Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of leasehold improvements				$ 445
Lease term			90 months
Lease extension term			5 years
Lease description	The lease term is 90 months and the Company has the right to extend the term for one period of five years
Operating leases, rent expenses	$ 84	$ 62
Whitehead v. Inotek Pharmaceuticals Corporation [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Lawsuit filing date	January 6, 2017
Name of plaintiff	purported stockholder of the Company
Lawsuit action domicile	U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
Name of defendant	David Southwell, Rudolf Baumgartner, Dale Ritter, and William McVicar, captioned Whitehead v. Inotek Pharmaceuticals Corporation
Lawsuit allegation, description	The complaint alleges violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and SEC Rule 10b-5 based on allegedly false and misleading statements and omissions regarding our MATrX-1 phase 3 clinical trial of trabodenoson.
Lawsuit management action, description	The lawsuit seeks among other things, unspecified compensatory damages, interest, attorneys’ fees and costs, and unspecified equitable/injunctive relief. The Company intends to vigorously defend itself against this claim.