<?xml version="1.0"?>
<edgarSubmission>

    <schemaVersion>X0704</schemaVersion>

    <submissionType>D</submissionType>

    <testOrLive>LIVE</testOrLive>

    <primaryIssuer>
        <cik>0001131543</cik>
        <entityName>AMBIT BIOSCIENCES CORP</entityName>
        <issuerAddress>
            <street1>4215 SORRENTO VALLEY BLVD.</street1>
            <city>SAN DIEGO</city>
            <stateOrCountry>CA</stateOrCountry>
            <stateOrCountryDescription>CALIFORNIA</stateOrCountryDescription>
            <zipCode>92121</zipCode>
        </issuerAddress>
        <issuerPhoneNumber>8583342100</issuerPhoneNumber>
        <jurisdictionOfInc>DELAWARE</jurisdictionOfInc>
        <issuerPreviousNameList>
            <previousName>Aventa Biosciences Corporation</previousName>
        </issuerPreviousNameList>
        <edgarPreviousNameList>
            <value>None</value>
        </edgarPreviousNameList>
        <entityType>Corporation</entityType>
        <yearOfInc>
            <overFiveYears>true</overFiveYears>
        </yearOfInc>
    </primaryIssuer>

    <relatedPersonsList>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Alan</firstName>
                <middleName>J.</middleName>
                <lastName>Lewis, Ph.D.</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>4215 Sorrento Valley Blvd.</street1>
                <city>San Diego</city>
                <stateOrCountry>CA</stateOrCountry>
                <stateOrCountryDescription>CALIFORNIA</stateOrCountryDescription>
                <zipCode>92121</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Executive Officer</relationship>
                <relationship>Director</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Steven</firstName>
                <lastName>Elms</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>888 Seventh Avenue, 29th Floor</street1>
                <street2>c/o Perseus-Soros Biopharmaceutical Fund</street2>
                <city>New York</city>
                <stateOrCountry>NY</stateOrCountry>
                <stateOrCountryDescription>NEW YORK</stateOrCountryDescription>
                <zipCode>10016</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Director</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Standish</firstName>
                <middleName>M.</middleName>
                <lastName>Fleming</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>9393 Towne Centre Drive, Suite 200</street1>
                <street2>c/o Forward Ventures</street2>
                <city>San Diego</city>
                <stateOrCountry>CA</stateOrCountry>
                <stateOrCountryDescription>CALIFORNIA</stateOrCountryDescription>
                <zipCode>92121</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Director</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Allan</firstName>
                <lastName>Marchington</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>Bracken House, One Friday Street</street1>
                <street2>c/o Apposite Healthcare</street2>
                <city>London</city>
                <stateOrCountry>X0</stateOrCountry>
                <stateOrCountryDescription>UNITED KINGDOM</stateOrCountryDescription>
                <zipCode>EC4M 9JA</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Director</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Christopher</firstName>
                <middleName>J.</middleName>
                <lastName>Morl</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>4215 Sorrento Valley Boulevard</street1>
                <city>San Diego</city>
                <stateOrCountry>CA</stateOrCountry>
                <stateOrCountryDescription>CALIFORNIA</stateOrCountryDescription>
                <zipCode>92121</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Executive Officer</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Alexander</firstName>
                <lastName>Zukiwski</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>One MedImmune Way</street1>
                <street2>c/o MedImmune Ventures, Inc.</street2>
                <city>Gaithersburg</city>
                <stateOrCountry>MD</stateOrCountry>
                <stateOrCountryDescription>MARYLAND</stateOrCountryDescription>
                <zipCode>20878</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Director</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Saiid</firstName>
                <lastName>Zarrabian</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>4215 Sorrento Valley Blvd.</street1>
                <street2>c/o Ambit Biosciences Corporation</street2>
                <city>San Diego</city>
                <stateOrCountry>CA</stateOrCountry>
                <stateOrCountryDescription>CALIFORNIA</stateOrCountryDescription>
                <zipCode>92121</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Director</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Wendell</firstName>
                <lastName>Wierenga, Ph.D.</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>4215 Sorrento Valley Blvd.</street1>
                <street2>c/o Ambit Biosciences Corporation</street2>
                <city>San Diego</city>
                <stateOrCountry>CA</stateOrCountry>
                <stateOrCountryDescription>CALIFORNIA</stateOrCountryDescription>
                <zipCode>92121</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Executive Officer</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
        <relatedPersonInfo>
            <relatedPersonName>
                <firstName>Joseph</firstName>
                <lastName>Regan</lastName>
            </relatedPersonName>
            <relatedPersonAddress>
                <street1>20 Queen Street West, Suite 3504</street1>
                <street2>c/o GrowthWorks Capital Ltd.</street2>
                <city>Toronto</city>
                <stateOrCountry>A6</stateOrCountry>
                <stateOrCountryDescription>ONTARIO, CANADA</stateOrCountryDescription>
                <zipCode>M5H 3R4</zipCode>
            </relatedPersonAddress>
            <relatedPersonRelationshipList>
                <relationship>Director</relationship>
            </relatedPersonRelationshipList>
            <relationshipClarification></relationshipClarification>
        </relatedPersonInfo>
    </relatedPersonsList>

