-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 TXUzLH5mMBdE4waLH0sdOD6bZRUEBJ/j1mzpCqP/V7Nw/R6Lgm0Y64eeqr5CbgXK
 GwynjemaQUYAuoHlnbsN0g==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001255224-03-000214.txt : 20031215
<SEC-HEADER>0001255224-03-000214.hdr.sgml : 20031215
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031215215259
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001255224-03-000214
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031211
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031215

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ARADIGM CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001013238
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	ELECTROMEDICAL & ELECTROTHERAPEUTIC APPARATUS [3845]
		IRS NUMBER:				943133088
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			CA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		3929 POINT EDEN WAY
		CITY:			HAYWARD
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94545
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5102659000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		3929 POINT EDEN WAY
		CITY:			HAYWARD
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94545

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			NEHRA JOHN M
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001005547

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	333-72037
		FILM NUMBER:		031056045

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1119 ST PAUL STREET
		CITY:			BALTIMORE
		STATE:			MD
		ZIP:			21202
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4102440115

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1119 ST PAUL ST
		CITY:			BALTIMORE
		STATE:			MD
		ZIP:			21202
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>f4100101031215_221626217.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-12-11</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001013238</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ARADIGM CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ARDM</issuerTradingSymbol>
</issuer>
<reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001005547</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>NEHRA JOHN M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1119 ST. PAUL STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BALTIMORE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MD</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>21202</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>2003-12-11</value>
</transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
<footnoteId id="F2"/>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value>
</transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>292</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare>
<value>0</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>292</value>
<footnoteId id="F3"/>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value>
</natureOfOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</nonDerivativeTransaction>
<nonDerivativeTransaction>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value>
</securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-12-11</value>
</transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
<footnoteId id="F2"/>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value>
</transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>292</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare>
<value>0</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>292</value>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>I</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value>See Note 1</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/>
</natureOfOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</nonDerivativeTransaction>
</nonDerivativeTable>
<derivativeTable>
</derivativeTable>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">Held by Susan L. Nehra, the wife of the Reporting Person.</footnote>
<footnote id="F2">Distribution by NEA Partners 10, Limited Partnership.</footnote>
<footnote id="F3">In addition to the shares reported herein, the Reporting Person directly holds options for 95,000 common shares. These options were previously reported.</footnote>
</footnotes>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>Louis S. Citron, attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-12-15</signatureDate>
</ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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