<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-14-071521.txt : 20141016
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-14-071521.hdr.sgml : 20141016
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20141014130322
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-14-071521
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4/A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20141009
FILED AS OF DATE:		20141014
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20141014

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			LIGAND PHARMACEUTICALS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000886163
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS [2834]
		IRS NUMBER:				770160744
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		11119 NORTH TORREY PINES ROAD
		STREET 2:		SUITE 200
		CITY:			LA JOLLA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			92037
		BUSINESS PHONE:		858-550-7500

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		11119 NORTH TORREY PINES ROAD
		STREET 2:		SUITE 200
		CITY:			LA JOLLA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			92037

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Sabba Stephen L
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001442372

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4/A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-33093
		FILM NUMBER:		141154575

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		DORSET MANAGEMENT CORP
		STREET 2:		485 UNDERHILL BLVD SUITE 205
		CITY:			SYOSSET
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			11791
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>a4a.xml
<DESCRIPTION>4/A
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2014-10-09</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2014-10-10</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000886163</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>LIGAND PHARMACEUTICALS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>LGND</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001442372</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Sabba Stephen L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>DORSET MANAGEMENT CORP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>485 UNDERHILL BLVD SUITE 205</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SYOSSET</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>11791</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-10-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>43.115</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>23697</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">These securities, as represented in Column 5, include a grant of 1,151 restricted shares issued by the Board of Directors of the Company at the Company's annual meeting of its shareholders on June 4, 2014, which shares will vest in full on the first anniversary of the grant date. The price set forth in Column 4 reflects the weighted average of two purchases of 1,000 each, one at $42.90 and one at $43.33.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>This amendment is being filed solely to correct the Transaction Code in Column 3 to reflect that the transaction was not made pursuant to Rule 16b-3(d).</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Stephen L. Sabba</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-10-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
