Business Overview	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Business Overview	Business Overview Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc. ("the Company" or "Synergy") is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel gastrointestinal (GI) therapies. The Company has pioneered discovery, research and development efforts around analogs of uroguanylin, a naturally occurring and endogenous human GI peptide, for the treatment of GI diseases and disorders. We control 100% worldwide rights to our proprietary uroguanylin based GI platform which includes one commercial product, TRULANCE®, and one development stage compound, dolcanatide. Recent Developments On January 31, 2017, Synergy entered into an underwriting agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., as representative of the several underwriters, to issue and sell 20,325,204 shares of common stock of the Company in an underwritten public offering pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3 and a related prospectus supplement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Offering”). The public offering price was $6.15 per share of Common Stock. The Offering closed on February 6, 2017, yielding net proceeds of approximately $121.6 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by the Company. On February 28, 2017, Synergy received consents from certain holders of its Notes to enter into a Supplemental Indenture which eliminated certain restrictive covenants from the Indenture related to the Notes. The restrictive covenants eliminated from the Indenture were Limitation on Indebtedness, Future Financing Rights for Certain Investors and Licensing Limitations. On February 28, 2017, Synergy entered into the Supplemental Indenture with Wells Fargo, N.A., as trustee and paid an aggregate of approximately $1.6 million to such holders for the consent. These fees associated with the debt modification were accounted for under Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 470-50 and are amortized using the effective interest method over the remaining term of the debt. In March 2017, Synergy exchanged approximately $4.9 million aggregate principal amount of the Notes for approximately 1.8 million shares of its common stock, with approximately 1.6 million shares representing the conversion price of $3.11 pursuant to the existing terms of the Notes. As of December 31, 2017, approximately $18.6 million of the Notes remain outstanding. The Company recognized a debt conversion expense of $1.2 million representing 0.2 million shares during the year ended December 31, 2017. On September 1, 2017, Synergy entered into a senior secured term loan of up to $300 million with CRG Servicing LLC, as administrative and collateral agent, and the lenders and guarantors party thereto (the "Term Loan"). The Term Loan is available for working capital and general corporate purposes. The Company borrowed $100 million at time of closing. In February 2018 we further amended the Term Loan agreement. The amended Term Loan provides for future borrowings of $25 million, $25 million and $50 million on or before June 30, 2018, September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2018, respectively. Additionally, the total amount of the commitment was reduced from $300 million to $200 million (excluding PIK loans) and the Minimum Market Capitalization covenant of $300 million was revised to be 200% of the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan (excluding PIK loans). The Term Loan has a maturity date of June 30, 2025, unless prepaid earlier. The Term Loan bears interest at a rate equal to 9.5% per annum, with quarterly, interest-only payments until June 30, 2022, subject to extension through the maturity date upon the Company’s satisfaction of certain conditions. At the Company’s option, until June 30, 2019, a portion of the interest payments may be paid in kind, and thereby added to the principal. Following, the interest-only period, the Term Loans will amortize in equal quarterly installments unless entirely payable at maturity. On November 13, 2017, Synergy entered into an underwriting agreement with Jefferies LLC, as representative of the several underwriters, to issue and sell 21,705,426 shares of common stock of the Company together with accompanying warrants (“Warrants”) to purchase an aggregate of 21,705,426 shares of Common Stock in an underwritten offering pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3ASR and a related prospectus and prospectus supplement, in each case filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Offering”). The offering price was $2.58 per share of Common Stock and accompanying Warrant. The net proceeds from the Offering were approximately $52.2 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by the Company.

Business Overview

Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc. ("the Company" or "Synergy") is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel gastrointestinal (GI) therapies. The Company has pioneered discovery, research and development efforts around analogs of uroguanylin, a naturally occurring and endogenous human GI peptide, for the treatment of GI diseases and disorders. We control 100% worldwide rights to our proprietary uroguanylin based GI platform which includes one commercial product, TRULANCE®, and one development stage compound, dolcanatide.

Recent Developments

On January 31, 2017, Synergy entered into an underwriting agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., as representative of the several underwriters, to issue and sell 20,325,204 shares of common stock of the Company in an underwritten public

offering pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3 and a related prospectus supplement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Offering”). The public offering price was $6.15 per share of Common Stock. The Offering closed on February 6, 2017, yielding net proceeds of approximately $121.6 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by the Company.

On February 28, 2017, Synergy received consents from certain holders of its Notes to enter into a Supplemental Indenture which eliminated certain restrictive covenants from the Indenture related to the Notes. The restrictive covenants eliminated from the Indenture were Limitation on Indebtedness, Future Financing Rights for Certain Investors and Licensing Limitations. On February 28, 2017, Synergy entered into the Supplemental Indenture with Wells Fargo, N.A., as trustee and paid an aggregate of approximately $1.6 million to such holders for the consent. These fees associated with the debt modification were accounted for under Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 470-50 and are amortized using the effective interest method over the remaining term of the debt.

In March 2017, Synergy exchanged approximately $4.9 million aggregate principal amount of the Notes for approximately 1.8 million shares of its common stock, with approximately 1.6 million shares representing the conversion price of $3.11 pursuant to the existing terms of the Notes. As of December 31, 2017, approximately $18.6 million of the Notes remain outstanding. The Company recognized a debt conversion expense of $1.2 million representing 0.2 million shares during the year ended December 31, 2017.

On September 1, 2017, Synergy entered into a senior secured term loan of up to $300 million with CRG Servicing LLC, as administrative and collateral agent, and the lenders and guarantors party thereto (the "Term Loan"). The Term Loan is available for working capital and general corporate purposes. The Company borrowed $100 million at time of closing. In February 2018 we further amended the Term Loan agreement. The amended Term Loan provides for future borrowings of $25 million, $25 million and $50 million on or before June 30, 2018, September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2018, respectively. Additionally, the total amount of the commitment was reduced from $300 million to $200 million (excluding PIK loans) and the Minimum Market Capitalization covenant of $300 million was revised to be 200% of the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan (excluding PIK loans).

The Term Loan has a maturity date of June 30, 2025, unless prepaid earlier. The Term Loan bears interest at a rate equal to 9.5% per annum, with quarterly, interest-only payments until June 30, 2022, subject to extension through the maturity date upon the Company’s satisfaction of certain conditions. At the Company’s option, until June 30, 2019, a portion of the interest payments may be paid in kind, and thereby added to the principal. Following, the interest-only period, the Term Loans will amortize in equal quarterly installments unless entirely payable at maturity.

On November 13, 2017, Synergy entered into an underwriting agreement with Jefferies LLC, as representative of the several underwriters, to issue and sell 21,705,426 shares of common stock of the Company together with accompanying warrants (“Warrants”) to purchase an aggregate of 21,705,426 shares of Common Stock in an underwritten offering pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3ASR and a related prospectus and prospectus supplement, in each case filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Offering”). The offering price was $2.58 per share of Common Stock and accompanying Warrant. The net proceeds from the Offering were approximately $52.2 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by the Company.