Organization and Operations	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Organization and Operations	1. Organization and Operations Inotek Pharmaceuticals Corporation (the “Company”) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing molecules with novel mechanisms of action to address significant diseases of the eye. The Company’s business strategy is to develop and progress its product candidates through human clinical trials. The Company’s headquarters are located in Lexington, Massachusetts. The Company has devoted substantially all of its efforts to research and development, including clinical trials of its product candidates. The Company has not completed the development of any product candidates. The Company has no current source of revenue to sustain present activities and does not expect to generate revenue until and unless the Company receives regulatory approval of and successfully commercializes its product candidates. The Company is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties similar to those of other life science companies developing new products, including, among others, the risks related to the necessity to obtain adequate additional financing, to successfully develop product candidates, to obtain regulatory approval of products candidates, to comply with government regulations, to successfully commercialize its potential products, to the protection of proprietary technology and to the dependence on key individuals. In August 2016, the Company closed an underwritten public offering of $52,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.75% Convertible Senior Notes due 2021, including $2,000 from an exercise of the underwriters’ overallotment option, (the “2021 Convertible Notes”), and received net proceeds of $48,738 after deducting underwriting discounts and offering-related costs (see Note 5). In April 2016, the Company filed a registration statement on Form S-3 containing two prospectuses: (i) a base prospectus which covers the offering, issuance and sale of up to $200,000 in the aggregate of an indeterminate number of shares of common stock and preferred stock, such indeterminate principal amount of debt securities and such indeterminate number of warrants and units; and (ii) a sales agreement prospectus covering the offering, issuance and sale of up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $50,000 of the Company’s common stock that may be issued and sold under an at-the-market sales agreement with Cowen and Company, LLC (the “ATM”). The $50,000 of common stock that may be issued and sold under the ATM reduces the available balance under the base prospectus by the amount issued. During the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company sold 482,689 shares of common stock and received net proceeds of $3,997, pursuant to the ATM. At December 31, 2016, $45,599 was available for sale of common stock under the ATM. In the first quarter of 2015, the Company completed its initial public offering (the “IPO”) of (i) 6,966,333 shares of common stock, including 299,333 shares from an exercise of the underwriters’ overallotment option at a price of $6.00 per share and (ii) $21,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.0% Convertible Senior Notes due 2020 (the “2020 Convertible Notes”), including $1,000 from an exercise of the underwriters’ overallotment option. Existing stockholders and their affiliated entities purchased approximately 3,005,000 shares of common stock issued in the IPO at the same terms. The Company received net proceeds of $36,495, after deducting underwriting discounts and offering-related costs, from its equity issuances and $18,903 in net proceeds, after deducting underwriting discounts and offering-related costs, from its debt issuances. In July and August 2015, holders of $21,000 principal amount of the 2020 Convertible Notes elected to convert the principal into 3,333,319 shares of common stock. In addition, the Interest Make-Whole Payment (see Note 5) was settled with shares of common stock, at the election of the Company, resulting in the issuance of 530,072 additional shares of common stock. In August 2015, the Company completed an underwritten public offering of its common stock (the “Follow-on Offering”). The Company issued 6,210,000 shares of its common stock at a price of $12.75 per share, including 810,000 shares from the underwriters’ full exercise of their overallotment option, and received net proceeds of $73,965, after deducting underwriting discounts and offering-related costs. Prior to this the Company has funded its operations primarily through the sale of preferred stock and issuance of convertible promissory notes and notes payable. As of December 31, 2016, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $238,877 and $126,473 of cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments. The Company will need to expend substantial resources for research and development, including costs associated with the clinical testing of its product candidates and will need to obtain additional financing to fund its operations and to conduct trials for its product candidates. If such products were to receive regulatory approval, the Company would need to prepare for the potential commercialization of its product candidates and fund the commercial launch and continued marketing of its products. The Company will require additional funding in the future and may not be able to raise such additional funds. The Company expects losses will continue as it conducts research and development activities. The Company will seek to finance future cash needs through public or private equity offerings, license agreements, debt financings, collaborations, strategic alliances, or any combination thereof. The incurrence of indebtedness would result in increased fixed payment obligations and could also result in restrictive covenants, such as limitations on our ability to incur additional debt, limitations on the Company’s ability to acquire, sell or license intellectual property rights and other operating restrictions that could adversely impact the ability of the Company to conduct its business. If adequate funds are not available, the Company would delay, reduce or eliminate research and development programs and reduce administrative expenses. The Company may seek to access the public or private capital markets whenever conditions are favorable, even if it does not have an immediate need for additional capital at that time. In addition, if the Company raises additional funds through collaborations, strategic alliances or licensing arrangements with third parties, it may have to relinquish valuable rights to its technologies, future revenue streams or product candidates or to grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to it. If the Company is unable to raise sufficient funding, it may be unable to continue to operate. There is no assurance that the Company will be successful in obtaining sufficient financing on acceptable terms and conditions to fund continuing operations, if at all. The failure of the Company to obtain sufficient funds on acceptable terms when needed could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition.

