The Company	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
The Company	The Company Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Aerie”), with its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Aerie Distribution, Inc., Aerie Pharmaceuticals Limited and Aerie Pharmaceuticals Ireland Limited (“Aerie Distribution,” “Aerie Limited” and “Aerie Ireland Limited,” respectively, together with Aerie, the “Company”), is an ophthalmic pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of first-in-class therapies for the treatment of patients with open-angle glaucoma and other diseases of the eye. The Company has its principal executive offices in Durham, North Carolina, and operates as one business segment. The Company has a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) approved product, Rhopressa^®(netarsudil ophthalmic solution) 0.02% (“Rhopressa^®”), and an advanced-stage product candidate, Roclatan^TM(netarsudil/latanoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.02%/0.005% (“Roclatan^TM”), both designed to reduce elevated intraocular pressure (“IOP”) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. The Company intends to commercialize Rhopressa^®and Roclatan^TM, if approved, on its own in North American markets. The Company’s strategy also includes pursuing regulatory approval for Rhopressa^®and Roclatan^TM in Europe and Japan on its own. Rhopressa^® is a once-daily eye drop designed to reduce elevated IOP in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension that received FDA approval on December 18, 2017. The Company launched Rhopressa^® in the United States at the end of April 2018. The Company also intends to file a marketing authorization application with the European Medicines Agency for Rhopressa^®in the second half of 2018. Additionally, the Company completed a Phase 1 clinical trial and commenced a Phase 2 clinical trial in the United States, which are designed to meet the requirements of Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency for potential regulatory submission of Rhopressa^® in Japan. These clinical trials include Japanese and Japanese-American subjects to support subsequent Phase 3 registration trials that are expected to be conducted in Japan. The Company’s advanced-stage product candidate, Roclatan^TM, is a once-daily fixed-dose combination of Rhopressa^® and latanoprost for which the Company plans to submit a New Drug Application to the FDA in the second quarter of 2018. The Company is currently conducting a Phase 3 trial, named Mercury 3, in Europe comparing Roclatan^TMto Ganfort^®, which if successful, is expected to improve its commercialization prospects in that region. Mercury 3 is not necessary for approval in the United States. On July 31, 2017, the Company entered into a collaborative research, development and licensing agreement with DSM, a global science-based company headquartered in the Netherlands. The research collaboration agreement includes an option to license DSM’s bio-erodible polymer implant technology for evaluating its application to the delivery of certain Aerie compounds to treat ophthalmic diseases. This technology uses polyesteramide polymers to produce an injectable, thin fiber that is minute in size. Preclinical experiments have demonstrated early success in conjunction with Aerie’s preclinical molecule, AR-13503, including demonstration of linear, sustained elution rates over several months and achievement of target retinal drug concentrations. On October 4, 2017, the Company entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Envisia Therapeutics Inc. (“Envisia”) to acquire the rights to use PRINT^® technology in ophthalmology, as well as rights relating to Envisia’s preclinical dexamethasone steroid implant for the potential treatment of diabetic macular edema that utilizes the PRINT^® technology, referred to as AR-1105. The Company will also focus on using PRINT^® to manufacture injectable implants containing AR-13503, potentially in conjunction with the bio-erodible polymer from DSM. The Company had not yet commenced commercial operations as of March 31, 2018 and therefore had not generated product revenue. The Company launched Rhopressa^® in the United States in late April 2018. As a result, Aerie commenced generating product revenues related to sales of Rhopressa^® in the second quarter of 2018. The Company’s activities since inception have primarily consisted of developing product candidates, raising capital and performing research and development activities. The Company has incurred losses and experienced negative operating cash flows since inception. The Company has funded its operations primarily through the sale of equity securities (Note 8) and issuance of convertible notes (Note 7). If the Company does not successfully commercialize Rhopressa^®, Roclatan^TM or any future product candidates, it may be unable to generate product revenue or achieve profitability. Accordingly, the Company may be required to obtain further funding through public or private offerings, debt financings, collaboration and licensing arrangements or other sources. Adequate additional funding may not be available to the Company on acceptable terms, or at all. If the Company is unable to raise capital when needed or on attractive terms, it may be forced to delay, reduce or eliminate its research and development programs or commercialization and manufacturing efforts.

