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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-12-21</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2010-12-21</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000946486</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DISCOVERY LABORATORIES INC /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DSCO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001228459</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PEACOCK BRUCE</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-12-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2010-12-21</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-12-21</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-12-21</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>0</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2667</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On December 22, 2010, the Company filed a Form 4 on behalf of Mr. Peacock with resepct to an automatic director grant pursuant to the Company's 2007 Long-Term Incentive Plan of a non-qualified option to purchase 2,000* shares of common stock. As Mr. Peacock had not served as a member of the Board for six months, he was not entitled to an automatic director grant and the filing of Form 4 was made by the Company in error.  *Shares are adjusted to reflect a 15-for-1 reverse split on 12/28/2010</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Bruce Peacock</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-04-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