1. Organization and Operations

Inotek Pharmaceuticals Corporation (the “Company”) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing molecules with novel mechanisms of action to address significant diseases of the eye. The Company’s business strategy is to develop and progress its product candidates through human clinical trials. The Company’s headquarters are located in Lexington, Massachusetts.

The Company has devoted substantially all of its efforts to research and development, including clinical trials of its product candidates. The Company has not completed the development of any product candidates. The Company has no current source of revenue to sustain present activities and does not expect to generate revenue until and unless the Company receives regulatory approval of and successfully commercializes its product candidates. The Company is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties similar to those of other life science companies developing new products, including, among others, the risks related to the necessity to obtain adequate additional financing, to successfully develop product candidates, to obtain regulatory approval of products candidates, to comply with government regulations, to successfully commercialize its potential products, to the protection of proprietary technology and to the dependence on key individuals.

In August 2016, the Company closed an underwritten public offering of $52,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.75% Convertible Senior Notes due 2021, including $2,000 from an exercise of the underwriters’ overallotment option, (the “2021 Convertible Notes”), and received net proceeds of $48,738 after deducting underwriting discounts and offering-related costs (see Note 5).

In April 2016, the Company filed a registration statement on Form S-3 containing two prospectuses: (i) a base prospectus which covers the offering, issuance and sale of up to $200,000 in the aggregate of an indeterminate number of shares of common stock and preferred stock, such indeterminate principal amount of debt securities and such indeterminate number of warrants and units; and (ii) a sales agreement prospectus covering the offering, issuance and sale of up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $50,000 of the Company’s common stock that may be issued and sold under an at-the-market sales agreement with Cowen and Company, LLC (the “ATM”). The $50,000 of common stock that may be issued and sold under the ATM reduces the available balance under the base prospectus by the amount issued. During the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company sold 482,689 shares of common stock and received net proceeds of $3,997, pursuant to the ATM. At December 31, 2016, $45,599 was available for sale of common stock under the ATM.

In the first quarter of 2015, the Company completed its initial public offering (the “IPO”) of (i) 6,966,333 shares of common stock, including 299,333 shares from an exercise of the underwriters’ overallotment option at a price of $6.00 per share and (ii) $21,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.0% Convertible Senior Notes due 2020 (the “2020 Convertible Notes”), including $1,000 from an exercise of the underwriters’ overallotment option. Existing stockholders and their affiliated entities purchased approximately 3,005,000 shares of common stock issued in the IPO at the same terms. The Company received net proceeds of $36,495, after deducting underwriting discounts and offering-related costs, from its equity issuances and $18,903 in net proceeds, after deducting underwriting discounts and offering-related costs, from its debt issuances.

In July and August 2015, holders of $21,000 principal amount of the 2020 Convertible Notes elected to convert the principal into 3,333,319 shares of common stock. In addition, the Interest Make-Whole Payment (see Note 5) was settled with shares of common stock, at the election of the Company, resulting in the issuance of 530,072 additional shares of common stock.

In August 2015, the Company completed an underwritten public offering of its common stock (the “Follow-on Offering”). The Company issued 6,210,000 shares of its common stock at a price of $12.75 per share, including 810,000 shares from the underwriters’ full exercise of their overallotment option, and received net proceeds of $73,965, after deducting underwriting discounts and offering-related costs.

Prior to this the Company has funded its operations primarily through the sale of preferred stock and issuance of convertible promissory notes and notes payable. As of December 31, 2016, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $238,877 and $126,473 of cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments.

The Company will need to expend substantial resources for research and development, including costs associated with the clinical testing of its product candidates and will need to obtain additional financing to fund its operations and to conduct trials for its product candidates. If such products were to receive regulatory approval, the Company would need to prepare for the potential commercialization of its product candidates and fund the commercial launch and continued marketing of its products.

The Company will require additional funding in the future and may not be able to raise such additional funds. The Company expects losses will continue as it conducts research and development activities. The Company will seek to finance future cash needs through public or private equity offerings, license agreements, debt financings, collaborations, strategic alliances, or any combination thereof. The incurrence of indebtedness would result in increased fixed payment obligations and could also result in restrictive covenants, such as limitations on our ability to incur additional debt, limitations on the Company’s ability to acquire, sell or license intellectual property rights and other operating restrictions that could adversely impact the ability of the Company to conduct its business. If adequate funds are not available, the Company would delay, reduce or eliminate research and development programs and reduce administrative expenses. The Company may seek to access the public or private capital markets whenever conditions are favorable, even if it does not have an immediate need for additional capital at that time. In addition, if the Company raises additional funds through collaborations, strategic alliances or licensing arrangements with third parties, it may have to relinquish valuable rights to its technologies, future revenue streams or product candidates or to grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to it. If the Company is unable to raise sufficient funding, it may be unable to continue to operate. There is no assurance that the Company will be successful in obtaining sufficient financing on acceptable terms and conditions to fund continuing operations, if at all. The failure of the Company to obtain sufficient funds on acceptable terms when needed could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition.