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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-05-08</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001325879</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AVEO PHARMACEUTICALS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AVEO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001644965</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Growth Equity Opportunities IV, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1954 GREENSPRING DRIVE, SUITE 600</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>TIMONIUM</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MD</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>21093</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001640033</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>NEA 15 GP, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1954 GREENSPRING DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 600</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>TIMONIUM</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MD</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>21093</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001640031</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>NEA Partners 15, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1954 GREENSPRING DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 600</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>TIMONIUM</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MD</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>21093</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001629794</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>New Enterprise Associates 15, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1954 GREENSPRING DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 600</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>TIMONIUM</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MD</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>21093</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>2018-05-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>70873</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.1341</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>17354543</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were purchased in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $2.1101 to $2.15, inclusive. The Reporting Person undertakes to provide to the Issuer, any security holder of the Issuer, or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares purchased at each separate price within the range set forth in this footnote (1) to this Form 4.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The shares are directly held by Growth Equity Opportunities Fund IV, LLC (&quot;GEO IV&quot;) and indirectly held by New Enterprise Associates 15, L.P. (&quot;NEA 15&quot;), the sole member of GEO IV, NEA Partners 15, L.P. (&quot;NEA Partners 15&quot;), the sole general partner of NEA 15, NEA 15 GP, LLC (&quot;NEA 15 GP&quot;), the sole general partner of NEA Partners 15, and the individual managers of NEA 15 GP (NEA 15, NEA Partners 15, NEA 15 GP and the individual managers of NEA 15 GP, together, the &quot;Indirect Reporting Persons&quot;). The individual managers of NEA 15 GP are Peter J. Barris, Forest Baskett, Anthony A. Florence, Jr., Josh Makower, David M. Mott, Jon Sakoda, Scott D. Sandell, Peter W. Sonsini and Ravi Viswanathan. The Indirect Reporting Persons disclaim beneficial ownership within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise of such portion of the shares of the Issuer held by GEO IV in which the Indirect Reporting Persons have no pecuniary interest.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Sasha Keough, attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-05-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
