ADVANCED SERIES TRUST

AST Preservation Asset Allocation Portfolio

SUMMARY PROSPECTUS • April 29, 2013

Before you invest, you may want to review the Portfolio’s Prospectus, which contains more information about the Portfolio and its risks. You can find the Portfolio's Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information (SAI), Annual Report and other information about the Portfolio online at www.prudential.com/variableinsuranceportfolios. You can also get this information at no cost by calling 1-800-346-3778 or by sending an e-mail to: service@prudential.com. The Portfolio’s Prospectus and SAI, both dated April 29, 2013, as supplemented and amended from time to time, and the Portfolio’s most recent shareholder report, dated December 31, 2012 are all hereby incorporated by reference into (legally made a part of) this Summary Prospectus.

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The investment objective of the Portfolio is to obtain the highest potential total return consistent with its specified level of risk tolerance.

PORTFOLIO FEES AND EXPENSES

The table below shows the fees and expenses that you may pay if you invest in shares of the Portfolio. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the table. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees	0.15%
Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees)	None
Other Expenses	0.01%
Acquired Fund Fees & Expenses	0.78%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses	0.94%

Example. The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The table does not include Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth in the example. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
AST Preservation Asset Allocation	$96	$300	$520	$1,155

Portfolio Turnover. The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the Portfolio's turnover rate was 26% of the average value of its portfolio.

INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND PERFORMANCE

Principal Investment Strategies. The Portfolio is a “fund of funds.” That means that the Portfolio invests primarily in one or more mutual funds in accordance with its own asset allocation strategy. Other mutual funds in which in which the Portfolio may invest are collectively referred to as the “Underlying Portfolios.” Consistent with the investment objectives and policies of the Portfolio, other mutual funds may from time to time be added to, or removed from, the list of Underlying Portfolios that may be used in connection with the Portfolio. Currently, the only Underlying Portfolios in which the Portfolio invests are other portfolios of the Fund and certain money market funds advised by Prudential Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. (the Investment Managers) or one of their affiliates.

The asset allocation strategy is determined by the Investment Managers and Quantitative Management Associates LLC (QMA). As a general matter, QMA begins by constructing a neutral allocation for the Portfolio. Each neutral allocation initially divides the assets for the Portfolio across three broad-based securities benchmark indexes. These three benchmark

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indexes are the Russell 3000 Index, the MSCI EAFE Index, and the Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index. Generally, the neutral allocation will emphasize investments in the debt/money market asset class. The selection of specific combinations of Underlying Portfolios for the Portfolio generally will be determined by the Investment Managers. The Investment Managers will employ various quantitative and qualitative research methods to establish weighted combinations of Underlying Portfolios that are consistent with the neutral allocation for the Portfolio. QMA will then perform its own forward-looking assessment of macroeconomic, market, financial, security valuation, and other factors. As a result of this assessment, QMA will further adjust the neutral allocation and the preliminary Underlying Portfolio weights for the Portfolio based upon its views on certain factors.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Portfolio. The risks identified below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.

Asset-Backed and/or Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent an interest in an underlying pool of assets, such as credit card receivables or, in the case of mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans. Like fixed income securities, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, which may be heightened in connection with investments in loans to “subprime” borrowers. Certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk that those obligations will be repaid sooner than expected or later than expected, either of which may result in lower than expected returns. Mortgage-backed securities, because they are backed by mortgage loans, are also subject to risks related to real estate, and securities backed by private-issued mortgages may experience higher rates of default on the underlying mortgages than securities backed by government-issued mortgages.

Asset Transfer Program Risk. Pre-determined, non-discretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio, which, in certain instances, could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities that it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in relatively low asset levels and relatively high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets, and if market liquidity is strained the assets flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.

Equity Securities Risk. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the issuer’ s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.

Expense Risk. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table above for a variety of reasons, including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.

Fixed income Securities Risk. Investment in fixed income securities involves a variety of risks, including that: an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to pay obligations when due; the Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities holdings at the price it values the security or at any price; the income generated by and the market price of a fixed income security may decline due to a decrease in interest rates; and the price of a fixed income security may decline due to an increase in interest rates.

Foreign Investment Risk. Investments in foreign securities generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers, including: changes in currency exchange rates may affect the value of foreign securities held by the Portfolio; foreign markets generally are more volatile than, and generally are not subject to regulatory requirements comparable to, US markets; foreign financial reporting standards usually differ from those in the US; foreign exchanges are often less liquid than US markets; political developments may adversely affect the value of foreign securities; and foreign holdings may be subject to special taxation and limitations on repatriating investment proceeds.

Fund of Funds Risk. In addition to the risks associated with the investment in the Underlying Portfolios, the Portfolio is exposed to the investment objectives, investment risks, and investment performance of the Underlying Portfolios. The Portfolio is also subject to a potential conflict of interest between the Portfolio and its adviser and subadviser(s), which could impact the Portfolio.

High-Yield Risk. Investments in fixed income securities rated below investment grade and unrated securities of similar credit quality (i.e., high yield securities or junk bonds) may be more sensitive to interest rate, credit and liquidity risks than investments in investment grade securities, and have predominantly speculative characteristics.

Market and Management Risk. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. The investment techniques, risk analysis and investment strategies used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio may not produce the intended or desired results.

Past Performance. The bar chart and table provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the Portfolio's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years and since inception of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Portfolio will achieve similar results in the future.

The annual returns and average annual returns shown in the chart and table are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.

The table also demonstrates how the Portfolio's average annual returns compare to the returns of a custom blended stock index which includes the stocks of companies with similar investment objectives. The Portfolio's custom blended stock index consists of the Russell 3000 Index (28%), MSCI EAFE Index (GD) (7%), and Barclays Aggregate Bond Index (65%). Prudential Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc. determined the weight of each index comprising the blended index.

Annual Total Returns

Best Quarter:		Worst Quarter:
10.75%	2nd Quarter of 2009	-9.00%	4th Quarter of 2008

 

Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2012)
	1 year	5 years	Since Inception (12/5/05)
Portfolio	10.38%	3.56%	4.93%

Index
Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)	15.99%	1.66%	4.07%
Blended Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)	8.64%	4.69%	5.68%

MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO

Investment Managers	Subadviser	Portfolio Managers	Title	Service Date
Prudential Investments LLC		Brian Ahrens, CFA	Senior VP, Strategic Investment Research Group	April 2005
		Andrei O. Marinich, CFA	VP, Strategic Investment Research Group	April 2012
AST Investment Services, Inc.	Quantitative Management Associates LLC (QMA)	Marcus Perl	Portfolio Manager, VP	July 2006
		Edward L. Campbell, CFA	Portfolio Manager, Principal	July 2006
		Joel M. Kallman, CFA	Portfolio Manager, Senior Associate	March 2011

TAX INFORMATION

Contract owners should consult their Contract prospectus for information on the federal tax consequences to them. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in the Contracts and the Portfolio, including the application of state and local taxes. The Portfolio currently intends to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Portfolio's income, gains, losses, deductions, and credits are “passed through” pro rata directly to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for federal income tax purposes.

FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION

If you purchase your Contract through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Participating Insurance Company, the Portfolio or their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Contract, the selection of the Portfolio and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Contract over another investment or insurance product, or to recommend the Portfolio over another investment option under the Contract. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

By Mail:	Advanced Series Trust, 100 Mulberry Street, Gateway Center Three, Newark, NJ 07102
By Telephone:	1-800-346-3778
On the Internet:	www.prudential.com/variableinsuranceportfolios

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