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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2019-04-08</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001423824</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ALDER BIOPHARMACEUTICALS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ALDR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001773151</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Dac Nadia</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>11804 NORTH CREEK PARKWAY SOUTH</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOTHELL</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>WA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>98011</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Commercial Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>13.90</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-04-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>250000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2029-04-07</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>250000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>250000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The shares subject to this option shall vest at a rate of twenty-five percent of the total number of shares on the one-year anniversary of April 8, 2019 (the &quot;Vesting Commencement Date&quot;) and 1/48th of the total number of shares each monthly anniversary of the Vesting Commencement Date thereafter for so long as the Reporting Person provides continuous service to the Issuer, such that the total number of shares shall be fully vested on the four-year anniversary of the Vesting Commencement Date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Nadia Dac</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2019-04-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