The Company

Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Aerie”), with its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Aerie Distribution, Inc., Aerie Pharmaceuticals Limited and Aerie Pharmaceuticals Ireland Limited (“Aerie Distribution,” “Aerie Limited” and “Aerie Ireland Limited,” respectively, together with Aerie, the “Company”), is an ophthalmic pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of first-in-class therapies for the treatment of patients with open-angle glaucoma and other diseases of the eye. The Company has its principal executive offices in Durham, North Carolina, and operates as one business segment.

The Company has a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) approved product, Rhopressa^®(netarsudil ophthalmic solution) 0.02% (“Rhopressa^®”), and an advanced-stage product candidate, Roclatan^TM(netarsudil/latanoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.02%/0.005% (“Roclatan^TM”), both designed to reduce elevated intraocular pressure (“IOP”) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. The Company intends to commercialize Rhopressa^®and Roclatan^TM, if approved, on its own in North American markets. The Company’s strategy also includes pursuing regulatory approval for Rhopressa^®and Roclatan^TM in Europe and Japan on its own.

Rhopressa^® is a once-daily eye drop designed to reduce elevated IOP in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension that received FDA approval on December 18, 2017. The Company launched Rhopressa^® in the United States at the end of April 2018. The Company also intends to file a marketing authorization application with the European Medicines Agency for Rhopressa^®in the second half of 2018. Additionally, the Company completed a Phase 1 clinical trial and commenced a Phase 2 clinical trial in the United States, which are designed to meet the requirements of Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency for potential regulatory submission of Rhopressa^® in Japan. These clinical trials include Japanese and Japanese-American subjects to support subsequent Phase 3 registration trials that are expected to be conducted in Japan.

The Company’s advanced-stage product candidate, Roclatan^TM, is a once-daily fixed-dose combination of Rhopressa^® and latanoprost for which the Company plans to submit a New Drug Application to the FDA in the second quarter of 2018. The Company is currently conducting a Phase 3 trial, named Mercury 3, in Europe comparing Roclatan^TMto Ganfort^®, which if successful, is expected to improve its commercialization prospects in that region. Mercury 3 is not necessary for approval in the United States.

On July 31, 2017, the Company entered into a collaborative research, development and licensing agreement with DSM, a global science-based company headquartered in the Netherlands. The research collaboration agreement includes an option to license DSM’s bio-erodible polymer implant technology for evaluating its application to the delivery of certain Aerie compounds to treat ophthalmic diseases. This technology uses polyesteramide polymers to produce an injectable, thin fiber that is minute in size. Preclinical experiments have demonstrated early success in conjunction with Aerie’s preclinical molecule, AR-13503, including demonstration of linear, sustained elution rates over several months and achievement of target retinal drug concentrations.

On October 4, 2017, the Company entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Envisia Therapeutics Inc. (“Envisia”) to acquire the rights to use PRINT^® technology in ophthalmology, as well as rights relating to Envisia’s preclinical dexamethasone steroid implant for the potential treatment of diabetic macular edema that utilizes the PRINT^® technology, referred to as AR-1105. The Company will also focus on using PRINT^® to manufacture injectable implants containing AR-13503, potentially in conjunction with the bio-erodible polymer from DSM.

The Company had not yet commenced commercial operations as of March 31, 2018 and therefore had not generated product revenue. The Company launched Rhopressa^® in the United States in late April 2018. As a result, Aerie commenced generating product revenues related to sales of Rhopressa^® in the second quarter of 2018. The Company’s activities since inception have primarily consisted of developing product candidates, raising capital and performing research and development activities. The Company has incurred losses and experienced negative operating cash flows since inception. The Company has funded its operations primarily through the sale of equity securities (Note 8) and issuance of convertible notes (Note 7).

If the Company does not successfully commercialize Rhopressa^®, Roclatan^TM or any future product candidates, it may be unable to generate product revenue or achieve profitability. Accordingly, the Company may be required to obtain further funding through public or private offerings, debt financings, collaboration and licensing arrangements or other sources. Adequate additional funding may not be available to the Company on acceptable terms, or at all. If the Company is unable to raise capital when needed or on attractive terms, it may be forced to delay, reduce or eliminate its research and development programs or commercialization and manufacturing efforts.