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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 VpN7r/cOGCR/13h9NtAjgb1odDFsf+DcOJlEowH9s39OTu+IbKC96Yyt+jiAm8r3
 cubMiI9f1H4GWQgTkmyDRg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001179110-05-001261.txt : 20050118
<SEC-HEADER>0001179110-05-001261.hdr.sgml : 20050117
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20050118151239
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001179110-05-001261
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20050114
FILED AS OF DATE:		20050118
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20050118

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SKLAR JEFFREY L
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001237492

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-30975
		FILM NUMBER:		05533563

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		BUSINESS PHONE:		402 452 5400

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O TRANSGENOMIC INC
		STREET 2:		12325 EMMET STREET
		CITY:			OMAHA
		STATE:			NE
		ZIP:			68164

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			TRANSGENOMIC INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001043961
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	LABORATORY ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTS [3826]
		IRS NUMBER:				911789357
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		12325 EMMET ST
		CITY:			OMAHA
		STATE:			NE
		ZIP:			68164
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4027385480

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		12325 EMMET STREET
		CITY:			OMAHA
		STATE:			NE
		ZIP:			68164
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 -
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-01-14</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001043961</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TRANSGENOMIC INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TBIO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001237492</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SKLAR JEFFREY L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>YALE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE,</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>310 CEDAR STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW HAVEN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06520</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable></nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Purchase Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1.09</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-01-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2008-01-31</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-01-13</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>46000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Common Stock, par value $.01 per share of Transgenomic, Inc.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Mitchell L. Murphy POA for Jeffrey L. Sklar</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-01-17</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

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