<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001131399-08-000001
<TYPE>5
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20071231
<FILING-DATE>20080211
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20080211
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>THERAVANCE INC
<CIK>0001080014
<ASSIGNED-SIC>2834
<IRS-NUMBER>943265960
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>901 GATEWAY BLVD
<CITY>SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94080
<PHONE>6508086000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>901 GATEWAY BLVD
<CITY>S. SAN FRANCISCO
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94080
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>ADVANCED MEDICINE INC
<DATE-CHANGED>20000302
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>GLAXOSMITHKLINE PLC
<CIK>0001131399
<ASSIGNED-SIC>2834
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>5
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-30319
<FILM-NUMBER>08591380
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>980 GREAT WEST ROAD
<CITY>BRENTFORD MIDDLESEX
<STATE>X0
<ZIP>TW8 9GS
<PHONE>011442080475000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>980 GREAT WEST ROAD
<CITY>BRENTFORD MIDDLESEX
<STATE>X0
<ZIP>TW8 9GS
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>5
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-12-31</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>0</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001080014</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>THERAVANCE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>THRX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001131399</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GLAXOSMITHKLINE PLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>980 GREAT WEST ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BRENTFORD MIDDLESEX</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>X0</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>TW8 9GS</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>UNITED KINGDOM</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A common stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-09-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>19.38</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9401499</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Corporation</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Acquired by the Reporting Person upon exercise by the holder of one share of Common Stock of the put option described in Reporting Person's Form 4 filed October 12, 2004.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Each share of Class A common stock may be converted into one share of Common Stock at any time.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">No expiration date on right to exchange Class A common for Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Shares of Class A common stock are held of record by SmithKline Beecham Corporation and Glaxo Group Limited, each of which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reporting Person.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Victoria A Whyte, Deputy Secretary</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-02-11</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
