EXHIBIT  32.1

CERTIFICATION OF PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER


                            CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
                             18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350
                             AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
                  SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

In connection with the Quarterly Report of Par  Pharmaceutical  Companies,  Inc.
(the  "Company")  on Form 10-Q for the period  ended April 3, 2005 as filed with
the Securities  and Exchange  Commission on the date hereof (the  "Report"),  I,
Scott Tarriff,  President and Chief Executive  Officer of the Company,  certify,
pursuant to 18 U.S.C.  Section 1350,  as adopted  pursuant to Section 906 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, to my knowledge:

      (1)  The Report fully complies with the  requirements  of Section 13(a) of
           the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

      (2)  The  information  contained  in the Report  fairly  presents,  in all
           material respects,  the financial  condition and result of operations
           of the Company.




/s/ Scott Tarriff
- -------------------------------------
Scott Tarriff
President and Chief Executive Officer
May 13, 2005