Business	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Business	1. Business Description of Business and Organization Ophthotech Corporation (the “Company” or “Ophthotech”) was incorporated on January 5, 2007, in Delaware. The Company is a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of novel therapeutics to treat ophthalmic diseases, with a focus on orphan and age-related retinal diseases. The Company currently has two product candidates, Zimura® (avacincaptad pegol), an anti-complement factor C5 aptamer, and Fovista® (pegpleranib), an anti-platelet derived growth factor, or PDGF, aptamer. Prior to 2017, the Company's primary focus was on developing Fovista and Zimura for various types of age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, which is a disorder of the central portion of the retina, known as the macula, that may result in blindness. In December 2016, the Company announced that two of its three pivotal, Phase 3 clinical trials for Fovista in combination with the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor, or anti-VEGF, drug Lucentis® (ranibizumab) for the treatment of wet AMD, failed to meet their primary endpoint. The Company announced in early 2017 that it had engaged a financial advisor to assist it in reviewing the Company’s strategic alternatives, including identifying potential business development opportunities. Also beginning in early 2017, the Company undertook a reassessment of its development plans for Zimura and Fovista, which included an evaluation of the scientific rationale for potentially developing these product candidates in one or more other ophthalmic indications for which there is a high unmet need. On July 26, 2017, the Company announced that it is pursuing a strategy to leverage its clinical experience and retina expertise to identify and develop therapies to treat multiple ophthalmic orphan diseases for which there are limited or no treatment options available. To this end, the Company plans to initiate a randomized, controlled clinical trial of Zimura as a monotherapy for the treatment of Stargardt disease, an inherited retinal orphan disease causing vision loss during childhood or adolescence, before the end of 2017. In parallel, the Company is continuing its on-going programs in age-related retinal diseases, including its ongoing Phase 2/3 clinical trial of Zimura as a monotherapy for the treatment of geographic atrophy, or GA, a form of dry AMD, and its wet AMD program for Zimura. The Company will continue to reassess the Zimura GA development program in light of the results of a competitor’s Phase 3 clinical trials of a complement inhibitor being studied for the treatment of GA, which are expected to be available during the second half of 2017. The Company is also continuing its business development efforts to identify and potentially obtain rights to additional products, product candidates and technologies that would complement its strategic goals as well as other compelling ophthalmology opportunities. The Company's third, pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial of Fovista in combination with the anti-VEGF drugs Eylea® (aflibercept) or Avastin® (bevacizumab) for the treatment of wet AMD, referred to as OPH1004, also remains ongoing with initial, top-line data expected by the end of the third quarter of 2017. The Company's strategy for its Fovista wet AMD development program will be primarily determined based on these data and in the context of its other two failed Phase 3 clinical trials. The Company believes that the failure of its two prior Phase 3 trials and the failure of a competitor’s Phase 2 trial investigating the combination of a PDGF inhibitor and a VEGF inhibitor are indicative of a low likelihood of success for OPH1004. As a result of the Company’s ongoing reassessment of its development programs and potential business development opportunities, the Company may modify, expand or terminate some or all of its development programs or clinical trials at any time.

1. Business

Description of Business and Organization

Ophthotech Corporation (the “Company” or “Ophthotech”) was incorporated on January 5, 2007, in Delaware. The Company is a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of novel therapeutics to treat ophthalmic diseases, with a focus on orphan and age-related retinal diseases. The Company currently has two product candidates, Zimura® (avacincaptad pegol), an anti-complement factor C5 aptamer, and Fovista® (pegpleranib), an anti-platelet derived growth factor, or PDGF, aptamer. Prior to 2017, the Company's primary focus was on developing Fovista and Zimura for various types of age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, which is a disorder of the central portion of the retina, known as the macula, that may result in blindness. In December 2016, the Company announced that two of its three pivotal, Phase 3 clinical trials for Fovista in combination with the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor, or anti-VEGF, drug Lucentis® (ranibizumab) for the treatment of wet AMD, failed to meet their primary endpoint. The Company announced in early 2017 that it had engaged a financial advisor to assist it in reviewing the Company’s strategic alternatives, including identifying potential business development opportunities. Also beginning in early 2017, the Company undertook a reassessment of its development plans for Zimura and Fovista, which included an evaluation of the scientific rationale for potentially developing these product candidates in one or more other ophthalmic indications for which there is a high unmet need.

On July 26, 2017, the Company announced that it is pursuing a strategy to leverage its clinical experience and retina expertise to identify and develop therapies to treat multiple ophthalmic orphan diseases for which there are limited or no treatment options available. To this end, the Company plans to initiate a randomized, controlled clinical trial of Zimura as a monotherapy for the treatment of Stargardt disease, an inherited retinal orphan disease causing vision loss during childhood or adolescence, before the end of 2017. In parallel, the Company is continuing its on-going programs in age-related retinal diseases, including its ongoing Phase 2/3 clinical trial of Zimura as a monotherapy for the treatment of geographic atrophy, or GA, a form of dry AMD, and its wet AMD program for Zimura. The Company will continue to reassess the Zimura GA development program in light of the results of a competitor’s Phase 3 clinical trials of a complement inhibitor being studied for the treatment of GA, which are expected to be available during the second half of 2017. The Company is also continuing its business development efforts to identify and potentially obtain rights to additional products, product candidates and technologies that would complement its strategic goals as well as other compelling ophthalmology opportunities.

The Company's third, pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial of Fovista in combination with the anti-VEGF drugs Eylea® (aflibercept) or Avastin® (bevacizumab) for the treatment of wet AMD, referred to as OPH1004, also remains ongoing with initial, top-line data expected by the end of the third quarter of 2017. The Company's strategy for its Fovista wet AMD development program will be primarily determined based on these data and in the context of its other two failed Phase 3 clinical trials. The Company believes that the failure of its two prior Phase 3 trials and the failure of a competitor’s Phase 2 trial investigating the combination of a PDGF inhibitor and a VEGF inhibitor are indicative of a low likelihood of success for OPH1004.

As a result of the Company’s ongoing reassessment of its development programs and potential business development opportunities, the Company may modify, expand or terminate some or all of its development programs or clinical trials at any time.