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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-04-26</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, L.P.</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>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001637141</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>First Eagle 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>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-04-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5500000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.25</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>19881546</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents 1,064,843, 3,935,157 and 500,000 shares purchased by 21 April Fund, L.P. (&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 Investment Management, LLC (&quot;FEIM&quot;) is (i) a general partner of 21 April LP, (ii) the registered investment adviser to the Funds, and (iii) a subsidiary of First Eagle Holdings, Inc. (&quot;FEHI&quot;). FEHI 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 FEHI is the Section 16 beneficial owner of any such securities.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents 3,062,449, 11,232,153, and 5,586,944 shares held directly by 21 April LP, 21 April Ltd. and FEVIBM, respectively.  FEHI 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 FEHI is the Section 16 beneficial owner of any such securities.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>FIRST EAGLE HOLDINGS, INC., By: /s/ Michael M. Kellen, Director</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-04-27</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, Director</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-04-27</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
