press release archive

Rigel to Present at Upcoming Scientific Conferences

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - May 03, 2006

Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: RIGL) today announced that it will be presenting at two upcoming scientific conferences. Details are as follows:

• Presentation Time: Thursday, May 4th, 10:00-10:50 a.m. EDT
  Title:: “Targeting Syk Kinase for Allergic Airway Disease”
  Presenter: Esteban Masuda, Ph.D., Senior Director of Immunology, Rigel
  
  

• Presentation Time: Friday, May 12th, 8:00-9:30 a.m. EDT
  Track 3: Innovative Approaches to Therapeutic Areas
  Title:: “Development of Aurora Kinase Inhibitor R763 for the Treatment of Cancer”
  Presenter: Yasumichi Hitoshi, M.D., Ph.D, Senior Director of Oncology, Rigel
  

About Rigel (www.rigel.com)
Rigel is a clinical-stage drug development company that discovers and develops novel, small-molecule drugs for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, cancer and viral diseases. Our goal is to move one new product candidate for a significant indication into the clinic each year. We have achieved this goal since 2002. Our pioneering research focuses on intracellular signaling pathways and related targets that are critical to disease mechanisms. Rigel’s productivity has resulted in strategic collaborations with large pharmaceutical partners to develop and market our product candidates. We have product development programs in inflammatory/autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, thrombocytopenia, and asthma and allergy, as well as in cancer.

This press release contains "forward-looking" statements, including statements related to Rigel's plans to pursue pre-clinical and clinical development of product candidates and the timing thereof and the potential efficacy and safety of product candidates. Any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Words such as "plans," "intends," "expects," “believes,” and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause Rigel's results to differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements, including risks associated with the timing and success of pre-clinical studies and clinical trials, as well as other risks detailed from time to time in Rigel's SEC reports, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005. Rigel does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements.

Contact: Raul Rodriguez
Phone: 650.624.1302
Email: invrel@rigel.com

Media Contact: Carolyn Bumgardner Wang, WeissComm Partners, Inc.
Phone: 415.946.1065
Email: carolyn@weisscommpartners.com