-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 S2/kG3xK+BDE5kF5kq20coQOdEuWZrW2c0xT5l9HkjWgweW6KhV+c37OmQEgFtiQ
 Db0Zrloz9vJjgudgcuYcJQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001179110-06-016383.txt : 20060808
<SEC-HEADER>0001179110-06-016383.hdr.sgml : 20060808
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20060808210739
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001179110-06-016383
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20060807
FILED AS OF DATE:		20060808
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20060808

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			RIGEL PHARMACEUTICALS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001034842
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS [2834]
		IRS NUMBER:				943248524
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1180 VETERANS BOULEVARD
		CITY:			SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94080

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1180 VETERANS BOULEVARD
		CITY:			SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94080

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			VANCE DOLLY
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001237676

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-29889
		FILM NUMBER:		061014793

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O RIGEL PHARMACEUTICALS INC
		STREET 2:		1180 VETERANS BLVD SOUTH
		CITY:			SAN FRANCISCO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94080
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6506241100
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 -
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-08-07</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001034842</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>RIGEL PHARMACEUTICALS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RIGL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001237676</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>VANCE DOLLY</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>RIGEL PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.,</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1180 VETERANS BLVD.</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94080</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP Intel. Prop.&amp; Gen.Counsel</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable></nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>9.56</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-08-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>16249</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2006-08-07</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2016-08-07</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>16249</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>16249</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Fifty Per Cent (50%) of the shares vest on the grant date and Fifty Per Cent (50%) of the shares vest monthly thereafter over twenty-four(24) months.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Dolly Vance</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-08-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>ex24vance.txt
<TEXT>
POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby
constitutes and appoints each of Ryan D. Maynard and
James M. Gower, signing individually, the undersigned's
true and lawful attorneys-in fact and agents to:

(1) execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, an officer,
director or holder of 10% of more of a registered class of
securities of Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the "Company"),
Forms 3, 4 and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act") and the rules thereunder;

(2) do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the
undersigned that may be necessary or desirable to complete and
execute such Form 3, 4 or 5, complete and execute any
amendment or amendments thereto, and timely file such forms or
amendments with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority; and

(3) take any other action of any nature whatsoever in
connection with the foregoing which, in the opinion of such
attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit, in the best interest of,
or legally required by, the undersigned, it being understood
that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf
of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be
in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as
such attorney-in-fact may approve in such attorney-in-fact's
discretion.

The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact
full power and authority to do and perform any and every act
and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary, or proper to be
done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers herein
granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the
undersigned might or could do if personally present, with full
power of substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-
in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or
cause to be done by virtue of this power of attorney and the
rights and powers herein granted.  The undersigned
acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving
in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not
assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of the
undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of
the Exchange Act.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect
until the earliest to occur of (a) the undersigned is no
longer required to file Forms 3, 4 and 5 with respect to the
undersigned's holdings of and transactions in securities
issued by the Company, (b) revocation by the undersigned in a
signed writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact or
(c) as to any attorney-in-fact individually, until such
attorney-in-fact shall no longer be employed by the Company.


In Witness Whereof, the undersigned has caused this Power of
Attorney to be executed as of this 30th day of  May, 2006.

/s/Dolly Vance

Dolly Vance

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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