8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): 01/06/2013

Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Commission File Number: 0-15313

DE	13-3033811
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

400 Crossing Blvd.

Bridgewater, NJ 08807

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

732-418-9300

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers

(b), (d) On January 6, 2013, William F. Owen, Jr., M.D., resigned from the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”). Dr. Owen’s resignation was not due to any disagreement with the Company on any matter relating to the Company’s operations, policies or practices.

On January 7, 2013, the Board, based upon the recommendation of the Board’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, elected David Meeker, M.D., to serve on the Company’s Board of Directors. Dr. Meeker will serve for a term expiring at the Company’s annual meeting of stockholders in 2013 and until his successor shall have been elected and qualified or until his earlier resignation or removal.

Dr. Meeker currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Genzyme Corporation (“Genzyme”). Previous positions held by Dr. Meeker at Genzyme include Chief Operating Officer and President of the Global Rare Disease Business. Prior to joining Genzyme, Dr. Meeker served as the Director of the Pulmonary Critical Care Fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic and as an assistant professor of medicine at Ohio State University. He is currently a Board member of the Biotechnology Industry Organization and of Prize4Life.

There is no arrangement or understanding between Dr. Meeker and any other person pursuant to which he was appointed to the Board. Dr. Meeker is not a party to any transaction, or series of transactions, required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

The Board has appointed Dr. Meeker to serve on its Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee.

Dr. Meeker shall receive compensation for serving on the Board and the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee pursuant to the Board compensation plan that was previously disclosed in the Company’s filings with the SEC.

The full text of the press release issued in connection with Dr. Meeker’s election to the Board is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits

See Exhibit Index attached hereto.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

		Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Date: January 8, 2013	By:	/s/ Philip K. Yachmetz
		Philip K. Yachmetz
		SVP & General Counsel

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.	Description
EX-99.1	Press Release dated January 8, 2013

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

Contact:
Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc. John P. Hamill Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer information@savient.com (732) 418-9300	Burns McClellan Caitlyn Murphy cmurphy@burnsmc.com (212) 213-0006

Savient Pharmaceuticals Announces the Election of Genzyme CEO Dr. David Meeker to Its Board of Directors

BRIDGEWATER, N.J., (January 8, 2013) – Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SVNT) announced today that David Meeker, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Genzyme, a Sanofi Company, has been elected to Savient’s Board of Directors, effective January 7, 2013. In addition, Savient announced the resignation from the Company’s Board of William F. Owen, Jr., M.D., who is relocating to Qatar to serve as Chief Executive Officer of the Sidra Medical and Research Center, a groundbreaking medical, research and education institution that focuses on the health and wellbeing of women and children in Doha, Qatar. With the election of Dr. Meeker and the departure of Dr. Owen, the number of Savient Board members remains seven.

“David’s extensive knowledge of the life sciences industry and his expertise in developing therapeutic products and leading a renowned team at Genzyme will be great assets to Savient, and we look forward to his contributions to our Board,” stated Stephen O. Jaeger, Chairman of Savient’s Board of Directors. “We also are grateful to Dr. Owen for his many contributions and his role in the progress of Savient.”

Dr. Meeker was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Genzyme, a Sanofi Company, in October 2011. Prior to this, he held key positions of increasing responsibility at Genzyme first within Research and Development and then within the commercial organization. Most recently he served as Chief Operating Officer, in which capacity he was responsible for Genzyme’s commercial organization and played an important role in the company’s integration with Sanofi. Previous positions at Genzyme included President of the Global Rare Disease Business, in which role Dr. Meeker oversaw the global launches of Aldurazyme^®, Fabrazyme^®, and Myozyme^®. Prior to joining Genzyme, Dr. Meeker served as the Director of the Pulmonary Critical Care Fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic and as an assistant professor of medicine at Ohio State University. He currently is a Board member of the Biotechnology Industry Organization and of Prize4Life. Dr. Meeker received his M.D. degree from the University of Vermont Medical School and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

“David brings a unique history in the industry, having overseen important global product launches in rare diseases, as well as gaining insights into the patient perspective by serving in one of the leading teaching hospitals in the U.S.,” said Lou Ferrari, President and Chief Executive Officer of Savient. “I believe David’s vision and his track record will be extremely important for Savient as we continue to offer an important treatment option for patients suffering from refractory chronic gout and as we prepare for the anticipated approval and launch of KRYSTEXXA^® in the EU.”

ABOUT SAVIENT PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a specialty biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing KRYSTEXXA^® (pegloticase) for the treatment of chronic gout in adult patients who do not respond to conventional therapy. Savient has exclusively licensed worldwide rights to the technology related to KRYSTEXXA and its uses from Duke University (“Duke”) and Mountain View Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“MVP”). Duke developed the recombinant uricase enzyme and MVP developed the PEGylation technology used in the manufacture of KRYSTEXXA. MVP and Duke have been granted US and foreign patents disclosing and claiming the licensed technology and, in addition, Savient owns or co-owns US and foreign patents and patent applications, which collectively form a broad portfolio of patents covering the composition, manufacture and methods of use and administration of KRYSTEXXA. Savient also supplies Oxandrin^® (oxandrolone tablets, USP) CIII in the US For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.savient.com.

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