UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                  SCHEDULE 13G

                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                               (Amendment No. 3)*

                                   ALTEON INC.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)

                     Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value Per Share
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    02144G107
                                    ---------
                                 (CUSIP Number)


                                December 31, 2001
                                -----------------
                      (Date of Event which Requires Filing
                               of this Statement)



          Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to
                          which this Schedule is filed:

                                [ ] Rule 13d-1(b)
                                [X] Rule 13d-1(c)
                                [ ] Rule 13d-1(d)



*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).

                                Page 1 of 8 pages




--------------------                                       ---------------------
CUSIP No. 02144G107                   13G                  Page  2  of  8  Pages
          ---------                                             ---    ---
--------------------                                       ---------------------

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        1  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
           I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

           S.A.C. Capital Advisors, LLC
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        2  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                                         (a) [ ]

                                                                         (b) [x]
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        3  SEC USE ONLY

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        4  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

           Delaware
--------------------- ----- ----------------------------------------------------
                         5  SOLE VOTING POWER

                            0
                      ----- ----------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF                6  SHARED VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY                1,925,584 (including 572,738 shares issuable upon
OWNED                       exercise of warrants)
BY                    ----- ----------------------------------------------------
EACH                     7  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING
PERSON                      0
WITH                  ----- ----------------------------------------------------
                         8  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                            1,925,584 (including 572,738 shares issuable upon
                            exercise of warrants)
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        9  AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

           1,925,584 (including 572,738 shares issuable upon exercise of
           warrants)
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
       10  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
           SHARES [ ]

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
       11  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)

           6.9%
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
       12  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

           00
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                       *SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT

                                Page 2 of 8 pages




--------------------                                       ---------------------
CUSIP No. 02144G107                   13G                   Page  3 of  8  Pages
          ---------                                             ---   ---
--------------------                                       ---------------------

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        1  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
           I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

           S.A.C. Capital Management, LLC
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        2  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                                         (a) [ ]

                                                                         (b) [X]
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        3  SEC USE ONLY

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        4  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

           Delaware
-------------------- ------ ----------------------------------------------------
                         5  SOLE VOTING POWER

                            0
                     ------ ----------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF                6  SHARED VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY                1,925,584 (including 572,738 shares issuable upon
OWNED                       exercise of warrants)
BY                   ------ ----------------------------------------------------
EACH                     7  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING
PERSON                      0
WITH                 ------ ----------------------------------------------------
                         8  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                            1,925,584 (including 572,738 shares issuable upon
                            exercise of warrants)
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        9  AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

           1,925,584 (including 572,738 shares issuable upon exercise of
           warrants)
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
       10  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
           SHARES [ ]
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
       11  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)

           6.9%
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
       12  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

           00
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                       *SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT

                                Page 3 of 8 pages




--------------------                                       ---------------------
CUSIP No. 02144G107                   13G                  Page  4  of  8  Pages
          ---------                                             ---    ---
--------------------                                       ---------------------

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        1  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
           I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

           Steven A. Cohen
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        2  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                                         (a) [ ]

                                                                         (b) [X]
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        3  SEC USE ONLY

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        4  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

           United States
-------------------- ------ ----------------------------------------------------
                         5  SOLE VOTING POWER

                            0
                     ------ ----------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF                6  SHARED VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY                1,925,584 (including 572,738 shares issuable upon
OWNED                       exercise of warrants)
BY                   ------ ----------------------------------------------------
EACH                     7  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING
PERSON                      0
WITH                 ------ ----------------------------------------------------
                         8  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                            1,925,584 (including 572,738 shares issuable upon
                            exercise of warrants)
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        9  AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

           1,925,584 (including 572,738 shares issuable upon exercise of
           warrants)
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
       10  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
           SHARES [ ]
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
       11  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)

           6.9%
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
       12  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

           IN
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                       *SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT

                                Page 4 of 8 pages




Item 1(a)           Name of Issuer:
                    --------------

                    Alteon Inc.

