Nature of the Business and Basis of Presentation	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2023
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Nature of the Business and Basis of Presentation	1. Nature of the Business and Basis of Presentation Aileron Therapeutics, Inc. (“Aileron” or the “Company”) is a clinical stage chemoprotection oncology company. The Company's product candidate, ALRN-6924, is a MDM2/MDMX dual inhibitor that leverages its proprietary peptide drug technology. On February 21, 2023, the Company decided to terminate its Phase 1b chemoprotection trial of ALRN-6924 in patients with p53-mutated breast cancer and further development of ALRN-6924. The Company determined to reduce the Company’s remaining workforce from nine to three full-time employees. The Company also announced that it is exploring a range of strategic alternatives to maximize stockholder value. The Company has engaged a third party to act as a strategic advisor for this process. Strategic alternatives that are being evaluated may include, but are not limited to, an acquisition, a merger, a business combination, a sale of assets or other transaction. There is no set timetable for this process and there can be no assurance that this process will result in the Company pursuing a transaction or that any transaction, if pursued, will be completed. When used as a chemoprotective agent, ALRN-6924 is designed to activate p53, which in turn upregulates p21, a known inhibitor of the cell replication cycle. ALRN-6924 was the only reported chemoprotective agent in clinical development to employ a biomarker strategy, in which the Company exclusively focused on treating patients with p53-mutated cancers. The Company originally initiated development of ALRN-6924 as an anti-cancer agent to restore p53-dependent tumor suppression in p53 wild-type tumors. When used as an anti-cancer agent, ALRN-6924 is designed to disrupt the interaction of p53 suppressors MDM2 and MDMX with tumor suppressor p53 to reactivate tumor suppression in non-mutant, or wild-type, p53 cancers. The Company is subject to risks common to companies in the biotechnology industry, including but not limited to, new technological innovations, protection of proprietary technology, dependence on key personnel, compliance with government regulations, uncertainties in the clinical development of product candidates and in the ability to obtain needed additional financing. ALRN-6924 will require significant additional research and development efforts, including preclinical and clinical testing and regulatory approval prior to commercialization. These efforts require significant amounts of additional capital, adequate personnel infrastructure and extensive compliance-reporting capabilities. On November 10, 2022, the Company effected a one-for-twenty reverse stock split on its common stock (the “Reverse Stock Split”). The Reverse Stock Split was reflected on the Nasdaq Capital Market beginning with the opening of trading on November 11, 2022. Pursuant to the Reverse Stock Split, every 20 shares of the Company's issued and outstanding shares of common stock were automatically combined into one issued and outstanding share of common stock, without any change in the par value per share of the common stock. The Reverse Stock Split reduced the authorized number of shares of common stock from 300,000,000 to 15,000,000 and, pursuant to the certificate of amendment, such reduced authorized number of shares of common stock was subsequently multiplied by three, such that following the Reverse Stock Split the Company has 45,000,000 shares of common stock authorized. The Reverse Stock Split affected all issued and outstanding shares of the Company's common stock, and the respective numbers of shares of common stock underlying the Company’s outstanding stock options, outstanding warrants and the Company's equity incentive plans were proportionately adjusted. All share and per share amounts of the common stock included in the accompanying financial statements have been retrospectively adjusted to give effect to the Reverse Stock Split for all periods presented. The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Liquidity In accordance with Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-15, Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40), management must evaluate whether there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued. This evaluation initially does not take into consideration the potential mitigating effect of management’s plans that have not been fully implemented as of the date the financial statements are issued. When substantial doubt exists under this methodology, management evaluates whether the mitigating effect of its plans sufficiently alleviates substantial doubt about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The mitigating effect of management’s plans, however, is only considered if both (1) it is probable that the plans will be effectively implemented within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued, and (2) it is probable that the plans, when implemented, will mitigate the relevant conditions or events that raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued. Generally, to be considered probable of being effectively implemented, the plans must have been approved before the date that the financial statements are issued. The Company’s interim financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, which contemplates the continuity of operations, realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the ordinary course of business. Through June 30, 2023, the Company has financed operations primarily through $145,467 in net proceeds from sales of common stock and warrants, $131,211 from sales of preferred stock prior to its IPO, and $34,910 from a collaboration agreement in 2010. As of June 30, 2023, the Company had cash, cash equivalents and investments of $13,666. The Company has incurred losses and negative cash flows from operations and had an accumulated deficit of $279,351 as of June 30, 2023. The Company expects to continue to generate losses for the foreseeable future. While the Company has cash, cash equivalents and investments of $13,666 as of June 30, 2023, due to the inherent uncertainty in the timing and cost of potential strategic alternatives, including their impact on its cash consumption, the Company has concluded that as of the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q there is substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern for a period of twelve months from the issuance of these interim financial statements. The Company would need substantial funding to support its continuing operations. There can be no assurance that a strategic transaction will be completed and the Company’s board of directors may decide to pursue a dissolution and liquidation. If the Company is unable to enter into a strategic transaction, on a timely basis or at all, the Company may consider seeking protection under the bankruptcy laws. If the Company decides to seek protection under the bankruptcy laws, the Company would expect that it would file for bankruptcy at a time that is earlier than when it would otherwise exhaust its cash resources. If the Company decides to dissolve and liquidate its assets or to seek protection under the bankruptcy laws, it is unclear to what extent the Company will be able to pay its obligations, and, it is further unclear whether and to what extent any resources will be available for distributions to its stockholders. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

Nature of the Business and Basis of Presentation

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2023

Nature of the Business and Basis of Presentation

1. Nature of the Business and Basis of Presentation

Aileron Therapeutics, Inc. (“Aileron” or the “Company”) is a clinical stage chemoprotection oncology company. The Company's product candidate, ALRN-6924, is a MDM2/MDMX dual inhibitor that leverages its proprietary peptide drug technology.

