Rigel Announces Participation in Upcoming Investor and Partnering Conferences

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: RIGL) today announced that James M. Gower, the company's chairman and chief executive officer, is scheduled to present a company overview at the 11th Annual Lehman Brothers Global Healthcare Conference in Miami, Florida on Tuesday, March 18 at 4:45 p.m. EDT.

Mr. Gower is also scheduled to participate in a panel discussion titled "Biotech Models: Should you Just Go to POC or Should you Go All the Way? A Look at Both-Pros/Cons", at the 2008 Pharmaceutical Strategic Outlook Conference hosted by Windhover Information in New York City on March 20 at 10:30 a.m. EDT.

To access the live audio webcast of the investor presentation 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 March 13, 2008