Savient Pharmaceuticals Inc. said late Tuesday that a federal appeals court ordered Novartis AG unit Sandoz Pharmaceuticals and privately held Upsher-Smith Laboratories not to sell generic versions of Oxandrin until the court can review the case.

A temporary restraining order issued by U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey against Sandoz and Upsher-Smith was to expire on Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. Savient appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington to keep the generic forms of the drug off the market for now.

Oxandrin is an oral anabolic steroid agent that helps patients gain weight after weight loss from surgery, infection or severe trauma. The lawsuit involves five Savient patents on the drug.

Representatives from Novartis and Upsher-Smith were not available for immediate comment.