Company That Makes Prescription Painkiller OxyContin Files for Bankruptcy Protection Amid Lawsuits

Christine Gagnon of Southington, Conn. protests with other family and friends who have lost loved ones to OxyContin and opioid overdoses at Purdue Pharma LLP headquarters in Stamford, Conn., on Aug. 17, 2018. Jessica Hill/AP Photo

NEW YORK—OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP filed for bankruptcy protection in New York Sunday night, succumbing to pressure from more than 2,000 lawsuits alleging the company helped fuel the deadly U.S. opioid epidemic.

Purdue’s board met Sunday evening to approve the long-expected bankruptcy filing, which the company is pursuing to restructure under terms of a proposal to settle the widespread litigation.