-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000950138-04-000852.txt : 20041222
<SEC-HEADER>0000950138-04-000852.hdr.sgml : 20041222
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20041222212536
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000950138-04-000852
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20041220
FILED AS OF DATE:		20041222
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20041222

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			TEKELEC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000790705
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	RADIO & TV BROADCASTING & COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT [3663]
		IRS NUMBER:				952746131
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			CA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		26580 W AGOURA RD
		CITY:			CALABASAS
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			91302
		BUSINESS PHONE:		8188805656

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		26580 W AGOURA RD
		CITY:			CALABASAS
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			91302

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			NATINCO S A
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001214764
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			N4

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-15135
		FILM NUMBER:		041222262

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5, BOULEVARD DE LA FOIRE
		CITY:			L-1528 LUXEMBOURG
		STATE:			N4
		ZIP:			00000
		BUSINESS PHONE:		011 352 45 123 1

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5, BOULEVARD DE LA FOIRE
		CITY:			L-1528 LUXEMBOURG
		STATE:			N4
		ZIP:			00000

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Stirling Trustees Limited, as Trustee of The Natinec Trust under The Natinec Settlement Trust Deed dated January 9, 2003
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001310115

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-15135
		FILM NUMBER:		041222263

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		VICTORIA CHAMBERS
		STREET 2:		1-3 ESPLANADE
		CITY:			ST. HELIER, JERSEY CHANNEL ISL
		STATE:			XX
		ZIP:			JE4 0SZ
		BUSINESS PHONE:		011-44-1534-877-500

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		P. O. BOX 801
		STREET 2:		VICTORIA CHAMBERS, 1-3 ESPLANADE
		CITY:			ST. HELIER, JERSEY CHANNEL ISL
		STATE:			XX
		ZIP:			JE4 0SZ
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-12-20</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000790705</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TEKELEC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TKLC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001214764</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>NATINCO S A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>5, BOULEVARD DE LA FOIRE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>L-1528 LUXEMBOURG</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>N4</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>LUXEMBOURG</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001310115</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Stirling Trustees Limited, as Trustee of The Natinec Trust under The Natinec Settlement Trust Deed dated January 9, 2003</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>P.O. BOX 801</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>VICTORIA CHAMBERS, 1-3 ESPLANADE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ST HELLIER, JERSEY CHANNEL ISL</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>JE4 0SZ</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-12-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>X</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>100949</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>10.62</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9287841</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-12-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>X</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>104688</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>10.34</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9183153</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Contract to Sell (Prepaid Variable Forward Contract)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>10.62</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-12-20</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>X</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>144000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-12-20</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2004-12-20</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>144000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Contract to Sell (Prepaid Variable Forward Contract)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>10.34</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-12-22</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>X</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>144000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-12-22</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2004-12-22</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>144000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On December 20, 2004, Natinco, S.A. (&quot;Natinco&quot;) settled its obligation to deliver shares of Tekelec Common Stock under a prepaid forward sale contract entered into with an unaffiliated third party buyer (the &quot;Buyer&quot;) on November 14, 2002 pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by Natinco.
Pursuant to the contract, on or about November 29, 2002, Natinco received a cash payment in the total amount of $1,071,906.58.  In exchange for the cash payment, Natinco pledged and agreed to deliver to the Buyer on December 20, 2004 up to 144,000 shares of Tekelec Common Stock.  The number of shares to be delivered by Natinco to the Buyer at settlement depended upon the price of Tekelec Common Stock on December 20, 2004 (the &quot;Settlement Price&quot;) as follows:  (i) if the Settlement Price were less than or equal to $7.6415 per share, then Natinco would be required to deliver all 144,000 shares to the Buyer; (ii) if the Settlement Price were greater than $7.6415 but less than $13.3727 per share, then Natinco would be required to deliver a number of shares equal to the product of 144,000 times $7.6415, divided by the Settlement Price; and (iii) if the Settlement Price were greater than $13.3727, then Natinco would be required to deliver a number of shares equal to 144,000 multiplied by a fraction, the n
umerator of which would be the sum of $7.6415 plus the difference between the Settlement Price and $13.3727, and the denominator of which would be the Settlement Price.  In lieu of the delivery of shares, Natinco also had the option to settle the contract by the delivery of cash.
The Settlement Price upon settlement of the contact on December 20, 2004 was $19.17.  Accordingly, Natinco transferred 100,949 shares to the Buyer and retained and was not required to deliver to the Buyer 43,051 shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">These securities were or are owned (i) directly by Natinco and (ii) indirectly by Stirling Trustees Limited, as trustee of the Natinec Trust under The Natinec Settlement Trust Deed dated January 9, 2003 (the &quot;Natinec Trust&quot;).  The Natinec Trust owns substantially all of the equity interest in Natinco.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">On December 22, 2004, Natinco, S.A. (&quot;Natinco&quot;) settled its obligation to deliver shares of Tekelec Common Stock under a prepaid forward sale contract entered into with an unaffiliated third party buyer (the &quot;Buyer&quot;) on November 14, 2002 pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by Natinco.
Pursuant to the contract, on or about November 29, 2002, Natinco received a cash payment in the total amount of $1,082,455.18.  In exchange for the cash payment, Natinco pledged and agreed to deliver to the Buyer on December 22, 2004 up to 144,000 shares of Tekelec Common Stock.  The number of shares to be delivered by Natinco to the Buyer at settlement depended upon the price of Tekelec Common Stock on December 22, 2004 (the &quot;Settlement Price&quot;) as follows:  (i) if the Settlement Price were less than or equal to $7.7167 per share, then Natinco would be required to deliver all 144,000 shares to the Buyer; (ii) if the Settlement Price were greater than $7.7167 but less than $13.5043 per share, then Natinco would be required to deliver a number of shares equal to the product of 144,000 times $7.7167, divided by the Settlement Price; and (iii) if the Settlement Price were greater than $13.5043, then Natinco would be required to deliver a number of shares equal to 144,000 multiplied by a fraction, the n
umerator of which would be the sum of $7.7167 plus the difference between the Settlement Price and $13.5043, and the denominator of which would be the Settlement Price.  In lieu of the delivery of shares, Natinco also had the option to settle the contract by the delivery of cash.
The Settlement Price upon settlement of the contact on December 22, 2004 was $21.20.  Accordingly, Natinco transferred 104,688 shares to the Buyer and retained and was not required to deliver to the Buyer 39,312 shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Pierre Lentz, as a Director of Natinco, S.A.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-12-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>John Seil, as a Director of Natinco, S.A.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-12-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Ronald W. Buckly, Attorney-in-Fact for Paul W. Elliott, as Director of Stirling Trustees Limited, Trustee of the Natinec Trust under The Natinec Settlement Trust Deed dated January 9, 2003</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-12-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

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</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----