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 *
  Cabatuan Nelson
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
12/18/2017		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
RIGEL PHARMACEUTICALS INC [RIGL]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
RIGEL PHARMACEUTICALS, INC., 1180 VETERANS BLVD.		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Principal Accounting Officer
 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 58
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
Stock Option (Right to Buy)   (1) 11/13/2018 Common Stock 1,212 $ 6.48 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy)   (1) 03/30/2019 Common Stock 3,250 $ 6.49 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy)   (1) 02/01/2021 Common Stock 5,000 $ 6.73 D  
Stock Option (right to Buy)   (1) 02/01/2021 Common Stock 5,000 $ 6.73 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy)   (1) 01/25/2022 Common Stock 10,000 $ 8.15 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy)   (1) 01/30/2023 Common Stock 2,500 $ 6.51 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy)   (1) 09/19/2023 Common Stock 6,000 $ 3.55 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy)   (2) 01/29/2024 Common Stock 10,000 $ 3.2 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy)   (1) 01/29/2024 Common Stock 6,500 $ 3.2 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy)   (3) 11/12/2024 Common Stock 10,834 $ 1.68 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy)   (1) 01/26/2025 Common Stock 15,500 $ 2.14 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy)   (4) 01/22/2026 Common Stock 30,000 $ 2.72 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy)   (5) 10/03/2026 Common Stock 30,000 $ 3.67 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy)   (6) 01/24/2027 Common Stock 44,888 $ 2.1 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy)   (6) 01/24/2027 Common Stock 10,000 $ 2.1 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy)   (1) 01/24/2027 Common Stock 112 $ 2.1 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Cabatuan Nelson
RIGEL PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
1180 VETERANS BLVD.
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94080		       Principal Accounting Officer  

Signatures

/s/ Nelson Cabatuan 12/22/2017
**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) This option is fully vested.
(2) This option vests monthly over four (4) years from January 1, 2014.
(3) This option vests monthly over four (4) years from October 1, 2014.
(4) This option vests monthly over two (2) years from January 1, 2016.
(5) This option vests monthly over four (4) years from October 3, 2016.
(6) This option vests monthly over four (4) years from January 1, 2017.

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