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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-03-28</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2018-03-30</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001439222</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AGIOS PHARMACEUTICALS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AGIO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001581956</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Biller Scott</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O AGIOS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>88 SIDNEY STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CAMBRIDGE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02139</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Scientific Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.4675</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-03-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>37</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2020-12-06</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>37</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1766</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>2.34</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-03-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4100</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2022-04-05</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4100</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>27718</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The original Form 4 stated that derivative securities were acquired as a result of the transaction, when in fact the transaction was a disposition of derivative securities. This Form 4 amendment is solely to correct the nature of the transaction.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This option was granted on December 7, 2010. The shares underlying this option vested as to 25% of the shares upon the achievement of a performance milestone, and as to the remaining 75% in 36 equal monthly installments thereafter. The performance criteria was met on June 23, 2015.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">This option was granted on April 6, 2012 for the purchase of 63,636 shares of common stock. The option vests as to 25% of the shares upon the achievement of a performance milestone, as to an additional 50% upon the achievement of a second performance milestone, and as to the remaining 25% on the first anniversary of the first date that both performance milestones were achieved. The performance criteria for the first performance milestone were met on March 18, 2013. The performance criteria for the second performance milestone were met on April 4, 2014, resulting in the vesting of the option as to 31,818 shares, and the remaining 15,909 shares vested on April 4, 2015.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ William Cook, as Attorney in Fact for Scott Biller</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-08-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
