Rigel R&D Strategy Emphasizes Early Pipeline, Led By Asthma Drug

01 Nov 2011

• By Emily Hayes

Rigel’s focus on its early-stage projects for serious unmet medical needs overshadowed its Phase III rheumatoid arthritis candidate with AstraZeneca.

Asthma took center stage at Rigel Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s recent R&D day, as the company gears up for a Phase II trial next spring of its recently regained spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) inhibitor R343. But the company also outlined its earlier-stage pipeline plans for tackling new indications with high unmet need.

Rigel regained rights to R343 after it was squeezed out of partner Pfizer Inc.’s pipeline ([A#14110506004]). Pfizer has...