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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 27, 2003



SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549


SCHEDULE TO
Tender Offer Statement under Section 14(d)(1) or 13(e)(1)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


RIGEL PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(Name of Subject Company—Issuer and Filing Person—Offeror)


OPTIONS TO PURCHASE COMMON STOCK,
par value $0.001 per share
(Title of Class of Securities)


766559 60 3
(CUSIP Number of Class of Securities)


James M. Gower
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
RIGEL PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
1180 Veterans Boulevard
South San Francisco, California 94080
Telephone: (650) 624-1100
(Name, address and telephone number of person authorized to receive
notices and communications on behalf of Filing Person)


Copy to:
Suzanne Sawochka Hooper
COOLEY GODWARD LLP
Five Palo Alto Square, 3000 El Camino Real
Palo Alto, California 94306-2155
Telephone: (650) 843-5000

CALCULATION OF FILING FEE


Transaction Valuation*
  Amount of Filing Fee**

$1,005,662   $81.36

* Calculated solely for purposes of determining the filing fee. This amount assumes that options to purchase 367,961 shares of Common Stock of Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. having an aggregate value of $1,005,662 will be exchanged pursuant to this offer. The aggregate value of such options was calculated based on the Black-Scholes option pricing model as of June 26, 2003.

** $80.90 per $1,000,000 of the aggregate offering amount (or .00008090 of the aggregate transaction valuation), pursuant to Rule 0-11 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended by Fee Advisory #11, effective February 21, 2003.

o
Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing with which the offsetting fee was previously paid. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

Amount Previously Paid:   Not applicable.   Filing Party:   Not applicable.
Form or Registration No.:   Not applicable.   Date Filed:   Not applicable.
o
Check the box if the filing relates solely to preliminary communications made before the commencement of a tender offer.

Check the appropriate boxes below to designate any transactions to which the statement relates:

o
Third-party tender offer subject to Rule 14d-1.

ý
Issuer tender offer subject to Rule 13e-4.

o
Going-private transaction subject to Rule 13e-3.

o
Amendment to Schedule 13D under Rule 13d-2.

Check the following box if the filing is a final amendment reporting the results of the tender offer: o





ITEM 1.    SUMMARY TERM SHEET.

        The information set forth in the Offer to Exchange under the "Summary of Terms" section is incorporated herein by reference.


ITEM 2.    SUBJECT COMPANY INFORMATION.

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ITEM 3.    IDENTITY AND BACKGROUND OF THE FILING PERSON.


ITEM 4.    TERMS OF THE TRANSACTION.


ITEM 5.    PAST CONTACTS, TRANSACTIONS, NEGOTIATIONS AND AGREEMENTS.


ITEM 6.    PURPOSES OF THE TRANSACTION AND PLANS OR PROPOSALS.


ITEM 7.    SOURCE AND AMOUNT OF FUNDS OR OTHER CONSIDERATION.

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ITEM 8.    INTEREST IN THE SECURITIES OF THE SUBJECT COMPANY.


ITEM 9.    PERSONS/ASSETS, RETAINED, EMPLOYED, COMPENSATED OR USED.

        Not applicable.


ITEM 10.    FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.


ITEM 11.    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

        Not applicable.

[Remainder of this page intentionally left blank.]

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ITEM 12.    EXHIBITS.

Exhibit
Number

  Description
99.(a)(1)(A)   Offer to Exchange, dated June 27, 2003.

99.(a)(1)(B)

 

Form of Letter of Transmittal — Memorandum to holders of Eligible Options.

99.(a)(1)(C)

 

Form of Summary of Terms.

99.(a)(1)(D)

 

Form of Election Form.

99.(a)(1)(E)

 

Form of Notice of Change in Election from Accept to Reject.

99.(a)(1)(F)

 

Form of Notice of Change in Election from Reject to Accept.

99.(a)(1)(G)

 

Form of Confirmation of Participation in the Offer to Exchange.

99.(a)(1)(H)

 

Form of Electronic Reminder to holders of Eligible Options.

99.(a)(1)(I)

 

Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K, for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 2002, as amended on May 8, 2003, and incorporated herein by reference.

99.(a)(1)(J)

 

Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, for its first fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2003, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 15, 2003, and incorporated herein by reference.

99.(b)

 

Not applicable.

99.(d)(1)(A)

 

Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 2000 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended and restated, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 26, 2003 and incorporated herein by reference to the indicated exhibit in its Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-106532).

99.(d)(1)(B)

 

Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 2001 Non-Officer Equity Incentive Plan filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 30, 2001 and incorporated herein by reference to the indicated exhibit in its Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-72492).

99.(d)(1)(C)

 

Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 2000 Non-Employee Directors' Plan, as amended and restated, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 26, 2003 and incorporated herein by reference to the indicated exhibit in its Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-106532).

99.(g)

 

Not applicable.

99.(h)

 

Not applicable.

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ITEM 13. INFORMATION REQUIRED BY SCHEDULE 13E-3.

        Not applicable.

[Remainder of this page intentionally left blank.]

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SIGNATURE

        After due inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Dated:    June 27, 2003

    RIGEL PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

 

 

By:

/s/  
JAMES H. WELCH      
Name: James H. Welch
Title: Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

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INDEX OF EXHIBITS

Exhibit
Number

  Description
99.(a)(1)(A)   Offer to Exchange, dated June 27, 2003.

99.(a)(1)(B)

 

Form of Letter of Transmittal — Memorandum to holders of Eligible Options.

99.(a)(1)(C)

 

Form of Summary of Terms.

99.(a)(1)(D)

 

Form of Election Form.

99.(a)(1)(E)

 

Form of Notice of Change in Election from Accept to Reject.

99.(a)(1)(F)

 

Form of Notice of Change in Election from Reject to Accept.

99.(a)(1)(G)

 

Form of Confirmation of Participation in the Offer to Exchange.

99.(a)(1)(H)

 

Form of Electronic Reminder to holders of Eligible Options.

99.(a)(1)(I)

 

Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K, for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 2002, as amended on May 8, 2003, and incorporated herein by reference.

99.(a)(1)(J)

 

Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, for its first fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2003, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 15, 2003, and incorporated herein by reference.

99.(b)

 

Not applicable.

99.(d)(1)(A)

 

Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 2000 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended and restated, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 26, 2003 and incorporated herein by reference to the indicated exhibit in its Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-106532).

99.(d)(1)(B)

 

Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 2001 Non-Officer Equity Incentive Plan filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 30, 2001 and incorporated herein by reference to the indicated exhibit in its Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-72492).

99.(d)(1)(C)

 

Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 2000 Non-Employee Directors' Plan, as amended and restated, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 26, 2003 and incorporated herein by reference to the indicated exhibit in its Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-106532).

99.(g)

 

Not applicable.

99.(h)

 

Not applicable.

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SIGNATURE
INDEX OF EXHIBITS