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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 ILCn2nQl80gOjH1GFsAt75O2+iik9vXPCZntXo+u39ncX5ABO0eM877S5+OO/3lY
 5+kwj7ok6MWUVWvupjHf4g==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-03-018235.txt : 20030821
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-03-018235.hdr.sgml : 20030821
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030821101533
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-03-018235
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030820
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030821

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			GODDARD COLIN
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001225199

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-15190
		FILM NUMBER:		03859201

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		OSI PHARMACEUTICALS INC
		STREET 2:		58 S. SERVICE RD.
		CITY:			MELVILLE
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			11747

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			OSI PHARMACEUTICALS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000729922
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	IN VITRO & IN VIVO DIAGNOSTIC SUBSTANCES [2835]
		IRS NUMBER:				133159796
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0930

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		58 SOUTH SERVICE RD.
		STREET 2:		SUITE 110
		CITY:			MELVILLE
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			11747
		BUSINESS PHONE:		631-962-2000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		58 SOUTH SERVICE RD.
		STREET 2:		SUITE 110
		CITY:			MELVILLE
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			11747

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	ONCOGENE SCIENCE INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-20</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000729922</issuerCik><issuerName>OSI PHARMACEUTICALS INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>OSIP</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001225199</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>GODDARD COLIN</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>C/O OSI PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>58 SOUTH SERVICE ROAD, SUITE 110</rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>MELVILLE</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>11747</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chief Executive Officer</officerTitle></repo
rtingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-20</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1500</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>3.25</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>11749</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></sec
urityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-20</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1500</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>35</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10249</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-20</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><
transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>4.25</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>14249</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-20</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></valu
e></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>35</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10249</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>3.25</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-20</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transac
tionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1500</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1999-09-23</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-09-22</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>34000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value><footnoteId id="F3" /></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice
><value>4.25</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-20</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2000-06-23</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-06-22</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>4000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>16000</value></sharesOwnedFoll
owingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value><footnoteId id="F3" /></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">One third of the stock option became exercisable one year after the date of the grant and the remainder vested ratably on a monthly basis over the succeeding 24 months.</footnote><footnote id="F2">The stock option was granted pursuant to one of the Issuer's incentive and non-qualified stock option plans and is exempt under Rule 16b-3.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Includes only options with the same termination date.</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>Robert L. Van Nostrand by Power of Attorney</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-21</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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