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

    <schemaVersion>X0203</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-08-29</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001183765</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>THRESHOLD PHARMACEUTICALS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>THLDD</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001358990</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HealthCare Ventures VIII, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>HEALTHCARE VENTURES LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>44 NASSAU STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PRINCETON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>08542</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001358991</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HealthCare Partners VIII, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>HEALTHCARE VENTURES LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>44 NASSAU STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PRINCETON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>08542</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001358992</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HealthCare Partners VIII, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>HEALTHCARE VENTURES LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>44 NASSAU STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PRINCETON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>08542</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001013473</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CAVANAUGH JAMES H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>HEALTHCARE VENTURES LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>44 NASSAU STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PRINCETON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>08542</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001013469</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LITTLECHILD JOHN W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>55 CAMBRIDGE PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 301</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CAMBRIDGE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02142</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001013603</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WERNER HAROLD R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>HEALTHCARE VENTURES LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>44 NASSAU STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PRINCETON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>08542</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001262326</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Mirabelli Christopher</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>55 CAMBRIDGE PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 301</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CAMBRIDGE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02142</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001262327</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LAWLOR AUGUSTINE</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>55 CAMBRIDGE PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 301</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CAMBRIDGE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02142</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1470588</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>and Direct</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock Warrants</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>2.34</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-08-29</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>588235</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>and Direct</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">These securities are owned by HealthCare Ventures VIII, L.P. (&quot;HCVVIII&quot;).  These securities are indirectly owned by HealthCare Partners VIII, L.P. (&quot;HCPVIII&quot;), the General Partner of HCVVIII, HealthCare Partners VIII, LLC (the &quot;LLC&quot;), the General Partner of HCPVIII, and each of James Cavanaugh, Harold Werner, John Littlechild, Christopher Mirabelli and Augustine Lawlor, the Managing Directors of the LLC. Drs. Cavanaugh and Mirabelli and  Messrs. Werner, Littlechild and Lawlor disclaim beneficial ownership of those securities in which they do not have a pecuniary interest and this report shall not be deemed an admission that they are the beneficial owners of these securities for purposes of Section 16, except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Immediately exercisable.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Jeffrey Steinberg, Administrative Officer HealthCare Ventures VIII, L.P.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-09-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Jeffrey Steinberg, Administrative Partner, HealthCare Partners VIII, L.P.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-09-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Jeffrey Steinberg, Administrative Officer, HeathCare Partners VIII, LLC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-09-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Jeffrey Steinberg, Attorney-in-Fact for James H. Cavanaugh</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-09-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Jeffrey Steinberg, Attorney-in-Fact for John Littlechild</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-09-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Jeffrey Steinberg, Attorney-in-Fact for Harold Werner</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-09-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Jeffrey Steinberg, Attorney-in-Fact for Christopher Mirabelli</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-09-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Jeffrey Steinberg, Attorney-in-Fact for Augustine Lawlor</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-09-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
