<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2014-02-18</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001177648</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ENANTA PHARMACEUTICALS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ENTA</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001133921</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SCHUHSLER HELMUT</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O TVM CAPITAL</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>OTTOSTRASSE 4</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MUNICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>2M</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>80333</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>GERMANY</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-02-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1546</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>40.3185</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>389935</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-02-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5066</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>40.3185</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>520978</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-02-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6388</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>40.3185</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1611306</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $40.00 to $40.78, inclusive. Helmut Schuhsler (&quot;Schuhsler&quot;) undertakes to provide to Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the &quot;Issuer&quot;), any security holder of the Issuer, or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (&quot;SEC&quot;), upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the range set forth in this footnote.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The shares are directly held by TVM Medical Ventures GmbH &amp; Co. KG (&quot;Medical Ventures&quot;), the general partner of which is TVM Capital GmbH (&quot;TVM Capital&quot;), for which Schuhsler, one member of the investment committee of TVM Capital, shares voting and investment authority over the shares held by Medical Ventures with the other member of the investment committee. Schuhsler disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, if any.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The shares are directly held by TVM IV GmbH &amp; Co. KG (&quot;TVM IV&quot;), the managing limited partner of which is TVM IV Management GmbH &amp; Co. KG (&quot;TVM IV Management&quot;), for which Schuhsler, one member of the investment committee of TVM IV Management, shares voting and investment authority over the shares held by TVM IV with the other members of the investment committee. Schuhsler disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, if any.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The shares are directly held by TVM V Life Science Ventures GmbH &amp; Co. KG (&quot;TVM V&quot;), the managing limited partner of which is TVM V Life Science Ventures Management GmbH &amp; Co. KG (&quot;TVM V Management&quot;), for which for which Schuhsler, one member of the investment committee of TVM V Management, shares voting and investment authority over the shares held by TVM V with the other members of the investment committee. Schuhsler disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, if any.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Rolf Starck by power of attorney for Helmut Schuhsler</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-02-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