Item 1(b)           Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
                    -----------------------------------------------

                    170 Williams Drive
                    Ramsey, New Jersey  07446

Items 2(a)          Name of Person Filing:
----------          ----------------------

                    This statement is being filed by (i) S.A.C. Capital
                    Advisors, LLC ("SAC Capital Advisors"), (ii) S.A.C. Capital
                    Management, LLC ("SAC Capital Management") and (iii) Steven
                    A. Cohen.

Item 2(b)           Address of Principal Business Office:
---------           -------------------------------------

                    (i), (ii) and (iii):
                    777 Long Ridge Road
                    Stamford, Connecticut 06902

Item 2(c)           Citizenship:
---------           ------------

                    (i):   Delaware
                    (ii):  Delaware
                    (iii): United States

Item 2(d)           Title of Class of Securities:
---------           -----------------------------

                    Common Stock, par value $.01 per share

Item 2(e)           CUSIP Number:
---------           -------------

                    02144G107

Item 3              Not Applicable

Item 4.             Ownership:
-------             ----------

The securities reported on herein are held by S.A.C. Capital Associates, LLC, an
Anguillan limited liability company ("SAC Capital Associates"). Pursuant to
investment agreements, each of SAC Capital Advisors and SAC Capital Management
share all investment and voting power with respect to the securities held by SAC
Capital Associates. Accordingly, each of SAC Capital Advisors and SAC Capital
Management may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of the securities covered by
this statement for purposes of Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 (the "Exchange Act").

                                Page 5 of 8 pages




Steven A. Cohen is (i) the President and Chief Executive Officer of SAC Capital
Advisors, the Managing Member of which is a corporation wholly owned by Mr.
Cohen, and (ii) the owner, directly and through a wholly owned subsidiary, of
100% of the membership interests of SAC Capital Management. Accordingly, Mr.
Cohen may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of the securities covered by this
statement for purposes of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act. Mr. Cohen disclaims
beneficial ownership of any of the securities covered by this statement.

Item 4(a)           Amount Beneficially Owned:
---------           --------------------------

                    1,925,584 (including 572,738 shares issuable upon exercise
                    of warrants)

Item 4(b)           Percent of Class:
---------           -----------------

                    6.9%

Item 4(c)           Number of shares as to which such person has:
---------           ---------------------------------------------

                    (i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote: 0

                    (ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 1,925,584
                    (including 572,738 shares issuable upon exercise of
                    warrants)

                    (iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition
                    of: 0

                    (iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition
                    of: 1,925,584 (including 572,738 shares issuable upon
                    exercise of warrants)

Item 5              Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:
                    ---------------------------------------------

                    If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as
                    of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the
                    beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of
                    securities, check the following. [ ]


Item 6              Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another
                    --------------------------------------------------------
                    Person:
                    -------

                    SAC Capital Associates has the right to receive dividends
                    on, and proceeds from the sale of, the shares reported on
                    this statement as beneficially owned by SAC Capital
                    Advisors, SAC Capital Management and Mr. Cohen.

                                Page 6 of 8 pages




Item 7              Identification and Classification of the
                    ----------------------------------------
                    Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being
                    --------------------------------------------
                    Reported on By the Parent Holding Company:
                    -----------------------------------------

                    Not Applicable

Item 8              Identification and Classification of Members
                    ---------------------------------------------
                    of the Group:
                    ------------

                    Not Applicable


Item 9              Notice of Dissolution of Group:
                    ------------------------------

                    Not Applicable

Item 10             Certification:
-------             --------------

     By signing below the signatory certifies that, to the best of his knowledge
and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held
for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of
the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in
connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or
effect.

                                Page 7 of 8 pages




                                    SIGNATURE
                                    ---------

     After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.



Dated:  February 12, 2002

S.A.C. CAPITAL ADVISORS, LLC


By:     /s/ Peter Nussbaum
   -----------------------------------------
Name:   Peter Nussbaum
Title:  Authorized Person


S.A.C. CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC


By:     /s/ Peter Nussbaum
   -----------------------------------------
Name:   Peter Nussbaum
Title:  Authorized Person


STEVEN A. COHEN


By:     /s/ Peter Nussbaum
   -----------------------------------------
Name:   Peter Nussbaum
Title:  Authorized Person

                                Page 8 of 8 pages