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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-01-11</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001082038</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DURECT CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DRRX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001459708</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>21 APRIL FUND LTD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>CITCO FUND SERVICES (CAYMAN ISLANDS) LTD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>REGATTA OFFICE PARK WEST BAY ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GRAND CAYMAN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>E9</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>KY1-1205</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>CAYMAN ISLANDS</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001459688</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>21 APRIL FUND LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>FIRST EAGLE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1345 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, 44TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10105</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>0001637141</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Arnhold &amp; S. Bleichroeder Holdings, Inc.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1345 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10105</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>0001457518</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>First Eagle Value in Biotechnology Master Fund, Ltd.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>CITCO FUND SERVICES (CAYMAN ISLANDS) LTD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>REGATTA OFFICE PARK WEST BAY ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GRAND CAYMAN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>E9</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>KY1-1205</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>CAYMAN ISLANDS</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>2016-01-11</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>300100</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.3680</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>14381546</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents 61,311 and 238,789 shares purchased by 21 April Fund, LP (&quot;21 April LP&quot;) and 21 April Fund, Ltd. (&quot;21 April Ltd.&quot;), respectively. First Eagle Investment Management, LLC (&quot;FEIM&quot;) is (i) a general partner of 21 April LP, (ii) the registered investment adviser to First Eagle Value in Biotechnology Master Fund, Ltd. &quot;FEVIBM&quot; as well as to 21 April LP and 21 April Ltd. (collectively, the &quot;Funds&quot;) and (iii) a subsidiary of Arnhold and S. Bleichroeder Holdings, Inc. (&quot;ASBH&quot;).  ASBH disclaims Section 16 beneficial ownership of the shares held directly by the Funds except to the extent, if any, of its pecuniary interest therein, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that ASBH is the Section 16 beneficial owner of any such securities.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents 1,997,606, 7,296,996, and 5,086,944 shares held directly by 21 April LP, 21 April Ltd. and FEVIBM, respectively. ASBH disclaims Section 16 beneficial ownership of the shares held directly by the Funds except to the extent, if any, of its pecuniary interest therein, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that ASBH is the Section 16 beneficial owner of any such securities.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>ARNHOLD AND S. BLEICHROEDER HOLDINGS, INC., By: /s/ Michael M. Kellen, Co-President</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-01-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>FIRST EAGLE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC, as General Partner of 21 April and Investment Adviser of 21 April Ltd. and FEVIBM, By: /s/ Michael M. Kellen, Vice Chairman and Director</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-01-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
