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

                                  SCHEDULE 13G

                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                               (Amendment No. 1)*

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

                     Common Stock, $.01 Par Value Per Share
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)


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


                                December 31, 2000
                                -----------------
                      (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. 92848M104                    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) [ ]

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        3  SEC USE ONLY


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

           Delaware

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

                            0

                     ------ ---------------------------------------------------
     NUMBER OF           6  SHARED VOTING POWER
      SHARES
   BENEFICIALLY             1,934,584 (including 572,738 shares issuable
     OWNED BY               upon exercise of warrants)
       EACH
     REPORTING       ------ ----------------------------------------------------
      PERSON             7  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
       WITH
                            0

                     ------ ----------------------------------------------------
                         8  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                            1,934,584 (including 572,738 shares issuable
                            upon exercise of warrants)
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        9  AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

           1,934,584 (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)

           8.42%

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
       12  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

           00

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


                               Page 2 of 8 pages




-------------------                                            -----------------
CUSIP No. 92848M104                    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) [ ]

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        3  SEC USE ONLY


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

           Delaware

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

                            0

                     ------ ----------------------------------------------------
     NUMBER OF           6  SHARED VOTING POWER
      SHARES
   BENEFICIALLY             1,934,584 (including 572,738 shares issuable
     OWNED BY               upon exercise of warrants)
       EACH
     REPORTING       ------ ----------------------------------------------------
      PERSON             7  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
       WITH
                            0

                     ------ ----------------------------------------------------
                         8  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                            1,934,584 (including 572,738 shares issuable
                            upon exercise of warrants)
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        9  AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

           1,934,584 (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)

           8.42%

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
       12  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

           00

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


                               Page 3 of 8 pages




-------------------                                            -----------------
CUSIP No. 92848M104                    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) [ ]

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        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             1,934,584 (including 572,738 shares issuable
     OWNED BY               upon exercise of warrants)
       EACH
     REPORTING       ------ ----------------------------------------------------
      PERSON             7  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
       WITH
                            0

                     ------ ----------------------------------------------------
                         8  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                            1,934,584 (including 572,738 shares issuable
                            upon exercise of warrants)
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        9  AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

           1,934,584 (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)

           8.42%

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
       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 the Managing Member, President and Chief Executive Officer of
SAC Capital Advisors and 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:
                    --------------------------

                    1,934,584 (including 572,738 shares issuable
                    upon exercise of warrants)

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

                    8.42%

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:
                          1,934,584 (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: 1,934,584 (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


                         Page 6 of 8 pages




                    beneficially owned by SAC Capital Advisors, SAC
                    Capital Management and Mr. Cohen.

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 14, 2001

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