<?xml version="1.0"?><?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="../4_X02.xsl"?><ownershipDocument>    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType>    <periodOfReport>2010-03-05</periodOfReport>    <issuer>        <issuerCik>0001087432</issuerCik>        <issuerName>INTERMUNE INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>ITMN</issuerTradingSymbol>    </issuer>    <reportingOwner>        <reportingOwnerId>            <rptOwnerCik>0001301008</rptOwnerCik>            <rptOwnerName>Steele Robin Joan</rptOwnerName>        </reportingOwnerId>        <reportingOwnerAddress>            <rptOwnerStreet1>3280 BAYSHORE BOULEVARD</rptOwnerStreet1>            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>            <rptOwnerCity>BRISBANE</rptOwnerCity>            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>            <rptOwnerZipCode>94005</rptOwnerZipCode>            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>        </reportingOwnerAddress>        <reportingOwnerRelationship>            <isDirector>0</isDirector>            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>            <isOther>0</isOther>            <officerTitle>SVP, General Counsel</officerTitle>        </reportingOwnerRelationship>    </reportingOwner>    <nonDerivativeTable>        <nonDerivativeTransaction>            <securityTitle>                <value>Common Stock</value>            </securityTitle>            <transactionDate>                <value>2010-03-05</value>            </transactionDate>            <transactionCoding>                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>            </transactionCoding>            <transactionAmounts>                <transactionShares>                    <value>2500</value>                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>                </transactionShares>                <transactionPricePerShare>                    <value>12.74</value>                </transactionPricePerShare>                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>                    <value>A</value>                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>            </transactionAmounts>            <postTransactionAmounts>                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>                    <value>2500</value>                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>            </postTransactionAmounts>            <ownershipNature>                <directOrIndirectOwnership>                    <value>D</value>                </directOrIndirectOwnership>            </ownershipNature>        </nonDerivativeTransaction>        <nonDerivativeTransaction>            <securityTitle>                <value>Common Stock</value>            </securityTitle>            <transactionDate>                <value>2010-03-05</value>            </transactionDate>            <transactionCoding>                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>            </transactionCoding>            <transactionAmounts>                <transactionShares>                    <value>2500</value>                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>                </transactionShares>                <transactionPricePerShare>                    <value>24.50</value>                </transactionPricePerShare>                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>                    <value>D</value>                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>            </transactionAmounts>            <postTransactionAmounts>                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>                    <value>0</value>                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>            </postTransactionAmounts>            <ownershipNature>                <directOrIndirectOwnership>                    <value>D</value>                </directOrIndirectOwnership>            </ownershipNature>        </nonDerivativeTransaction>        <nonDerivativeTransaction>            <securityTitle>                <value>Common Stock</value>            </securityTitle>            <transactionDate>                <value>2010-03-05</value>            </transactionDate>            <transactionCoding>                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>            </transactionCoding>            <transactionAmounts>                <transactionShares>                    <value>2500</value>                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>                </transactionShares>                <transactionPricePerShare>                    <value>9.75</value>                </transactionPricePerShare>                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>                    <value>A</value>                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>            </transactionAmounts>            <postTransactionAmounts>                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>                    <value>2500</value>                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>            </postTransactionAmounts>            <ownershipNature>                <directOrIndirectOwnership>                    <value>D</value>                </directOrIndirectOwnership>            </ownershipNature>        </nonDerivativeTransaction>        <nonDerivativeTransaction>            <securityTitle>                <value>Common Stock</value>            </securityTitle>            <transactionDate>                <value>2010-03-05</value>            </transactionDate>            <transactionCoding>                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>            </transactionCoding>            <transactionAmounts>                <transactionShares>                    <value>2500</value>                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>                </transactionShares>                <transactionPricePerShare>                    <value>24.06</value>                </transactionPricePerShare>                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>                    <value>D</value>                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>            </transactionAmounts>            <postTransactionAmounts>                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>                    <value>0</value>                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>            </postTransactionAmounts>            <ownershipNature>                <directOrIndirectOwnership>                    <value>D</value>                </directOrIndirectOwnership>            </ownershipNature>        </nonDerivativeTransaction>    </nonDerivativeTable>    <derivativeTable>        <derivativeTransaction>            <securityTitle>                <value>Employee Stock Optiom (Right to buy)</value>            </securityTitle>            <conversionOrExercisePrice>                <value>12.74</value>            </conversionOrExercisePrice>            <transactionDate>                <value>2010-03-05</value>            </transactionDate>            <transactionCoding>                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>            </transactionCoding>            <transactionAmounts>                <transactionShares>                    <value>2500</value>                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>                </transactionShares>                <transactionPricePerShare>                    <value>0</value>                </transactionPricePerShare>                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>                    <value>D</value>                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>            </transactionAmounts>            <exerciseDate>                <value>2006-06-24</value>            </exerciseDate>            <expirationDate>                <value>2015-06-24</value>            </expirationDate>            <underlyingSecurity>                <underlyingSecurityTitle>                    <value>Common Stock</value>                </underlyingSecurityTitle>                <underlyingSecurityShares>                    <value>2500</value>                </underlyingSecurityShares>            </underlyingSecurity>            <postTransactionAmounts>                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>                    <value>0</value>                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>            </postTransactionAmounts>            <ownershipNature>                <directOrIndirectOwnership>                    <value>D</value>                </directOrIndirectOwnership>            </ownershipNature>        </derivativeTransaction>        <derivativeTransaction>            <securityTitle>                <value>Employee Stock Optiom (Right to buy)</value>            </securityTitle>            <conversionOrExercisePrice>                <value>9.75</value>            </conversionOrExercisePrice>            <transactionDate>                <value>2010-03-05</value>            </transactionDate>            <transactionCoding>                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>            </transactionCoding>            <transactionAmounts>                <transactionShares>                    <value>2500</value>                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>                </transactionShares>                <transactionPricePerShare>                    <value>0</value>                </transactionPricePerShare>                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>                    <value>D</value>                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>            </transactionAmounts>            <exerciseDate>                <value>2005-08-18</value>            </exerciseDate>            <expirationDate>                <value>2015-08-18</value>            </expirationDate>            <underlyingSecurity>                <underlyingSecurityTitle>                    <value>Common Stock</value>                </underlyingSecurityTitle>                <underlyingSecurityShares>                    <value>2500</value>                </underlyingSecurityShares>            </underlyingSecurity>            <postTransactionAmounts>                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>                    <value>0</value>                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>            </postTransactionAmounts>            <ownershipNature>                <directOrIndirectOwnership>                    <value>D</value>                </directOrIndirectOwnership>            </ownershipNature>        </derivativeTransaction>    </derivativeTable>    <footnotes>        <footnote id="F1">The sale of these shares were made pursuant to a written trading plan entered into in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which was previously disclosed by InterMune in reports on Forms 8-K filed on March 13, 2009, June 18, 2008 and September 7, 2007.</footnote>    </footnotes>    <ownerSignature>        <signatureName>Robin J. Steele</signatureName>        <signatureDate>2010-03-09</signatureDate>    </ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>