Savient Strengthens Senior Management Team

    Business Editors

    EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 30, 2005--Savient Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: SVNT), an emerging specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in developing, manufacturing and marketing pharmaceutical products that address unmet medical needs in both niche and broader markets, announced today the expansion of its management team with the appointments of David Fink as Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, and James Lynch, Ph.D. as Vice President, Business Development.
    Mr. Fink will assume responsibility for all sales and marketing activities in the United States in support of Savient's current brands, Oxandrin(R) and Delatestryl(R). Additionally, he will oversee the creation and deployment of a new sales force to support the recently announced co-promotion agreement with Ferring Pharmaceuticals to market Nuflexxa. Mr. Fink will report directly to Savient's President and Chief Executive Officer, Christopher Clement.
    Christopher Clement stated, "We are confident that David's extensive experience, particularly his specialized expertise in product transitions and launches, will prove invaluable to us as we continue to focus on positioning Savient as an emerging specialty pharmaceutical company. Under David's direction, we will strengthen all of our sales and marketing activities for our existing brands and build our rheumatology sales force."
    Mr. Fink has over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry primarily in the sales and marketing areas, with a special focus on business transitions. Most recently, as Vice President, Marketing at MedPointe Pharmaceuticals, he successfully repositioned existing brands and launched multiple pharmaceutical products. Prior to joining MedPointe, he was at Bristol Myers Squibb where his accomplishments included a transition and re-positioning of one of Bristol's subsidiaries.
    Mr. Fink received his M.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee and his Bachelor of Science in Business from Radford University in Radford, VA.
    Dr. Lynch will assume responsibility for Savient's global business development activities, focusing on the execution of Savient's initiative to actively in-license or acquire novel compounds in clinical development as well as marketed compounds complementary to the Company's new strategic direction. Dr. Lynch will report directly to Christopher Clement.
    Dr. Lynch has nearly 20 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry with extensive business development experience. Most recently, he was an original member of Reliant Pharmaceuticals' management team and led the business development initiatives that were the foundation of the company. Previously, he held positions with Hoffmann-La Roche, Ltd. and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.
    Dr. Lynch earned his M.B.A. from Columbia University, his Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from Seton Hall University, and his Bachelors of Science in Chemistry from Siena College.

    About Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

    Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an emerging specialty pharmaceuticals company, is engaged in developing, manufacturing, and marketing pharmaceutical products that address unmet medical needs in both niche and wider markets. Products marketed by Savient in the United States are Oxandrin(R) (oxandrolone, USP) and Delatestryl(R) (testosterone enanthate). The Company's subsidiary, Rosemont Pharmaceuticals Limited, develops, manufactures, and markets through its own sales force oral liquid formulations of prescription products for the UK pharmaceutical market. Savient's product Mircette(R), an oral contraceptive, is marketed by its licensee, Organon, Inc. Savient's news releases and other information are available on the Company's website at www.savientpharma.com. Mircette is a registered trademark of Organon, Inc. and Puricase is a registered trademark of Mountain View Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
    This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this report regarding the Company's strategy, expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, discovery and development of products, strategic alliances, competitive position, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "will" and other similar expressions help identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. In particular, the statements regarding the divestiture of the Company's global biologics manufacturing business and the potential for commercializing the Company's Puricase drug product candidate are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about the Company's business and the biopharmaceutical and specialty pharmaceutical industries in which the Company operates. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the possibility that the divestiture of our global biologics manufacturing business will fail to close, due to failure to achieve regulatory approval or otherwise; our ability to complete the audit of our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2004; delay or failure in developing Prosaptide, Puricase and other product candidates; difficulties of expanding the Company's product portfolio through in-licensing; disruption of management and costs associated with the divestiture of the Company's operations in Israel; introduction of generic competition for Oxandrin; fluctuations in buying patterns of wholesalers; potential future returns of Oxandrin or other products; our continuing to incur substantial net losses for the foreseeable future; difficulties in obtaining financing; potential development of alternative technologies or more effective products by competitors; reliance on third-parties to manufacture, market and distribute many of the Company's products; economic, political and other risks associated with foreign operations; risks of maintaining protection for the Company's intellectual property; risks of an adverse determination in on-going or future intellectual property litigation; and risks associated with stringent government regulation of the biopharmaceutical and specialty pharmaceutical industries. The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in its forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements that the Company makes. The Company's forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures or investments that the Company may make. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

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CONTACT: Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Jenene Thomas 732-565-4716 Director, Investor Relations jdthomas@savientpharma.com or Investors/Media: The Ruth Group Stephanie Carrington/Gregory Tiberend 646-536-7017/7005 scarrington@theruthgroup.com gtiberend@theruthgroup.com

KEYWORD: NEW JERSEY INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MEDICAL PHARMACEUTICAL MANAGEMENT CHANGES SOURCE: Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

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