Rigel to Present at the Needham Biotechnology and Medical Technology Conference

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., June 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: RIGL) today announced that James M. Gower, Rigel's chairman and chief executive officer, will be presenting a company overview at the Seventh Annual Needham Biotechnology and Medical Technology Conference on Thursday, June 12, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. EDT at The New York Palace Hotel in New York City.

To access the live audio webcast or the subsequent archived recording, log on to http://www.rigel.com. Please connect to Rigel's website several minutes prior to the start of the live webcast to ensure adequate time for any software download that may be necessary.

About Rigel (http://www.rigel.com)

Rigel is a clinical-stage drug development company that discovers and develops novel, small-molecule drugs for the treatment of inflammatory/autoimmune diseases and cancer, as well as viral and metabolic diseases. Our goal is to file one new investigational new drug (IND) application in a significant indication each year. Rigel has achieved this goal every year 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. Rigel has product development programs in inflammatory/autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, thrombocytopenia and asthma, as well as in cancer.

Contact: Ryan Maynard

Phone: 650.624.1284

Email: invrel@rigel.com

SOURCE Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Released June 5, 2008