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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2019-07-15</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001061027</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SUNESIS PHARMACEUTICALS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SNSS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001652910</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Aisling Capital IV, LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O AISLING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>888 SEVENTH AVENUE, 12TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10106</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001737019</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Aisling Capital Partners IV LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O AISLING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>888 SEVENTH AVE., 12TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10106</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001737020</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Aisling Capital Partners IV, LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O AISLING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>888 SEVENTH AVE., 12TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10106</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001172252</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SCHIFF ANDREW N</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O AISLING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>888 SEVENTH AVE., 12TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10106</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001250195</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ELMS STEVE</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O AISLING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>888 SEVENTH AVE., 12TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10106</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-07-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2500000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.60</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10100000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares held by Aisling Capital IV, LP (&quot;Aisling&quot;). Aisling Capital Partners IV, LP (&quot;Aisling GP&quot;), is the general partner of Aisling. Aisling Capital Partners IV LLC (&quot;Aisling Partners&quot;), is the general partner of Aisling GP. The individual managing members (&quot;the Aisling Managers&quot;), of Aisling Partners are Andrew Schiff, M.D. and Steve Elms. By virtue of these relationships, Aisling GP, Aisling Partners and the Aisling Managers may be deemed to have voting and investment power over the shares held by Aisling. Each of the reporting persons, other than Aisling, disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by Aisling, except to the extent of any pecuniary interest therein, if any.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Aisling Capital IV, LP by Andrew N. Schiff</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2019-07-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Aisling Capital Partners IV LLC by Andrew N. Schiff</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2019-07-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Aisling Capital Partners IV, LP by Andrew N. Schiff</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2019-07-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Andrew N. Schiff</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2019-07-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Steve Elms</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2019-07-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
