press release archive

Rigel Announces Upcoming Presentation at the 2006 Controlled Release Society (CRS) Annual Meeting

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - July 21, 2006

Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: RIGL) today announced a presentation to be made at the 2006 Controlled Release Society (CRS) annual meeting being held from July 22-26, 2006 at the Austria Center in Vienna, Austria.

The presentation details are as follows:

Date: Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Time: 9:00 a.m. CEST
Abstract #796: A Microencapsulated Prodrug Approach To Prevent Gut Hydrolysis And To Enhance Delivery Of Drug To Liver
Poster Session ID: Poster Session II - New Formulation Approaches Based on Micro-Nanotechnologies

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 file one new investigative new drug (IND) application in a significant indication 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 clinical development of product candidates and the timing thereof, the potential efficacy of product candidates and the sufficiency of financial resources. 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," “anticipates” 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 clinical trials and the commercialization of product candidates, as well as other risks detailed from time to time in Rigel's SEC reports, including its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2006. 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 Wang, WeissComm Partners, Inc.
Phone: 415.946.1065
Email: carolyn@weisscommpartners.com