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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-03-17</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>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>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>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>2015-03-17</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>67200</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.59</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>13196397</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-09-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>885049</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.8</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>14081446</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents 9,579, 35,221 and 22,400 shares purchased by 21 April Fund, LP (&quot;21 April LP&quot;), 21 April Fund, Ltd. (&quot;21 April Ltd.&quot;), and First Eagle Value in Biotechnology Master Fund, Ltd. (&quot;FEVIBM&quot; and, together with 21 April LP and 21 April Ltd., the &quot;Funds&quot;), respectively. First Eagle Management, LLC (&quot;FEIM&quot;) is general partner of 21 April LP, the registered investment adviser to the Funds and 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 percuniary 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 1,729,489, 6,379,964 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>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents 206,806 and 678,243 shares purchased by 21 April LP and 21 April Ltd., 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>
        <footnote id="F4">Represents 1,936,295, 7,058,207 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>ARNOLD AND S. BLEICHROEDER HOLDINGS, INC., By: /s/ Michael M. Kellen, Co-President</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-10-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>FIRST EAGLE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC, as General Partner of 21 April LP and Investment Adviser of 21 April Ltd. and FEVIBM, By: /s/ Michael M. Kellen, Vice Chairman and Director</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-10-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