    <offeringData>
        <industryGroup>
            <industryGroupType>Pharmaceuticals</industryGroupType>
        </industryGroup>
        <issuerSize>
            <revenueRange>Decline to Disclose</revenueRange>
        </issuerSize>
        <federalExemptionsExclusions>
            <item>06</item>
        </federalExemptionsExclusions>
        <typeOfFiling>
            <newOrAmendment>
                <isAmendment>false</isAmendment>
            </newOrAmendment>
            <dateOfFirstSale>
                <value>2010-09-30</value>
            </dateOfFirstSale>
        </typeOfFiling>
        <durationOfOffering>
            <moreThanOneYear>false</moreThanOneYear>
        </durationOfOffering>
        <typesOfSecuritiesOffered>
            <isDebtType>true</isDebtType>
            <isOptionToAcquireType>true</isOptionToAcquireType>
            <isSecurityToBeAcquiredType>true</isSecurityToBeAcquiredType>
        </typesOfSecuritiesOffered>
        <businessCombinationTransaction>
            <isBusinessCombinationTransaction>false</isBusinessCombinationTransaction>
            <clarificationOfResponse></clarificationOfResponse>
        </businessCombinationTransaction>
        <minimumInvestmentAccepted>0</minimumInvestmentAccepted>
        <salesCompensationList></salesCompensationList>
        <offeringSalesAmounts>
            <totalOfferingAmount>15913126</totalOfferingAmount>
            <totalAmountSold>14999327</totalAmountSold>
            <totalRemaining>913799</totalRemaining>
            <clarificationOfResponse>Includes $912,976.68 receivable by the Company upon the exercise of Warrants to purchase up to 592,842 shares of Company's Common Stock at a purchase price of $1.54, assuming no cashless exercise.  Such Warrants have not yet been exercised.</clarificationOfResponse>
        </offeringSalesAmounts>
        <investors>
            <hasNonAccreditedInvestors>false</hasNonAccreditedInvestors>
            <totalNumberAlreadyInvested>18</totalNumberAlreadyInvested>
        </investors>
        <salesCommissionsFindersFees>
            <salesCommissions>
                <dollarAmount>0</dollarAmount>
            </salesCommissions>
            <findersFees>
                <dollarAmount>0</dollarAmount>
            </findersFees>
            <clarificationOfResponse></clarificationOfResponse>
        </salesCommissionsFindersFees>
        <useOfProceeds>
            <grossProceedsUsed>
                <dollarAmount>0</dollarAmount>
            </grossProceedsUsed>
            <clarificationOfResponse></clarificationOfResponse>
        </useOfProceeds>
        <signatureBlock>
            <authorizedRepresentative>false</authorizedRepresentative>
            <signature>
                <issuerName>AMBIT BIOSCIENCES CORP</issuerName>
                <signatureName>Christopher J. Morl</signatureName>
                <nameOfSigner>Christopher J. Morl</nameOfSigner>
                <signatureTitle>Chief Business Officer</signatureTitle>
                <signatureDate>2010-10-14</signatureDate>
            </signature>
        </signatureBlock>
    </offeringData>
</edgarSubmission>
