<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-01-12</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000765258</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>IMCLONE SYSTEMS INC/DE</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>IMCL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001177079</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARTELL RON</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>SVP, Commercial Operations</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>

        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Contract</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>1988-08-08</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>1988-08-08</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>1988-08-08</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>

    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">All reported transactions relate to the settlement of a contract (the &quot;Contract&quot;) entered into by the Reporting Person on December 11, 2001, relating to 35,355 shares of common stock of the Issuer (the &quot;Share Amount&quot;), pursuant to which the Reporting Person agreed to deliver up to 35,355 shares to the counterparty under the Contract (the &quot;Counterparty&quot;) on January 12, 2004 (the &quot;Settlement Date&quot;) as follows:</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">CONTINUED FROM FOOTNOTE #1

(i) if the per share closing price of common stock on January 12, 2004 (the &quot;Final Price&quot;) is less than $71.928 (the &quot;Floor Price&quot;), shares in an amount equal to the Share amount</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">CONTINUED FROM FOOTNOTE #2

(ii) if the Final Price is less than or equal to $93.506 (the &quot;Cap Price&quot;), but greater than or equal to the Floor Price, shares in an amount equal to

the Floor Price/the Final Price X the Share Amount</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">CONTINUED FROM FOOTNOTE #3

(iii) if the Final Price is greater than the Cap Price, shares in an amount equal to

the Floor Price+(the Final Price-the Cap Price)/the Final Price X Share Amount</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">CONTINUED FROM FOOTNOTE #4

On the Settlement Date the Final Price was $40.90 and consequently, the Reporting Person delivered to the Counterparty 35,355 shares of common stock of the Issuer.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Please see footnotes 1-5.</footnote>
    </footnotes>


    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Ronald Martell</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-01-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

