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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-02-21</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2010-02-23</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001211583</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ADHEREX TECHNOLOGIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AHX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001319998</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Southpoint Capital Advisors LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>623 FIFTH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 2601</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</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>0001378377</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Southpoint Capital Advisors LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>623 FIFTH AVENUE, SUITE 2601</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</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>0001378376</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Southpoint GP, LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>623 FIFTH AVENUE, SUITE 2601</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</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>0001378378</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Southpoint GP, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>623 FIFTH AVENUE, SUITE 2601</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</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>0001378379</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Clark John Smith II</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>623 FIFTH AVENUE, SUITE 2601</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable></nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock Warrants (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-02-21</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-02-21</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>20752000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On February 23, 2010 the reporting persons filed a Form 4, which was incorrectly designated as a Form 4/A, to report the expiration on February 21, 2010 of warrants to purchase 20,752,000 shares of common stock issued by Adherex Technologies Inc.  The expiration of the warrants was exempted by Rules 16b-6(d)  and 16a-4(d), and such filing was voluntary, since none of the reporting persons received any value as a result of the expiration of the warrants.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Southpoint Capital Advisors LP, and its general partner Southpoint Capital Advisors LLC, held the reported securities indirectly on behalf of Southpoint Fund LP, Southpoint Qualified Fund LP, Southpoint Master Fund, LP and Southpoint Offshore Fund, Ltd., for which Southpoint Capital Advisors LP serves as investment manager.  Southpoint GP, LP, and its general partner Southpoint GP, LLC, held the reported securities indirectly on behalf of Southpoint Fund LP, Southpoint Qualified Fund LP, and Southpoint Master Fund, LP, of which Southpoint GP, LP is the general partner.  John S. Clark II reports the securities held indirectly by Southpoint GP, LLC and Southpoint Capital Advisors LLC as the manager of each.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Each of the reporting persons disclaims beneficial ownership of the reported securities except to the extent of his or its pecuniary interest therein, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that such reporting person was the beneficial owner of the securities for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or for any other purpose.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>John S. Clark, II</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-05-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>SOUTHPOINT CAPITAL ADVISORS LP, By: Southpoint Capital Advisors LLC, its General Partner, By: John S. Clark II, Managing Member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-05-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>SOUTHPOINT CAPITAL ADVISORS LLC,  By: John S. Clark, II, Managing Member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-05-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>SOUTHPOINT GP, LP, By: Southpoint GP, LLC, its General Partner, By: John S. Clark, II, Managing Member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-05-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>SOUTHPOINT GP, LLC, By: John S. Clark, II, Managing Member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-05-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
