<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-07</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0001099414</issuerCik><issuerName>TANOX INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>tnox</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001218151</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>MIKHAIL OSAMA I</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>5211 NORBORNE LANE</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>HOUSTON</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>77069</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common 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Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2004-01-07</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>840.0000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>14.5926</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>32880.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>1.0438</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2004-01-07</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3360.0000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-01-07</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2004-02-29</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3360.0000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10040.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Various dates; all currently exercisable.</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>Osama Mikhail, by Katie-Pat Bowman, as Attorney in Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-07</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

