<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001179110-08-003153
<TYPE>5
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20071231
<FILING-DATE>20080213
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20080213
<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>VAGELOS P ROY
<CIK>0001013064
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3721
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>MD
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>5
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-30319
<FILM-NUMBER>08607192
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>P O BOX 516
<STREET2>MCDONNELL BLVD AT AIRPORT RD
<CITY>ST LOUIS
<STATE>MO
<ZIP>63166-0516
<PHONE>3142320232
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>5
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 5 -
<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>0001013064</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>VAGELOS P ROY</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>THERAVANCE, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>901 GATEWAY BOULEVARD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94080</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-08-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3732</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>see footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>22499</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>232254</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by trust for grandchildren</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>573571</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>441507</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Gift of common stock to the children of reporting person by the 2005 Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (2005 GRAT).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Shares held by 2005 GRAT of which reporting person is trustee and reporting person and his children are beneficiaries.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Shares held in trusts for the benefit of the reporting person's grandchildren. Reporting person is the trustee of the trusts.  Reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Shares held by the 2006 Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (2006 GRAT). Reporting person is the trustee of the 2006 GRAT. Reporting person and his children are the beneficiaries of the 2006 GRAT.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Shares held by the P. Roy Vagelos 2007 Theravance Annuity Trust (2007 Trust). Reporting person is the trustee of the 2007 Trust. Reporting person and his children are the beneficiaries of the 2007 Trust.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>P. Roy Vagelos</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-02-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
