SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D

(Rule 13d-102)

INFORMATION INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-1(a)

AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-2(a)

(Amendment No.     )*

(Name of Issuer)

(Title of Class of Securities)

(CUSIP Number)

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

(Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§240.13d 1(e), 240.13d 1(f) or 240.13d 1(g), check the following box.  ¨

Note: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See §240.13d-7 for other parties to whom copies are to be sent.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

This Statement on Schedule 13D relates to shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), of Durata Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Issuer”). The address of the Issuer’s principal executive office is 89 Headquarters Plaza North, 14^th Floor, Morristown, New Jersey 07960.

Item 2 (a) – (c). This statement is being filed by the following persons:

The Partnership, the General Partner and Canaan Management are sometimes individually referred to herein as a “Reporting Person” and collectively as the “Reporting Persons.”

Each of the Reporting Persons is principally engaged in the business of investing in securities. The business address and principal executive offices of the each of the Reporting Persons are c/o Canaan Partners, 285 Riverside Avenue, Suite 250, Westport, Connecticut 06880.

Item 2 (d) – (e). During the last five years, none of the persons identified in this Item 2 has been convicted in any criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors), or has been a party to any civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding was or is subject to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal or state securities laws or finding any violations with respect to such laws.

Item 2 (f). The Partnership is a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership. The General Partner is a Delaware limited liability company. Canaan Management is a Delaware corporation.

On July 18, 2012, the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by the Issuer in connection with its initial public offering of 7,500,000 shares of Common Stock of the Issuer (the “IPO”) was declared effective. The closing of the IPO took place on July 24, 2012, and at such closing the Partnership purchased an aggregate of 555,555 shares of Common Stock of the Issuer (the “Shares”) at the IPO price of $9.00 per share, and the Partnership’s 10,771,804 shares of the Issuer’s Series A Preferred Stock were automatically converted into 1,346,475 shares of Common Stock.

The Partnership used its own assets to purchase the Shares.

Brenton K. Ahrens, a member and manager of the General Partner and a vice-president of Canaan Management, serves as the representative for the Reporting Persons on the Issuer’s board of directors.

The Reporting Persons acquired the Shares for investment purposes in the ordinary course of their business of investing in securities for their own accounts or for one or more accounts over which the Reporting Persons have investment or voting power. The Reporting Persons reserve the right to formulate plans and/or make proposals, and take such actions with

respect to their investment in the Issuer, including, subject to applicable law, (i) to hold the Shares as a passive investor or as an active investor (whether or not as a member of a “group” with other beneficial owners of Shares or otherwise), (ii) to acquire beneficial ownership of additional shares in the open market, in privately negotiated transactions or otherwise, (iii) to dispose of all or part of its holdings, (iv) to take other actions which could involve one or more of the types of transactions or have one or more of the results described in Item 4 of this Schedule 13D, or (v) to change its intention with respect to any or all of the matters referred to in this Item 4.

(a) and (b) Brenton K. Ahrens, pursuant to arrangements with the Reporting Persons, is contractually obligated to remit the value of any remuneration received for service as a director. As of the date of this filing, Mr. Ahrens is the holder of an option to purchase 6,250 shares of common stock, vesting in 36 substantially equal monthly installments over a three year period, the first installment of which vested on March 28, 2012.

As of July 30, 2012, the Partnership may be deemed to beneficially own 1,903,245 shares of Common Stock, representing approximately 10.36% of the Issuer’s common stock outstanding, which consists of 1,902,030 shares of Common Stock held directly by the Partnership (the “Partnership Shares”), and 1,215 shares of Common Stock that may be issued upon exercise of stock options held by Mr. Ahrens (the “Option Shares”). The Partnership has sole voting, investment and dispositive power with respect to the Partnership Shares.

As of July 30, 2012, the General Partner may be deemed to beneficially own 1,903,245 shares of Common Stock, representing approximately 10.36% of the Issuer’s common stock outstanding, which consists of the Partnership Shares and the Option Shares. The General Partner has sole voting, investment and dispositive power with respect to the Option Shares and, through its control of the Partnership, with respect to the Partnership Shares.

As of July 30, 2012, Canaan Management may be deemed to beneficially own 1,215 shares of Common Stock, representing less than 0.01% of the Issuer’s common stock outstanding, which consists of the Option Shares. Canaan Management disclaims beneficial ownership over the Partnership Shares and the Option Shares.

(c) Except as set forth in the attached Annex I to this Schedule 13D, no Reporting Person has effected any transaction in shares of Common Stock in the last 60 days.

(d) Except as set forth in this Schedule 13D, to the knowledge of the Reporting Persons, no person had the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, securities covered by this Schedule 13D.

(e) Not applicable.

Except as otherwise set forth in this Schedule 13D, there are no contracts, arrangements, understandings or relationships among the persons named in Item 2 or between such persons and any other person with respect to any securities of the Issuer.

SIGNATURES

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of its knowledge and belief, the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this Statement is true, complete and correct.

Dated: July 30, 2012

Annex I

Information With Respect to Transactions of Shares during the Past 60 Days

Canaan VIII L.P.

Brenton K. Ahrens, pursuant to arrangements with the Reporting Persons, is contractually obligated to remit the value of any remuneration received for service as a director. As of the date of this filing, Mr. Ahrens is the holder of an option to purchase 6,250 shares of common stock, vesting in 36 substantially equal monthly installments over a three year period, the first installment of which vested on March 28, 2012.

Exhibit A

Joint Filing Agreement

In accordance with Rule 13d-1(f) under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the persons or entities named below agree to the joint filing on behalf of each of them of a statement on Schedule 13D (including amendments thereto) with respect to the Shares of the Issuer and further agree that this joint filing agreement be included as an exhibit to this Schedule 13D. In evidence thereof, the undersigned, being duly authorized, have executed this Joint Filing Agreement as of July 30, 2012.