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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-12-22</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001178879</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMICUS THERAPEUTICS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FOLD</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001224962</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PERCEPTIVE ADVISORS LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>51 ASTOR PLACE, 10TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10003</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001164426</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>EDELMAN JOSEPH</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O PERCEPTIVE ADVISORS LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>51 ASTOR PLACE, 10TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10003</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001249675</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PERCEPTIVE LIFE SCIENCES MASTER FUND LTD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O PERCEPTIVE ADVISORS LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>51 ASTOR PLACE, 10TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10003</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-12-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>189500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>4.511</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>16066447</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This Form 4 is being filed by Perceptive Life Sciences Master Fund Ltd. (the &quot;Master Fund&quot;), Perceptive Advisors LLC (the &quot;Advisor&quot;) and Joseph Edelman. The Advisor serves as the investment manager of the Master Fund. Mr. Edelman is the managing member of the Advisor.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This amount reflects the amount of securities held by the Master Fund immediately following the transaction requiring the filing of this statement. In accordance with Instruction 5(b)(iv) of Form 4, the entire amount of the Issuer's securities held by Master Fund is reported herein. Each of Mr. Edelman and the Advisor disclaims, for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, beneficial ownership of such securities, except to the extent of his/its indirect pecuniary interest therein, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that either Mr. Edelman or the Advisor is the beneficial owner of such securities for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purposes.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Joseph Edelman, managing member of Perceptive Advisors LLC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-12-23</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
