FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF 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 *
  Masuda Esteban
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
10/10/2016		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
RIGEL PHARMACEUTICALS INC [RIGL]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
RIGEL PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Sr. VP Research
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94080		 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 Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 15,478
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (1) 01/24/2017 Common Stock 24,227 $ 11.36 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (2) 01/24/2017 Common Stock 35,773 $ 11.36 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (3) 01/24/2017 Common Stock 1,774 $ 11.36 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (4) 01/31/2018 Common Stock 72,000 $ 26.45 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (5) 03/30/2019 Common Stock 45,000 $ 6.49 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (6) 01/20/2020 Common Stock 10,000 $ 9.62 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (7) 05/19/2020 Common Stock 25,000 $ 7.11 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (8) 02/01/2021 Common Stock 35,000 $ 6.73 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (9) 01/25/2022 Common Stock 40,000 $ 8.15 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (10) 01/30/2023 Common Stock 60,000 $ 6.51 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (11) 09/19/2023 Common Stock 40,000 $ 3.55 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (12) 01/29/2024 Common Stock 40,000 $ 3.2 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (13) 01/26/2025 Common Stock 50,000 $ 2.14 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (14) 01/22/2026 Common Stock 55,000 $ 2.72 D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)   (15) 10/03/2026 Common Stock 100,000 $ 3.96 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Masuda Esteban
RIGEL PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94080		       Sr. VP Research  

Signatures

/s/ Dolly Vance (Attorney-in-Fact) 10/11/2016
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(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) The option was fully vested on 12/1/11.
(2) The option was fully vested on 12/1/10.
(3) The option was fully vested on 1/1/08.
(4) The option was fully vested on 1/1/12.
(5) The option was fully vested on 3/30/10.
(6) The option was fully vested on 1/1/11.
(7) The option was fully vested on 3/26/11.
(8) The option was fully vested on 1/1/12.
(9) The option was fully vested on 1/1/13.
(10) Common Stock subject to the Option shall vest monthly over a four-year term from the date of grant,subject to the Continuous Service (as defined in the Plan) to the Company through each vesting date.
(11) The option was fully vested on 9/19/15.
(12) The option was fully vested on 2/1/16.
(13) Common Stock subject to the Option shall vest monthly over a two-year term from 1/1/15, subject to the Continuous Service (as defined in the Plan) to the Company through each vesting date.
(14) Common Stock subject to the Option shall vest over a two-year term from 1/1/16, subject to the Continuous Service (as defined in the Plan) to the Company through each vesting date.
(15) Common Stock subject to the Option shall vest over a four-year term, with one-fourth of the shares subject to the Option vesting on September 16, 2017, and 1/48th of the shares subject to the Option vesting monthly thereafter, subject to the Continuous Service (as defined in the Plan) to the Company through each vesting date.

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