FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
DELEAGE JEAN
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
RIGEL PHARMACEUTICALS INC [RIGL]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
ONE EMBARCADERO CENTER, SUITE 4050
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
10/21/2004
(Street)

SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 10/21/2004   (1) S   168,791 D $ 25.03 754,931 I See footnote (2)
Common Stock 10/21/2004   (1) S   2,508 D $ 26.0827 752,423 I See footnote (2)
Common Stock 10/21/2004   (1) S   6,209 D $ 25.03 27,772 I See footnote (2)
Common Stock 10/21/2004   (1) S   92 D $ 26.0827 27,680 I See footnote (2)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
DELEAGE JEAN
ONE EMBARCADERO CENTER
SUITE 4050
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111
  X      

Signatures

 Jean Deleage   10/22/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Not applicable
(2) Jean Deleage, Director, is a managing director of Alta BioPharma Management II, LLC (which is the General Partner ("GP") of Alta BioPharma Partners II, L.P.("ABPII")) & a manager of Alta Embarcadero BioPharma Partners II, LLC ("AEBPII"). Alta Partners II, Inc. provides investment advisory services to several venture capital funds including ABPII & AEBPII. The respective GP & managers exercise sole voting & investment powers over the shares held by the foregoing funds. Jean Deleage, Alix Marduel & Farah Champsi (collectively known as the "Principals") are managing directors ("md") of ABPII & managers of AEBPII. As md & managers they may be deemed to share voting & investment powers over the share held by the funds. The principals disclaim beneficial ownership of all such shares held by the foregoing funds, except to the extent of their proportionate pecuniary interests therein.

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