<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
  <periodOfReport>2003-09-17</periodOfReport>
  <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001018710</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>INTROGEN THERAPEUTICS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>INGN</issuerTradingSymbol>
  </issuer>
  <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000217028</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>AVENTIS INC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>300 SOMERSET CORPORATE BLVD.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BRIDGEWATER</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>08807</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
      <isDirector>0</isDirector>
      <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
      <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
      <isOther>0</isOther>
    </reportingOwnerRelationship>
  </reportingOwner>
  <nonDerivativeTable>
    <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Common</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
        <value>2003-09-17</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
        <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
        <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
        <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
        <value></value>
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
        <transactionShares>
          <value>700000</value>
        </transactionShares>
        <transactionPricePerShare>
          <value>10.18</value>
        </transactionPricePerShare>
        <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
          <value>D</value>
        </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>0</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>I</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        <natureOfOwnership>
          <value>See Footnote</value>
          <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Common</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
        <value>2003-09-18</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
        <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
        <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
        <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
        <value></value>
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
        <transactionShares>
          <value>14600</value>
        </transactionShares>
        <transactionPricePerShare>
          <value>10.75</value>
        </transactionPricePerShare>
        <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
          <value>D</value>
        </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>2770093</value>
          <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>I</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        <natureOfOwnership>
          <value>See Footnote</value>
          <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeTransaction>
  </nonDerivativeTable>
  <footnotes>
    <footnote id="F1">Owned directly by Aventis Holdings Inc, and beneficially owned by Aventis Inc.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F2">The Number of shares set forth under this column 5 on the Company's Form 4 Filed on September 12, 2003 was incorrectly reported as 3,560,293 instead of 3,520,293</footnote>
  </footnotes>
  <ownerSignature>
    <signatureName>Gerald P.Belle, President</signatureName>
    <signatureDate>2003-09-19</signatureDate>
  </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

