Nature of Business

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]

1.	Nature of Business

Foundation Medicine, Inc., and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Foundation Medicine Securities Corporation and FMI Germany GmbH (collectively, the “Company”), is a molecular information company focused on fundamentally changing the way in which patients with cancer are evaluated and treated. The Company believes an information-based approach to making clinical treatment decisions based on comprehensive genomic profiling will become a standard of care for patients with cancer. The Company derives revenue from selling products that are enabled by its molecular information platform to physicians and biopharmaceutical companies.

The Company’s molecular information products for genomic profiling, FoundationOne for solid tumors, FoundationOne Heme for blood-based cancers, or hematologic malignancies, including leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, pediatric cancers, and advanced sarcomas, FoundationACT, a blood-based (liquid biopsy) assay to measure circulating tumor DNA (“ctDNA”), and FoundationFocus CDx_BRCA, an FDA-approved, companion diagnostic assay to aid in identifying women with ovarian cancer for whom treatment with Rubraca™ (rucaparib) is being considered, are widely available comprehensive genomic profiles designed for use in the routine care of patients with cancer. To accelerate its commercial growth and enhance its competitive advantage, the Company is developing and commercializing new molecular information products for physicians and biopharmaceutical companies, strengthening its commercial organization, introducing new marketing, education and provider engagement efforts, growing its molecular information knowledgebase, called FoundationCORE, aggressively pursuing reimbursement from regional and national third-party payors, publishing scientific and medical advances, and fostering relationships throughout the oncology community.

The Company believes that its existing cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities at December 31, 2016 will be sufficient to allow the Company to fund its current operating plan through at least the first quarter of 2018. As the Company continues to incur losses, its transition to profitability is dependent upon a level of revenues adequate to support the Company’s cost structure. If the Company’s transition to profitability is not consistent with its current operating plan, the Company may have to seek additional capital.