Heron Therapeutics

About Heron Therapeutics

The story of what we now know as Heron Therapeutics begins not in the 2000s, but back in 1983, when it was incorporated as A.P. Pharma, Inc. For decades, the specialty pharmaceutical company worked on developing products using a proprietary drug delivery platform. This technology, called Biochronomer, was designed to improve injectable drugs by allowing them to be administered less frequently. The company's major turning point came in the early 2010s. In August 2013, with Barry Quart at the helm as CEO, the company announced a significant corporate rebranding. It filed to list on the NASDAQ and planned to change its name from A.P. Pharma to Heron Therapeutics, a move that became official in January 2014. This wasn't just a name change; it signaled a strategic refocus on developing and commercializing best-in-class therapies, particularly in oncology and postoperative care. This new chapter saw Heron transition from a development-stage company to a commercial one. It launched key products for managing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), such as SUSTOL and CINVANTI. A major milestone was the 2021 FDA approval of ZYNRELEF, a non-opioid treatment for postoperative pain. Heron is now a publicly-traded company on the NASDAQ under the ticker HRTX. Through strategic rebranding and a focused execution on unmet needs in patient care, the company carved out its modern identity.