-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 RGhgKzaCY7JrQQck/9lWTI+UUky3iQcy2IpU6LDnOBhJluYylhq21aPNH8tLo03v
 lpQoNo65PLrqOuf4p5mNZQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001404219-07-000005.txt : 20070924
<SEC-HEADER>0001404219-07-000005.hdr.sgml : 20070924
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20070924153313
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001404219-07-000005
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20070920
FILED AS OF DATE:		20070924
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20070924

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			GENENTECH INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000318771
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS [2834]
		IRS NUMBER:				942347624
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1 DNA WAY
		CITY:			SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94080
		BUSINESS PHONE:		650-225-1000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1 DNA WAY
		STREET 2:		.
		CITY:			SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94080

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			DESMOND HELLMANN SUSAN D
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001214218

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-09813
		FILM NUMBER:		071131497

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O GENENTECH INC
		STREET 2:		1 DNA WAY MS 49
		CITY:			SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94080-4990
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgardoc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-09-20</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000318771</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GENENTECH INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DNA</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001214218</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DESMOND HELLMANN SUSAN D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1 DNA WAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SO SAN FRANCISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94080</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>PRESIDENT,</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>79.55</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-09-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>210000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2008-09-20</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2017-09-20</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>210000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>210000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This stock option vests over four years, with the first 25% of the shares vesting one year from the grant date and 75% of the shares vesting in equal monthly increments over the following three years.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Mary Yoo  For: Susan Desmond-Hellmann</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-09-24</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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