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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-09-24</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000812796</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DOR BIOPHARMA INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DORB</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001163608</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CAVAZZA PAOLO</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>VIA TESSERETE 10</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LUGANO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>V8</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>00000</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>SWITZERLAND</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>2009-09-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3952569</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.253</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>45619236</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Indirect</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1190770</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>356100</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Indirect</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock Warrant (warrant to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.278</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-09-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-09-27</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-09-27</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1976284</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Indirect</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares directly owned by Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (?Pharmaceuticals?).  Pharmaceuticals is a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Sigma-Tau America S.A. (?America?).  America is a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Sigma-Tau International S.A. (?International?).  International is a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Sigma-Tau Finanziaria S.p.A. (&quot;Sigma Tau&quot;).  Paolo Cavazza directly and indirectly owns 38% of Sigma Tau.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Shares directly owned by Chaumiere Consultadoria Servicos SDC Unipessoal L.d.a., which is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Aptafin S.p.A. (&quot;Aptafin&quot;).  Aptafin is owned by Paolo Cavazza and members of his family.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">This warrant was issued by the Issuer to Pharmaceuticals in consideration of Pharmaceuticals? purchase of 3,952,569 shares of common  stock on September 24, 2009.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The expiration date of the warrant may be accelerated at the Issuer?s option if the Issuer?s common stock meets certain price thresholds and the common shares underlying the warrant are registered for resale pursuant to an effective registration statement or are freely transferable without volume restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Maurizio Terenzi, Proxy-holder authorized</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-09-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