On February 21, 2023, the Company decided to terminate its Phase 1b chemoprotection trial of ALRN-6924 in patients with p53-mutated breast cancer and further development of ALRN-6924. The Company determined to reduce the Company’s remaining workforce from nine to three full-time employees. The Company also announced that it is exploring a range of strategic alternatives to maximize stockholder value. The Company has engaged a third party to act as a strategic advisor for this process. Strategic alternatives that are being evaluated may include, but are not limited to, an acquisition, a merger, a business combination, a sale of assets or other transaction. There is no set timetable for this process and there can be no assurance that this process will result in the Company pursuing a transaction or that any transaction, if pursued, will be completed.

When used as a chemoprotective agent, ALRN-6924 is designed to activate p53, which in turn upregulates p21, a known inhibitor of the cell replication cycle. ALRN-6924 was the only reported chemoprotective agent in clinical development to employ a biomarker strategy, in which the Company exclusively focused on treating patients with p53-mutated cancers. The Company originally initiated development of ALRN-6924 as an anti-cancer agent to restore p53-dependent tumor suppression in p53 wild-type tumors. When used as an anti-cancer agent, ALRN-6924 is designed to disrupt the interaction of p53 suppressors MDM2 and MDMX with tumor suppressor p53 to reactivate tumor suppression in non-mutant, or wild-type, p53 cancers.

The Company is subject to risks common to companies in the biotechnology industry, including but not limited to, new technological innovations, protection of proprietary technology, dependence on key personnel, compliance with government regulations, uncertainties in the clinical development of product candidates and in the ability to obtain needed additional financing. ALRN-6924 will require significant additional research and development efforts, including preclinical and clinical testing and regulatory approval prior to commercialization. These efforts require significant amounts of additional capital, adequate personnel infrastructure and extensive compliance-reporting capabilities.

On November 10, 2022, the Company effected a one-for-twenty reverse stock split on its common stock (the “Reverse Stock Split”). The Reverse Stock Split was reflected on the Nasdaq Capital Market beginning with the opening of trading on November 11, 2022. Pursuant to the Reverse Stock Split, every 20 shares of the Company's issued and outstanding shares of common stock were automatically combined into one issued and outstanding share of common stock, without any change in the par value per share of the common stock. The Reverse Stock Split reduced the authorized number of shares of common stock from 300,000,000 to 15,000,000 and, pursuant to the certificate of amendment, such reduced authorized number of shares of common stock was subsequently multiplied by three, such that following the Reverse Stock Split the Company has 45,000,000 shares of common stock authorized. The Reverse Stock Split affected all issued and outstanding shares of the Company's common stock, and the respective numbers of shares of common stock underlying the Company’s outstanding stock options, outstanding warrants and the Company's equity incentive plans were proportionately adjusted. All share and per share amounts of the common stock included in the accompanying financial statements have been retrospectively adjusted to give effect to the Reverse Stock Split for all periods presented.

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).

Liquidity

In accordance with Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-15, Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40), management must evaluate whether there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued. This evaluation initially does not take into consideration the potential mitigating effect of management’s plans that have not been fully implemented as of the date the financial statements are issued. When substantial doubt exists under this methodology, management evaluates whether the mitigating effect of its plans sufficiently alleviates substantial doubt about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The mitigating effect of management’s plans, however, is only considered if both (1) it is probable that the plans will be effectively implemented within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued, and (2) it is probable that the plans, when implemented, will mitigate the relevant conditions or events that raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued. Generally, to be considered probable of being effectively implemented, the plans must have been approved before the date that the financial statements are issued.

The Company’s interim financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, which contemplates the continuity of operations, realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the ordinary course of business. Through June 30, 2023, the Company has financed operations primarily through $145,467 in net proceeds from sales of common stock and warrants, $131,211 from sales of preferred stock prior to its IPO, and $34,910 from a collaboration agreement in 2010.

As of June 30, 2023, the Company had cash, cash equivalents and investments of $13,666. The Company has incurred losses and negative cash flows from operations and had an accumulated deficit of $279,351 as of June 30, 2023. The Company expects to continue to generate losses for the foreseeable future.

While the Company has cash, cash equivalents and investments of $13,666 as of June 30, 2023, due to the inherent uncertainty in the timing and cost of potential strategic alternatives, including their impact on its cash consumption, the Company has concluded that as of the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q there is substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern for a period of twelve months from the issuance of these interim financial statements.

The Company would need substantial funding to support its continuing operations. There can be no assurance that a strategic transaction will be completed and the Company’s board of directors may decide to pursue a dissolution and liquidation. If the Company is unable to enter into a strategic transaction, on a timely basis or at all, the Company may consider seeking protection under the bankruptcy laws. If the Company decides to seek protection under the bankruptcy laws, the Company would expect that it would file for bankruptcy at a time that is earlier than when it would otherwise exhaust its cash resources. If the Company decides to dissolve and liquidate its assets or to seek protection under the bankruptcy laws, it is unclear to what extent the Company will be able to pay its obligations, and, it is further unclear whether and to what extent any resources will be available for distributions to its stockholders. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.