.1
  Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. 2005 Stock Option Plan (as Amended
  and Restated effective October 31, 2008) (Incorporated by reference to
  Exhibit 10.38 to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on
  November 5, 2008 (SEC File No. 000-50767)).
  99.2
  Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. 2005 Stock Incentive Plan (as
  Amended and Restated effective October 31, 2008) (Incorporated by
  reference to Exhibit 10.37 to the Registrant's Current Report on Form
  8-K filed on November 5, 2008 (SEC File No. 000-50767)).
  8