Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	1. Description of Business and Basis of Presentation Description of Business Otonomy, Inc. (the Company) was incorporated in the state of Delaware on May 6, 2008. The Company is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapeutics for diseases and disorders of the ear. OTIPRIO^® (ciprofloxacin otic suspension) is approved in the United States for use during tympanostomy tube placement (TTP) surgery in pediatric patients. The Company has filed a Supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for OTIPRIO in acute otitis externa (AOE) with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and has been assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date of March 2, 2018. The Company has also completed a successful End-of-Phase 2 review with the FDA for OTIPRIO in patients with acute otitis media with tympanostomy tubes (AOMT). OTIVIDEX^TM (formerly OTO-104) is a steroid in development for the treatment of Ménière’s disease and other balance and hearing disorders. Two Phase 3 trials in Ménière’s disease patients are ongoing, AVERTS-1 in the United States and AVERTS-2 in Europe, with AVERTS-1 results expected in September 2017 and AVERTS-2 results expected by the end of 2017. In addition, a Phase 2 trial of OTIVIDEX is ongoing in patients at risk for cisplatin-induced hearing loss. OTO-311 is a N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist for the treatment of tinnitus that has completed a Phase 1 clinical safety trial with a Phase 2 trial expected to be initiated by the end of 2017. A fourth program targeting sensorineural hearing loss including age-related hearing loss is in preclinical development. OTIPRIO and the Company’s current product candidates utilize the Company’s proprietary formulation technology that combines a thermosensitive gel with drug microparticles to enable a single dose treatment by a physician. In January 2016, the Company completed a public offering of 5,750,000 shares of its common stock, which includes the exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase 750,000 shares of common stock, at an offering price of $20.00 per share. Proceeds from the public offering were approximately $107.6 million, net of underwriting discounts, commissions and offering-related transaction costs. Basis of Presentation The accompanying condensed financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. The Company has incurred operating losses and negative cash flows from operating activities since inception. As of June 30, 2017, the Company had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $150.5 million and an accumulated deficit of $325.0 million. The Company anticipates that it will continue to incur net losses into the foreseeable future as it: (i) commercializes OTIPRIO and continues its development for additional indications; (ii) develops and seeks regulatory approvals for its product candidates OTIVIDEX and OTO-311; and (iii) works to develop additional product candidates through research and development programs. If additional financing is required, the Company anticipates that it will seek additional funding through future debt and/or equity financings or other sources, such as potential collaboration agreements. If the Company is not able to secure adequate additional funding, if or when necessary, the Company may be forced to make reductions in spending, extend payment terms with suppliers, liquidate assets where possible, and/or suspend or curtail planned programs. Any of these actions could materially harm the Company’s business, results of operations, and future prospects. Unaudited Interim Financial Information The accompanying interim condensed financial statements are unaudited. These unaudited interim condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) and following the requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for interim reporting. As permitted under those rules, certain footnotes or other financial information that are normally required by GAAP can be condensed or omitted. In management’s opinion, the unaudited interim condensed financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited financial statements and include all adjustments, which include only normal recurring adjustments necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. These statements do not include all disclosures required by GAAP and should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited financial statements and accompanying notes for the year ended December 31, 2016 included in the Company’s Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on March 2, 2017. The results presented in these unaudited condensed financial statements are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full fiscal year or any other interim period or any future year or period.

1. Description of Business and Basis of Presentation

Description of Business

Otonomy, Inc. (the Company) was incorporated in the state of Delaware on May 6, 2008. The Company is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapeutics for diseases and disorders of the ear. OTIPRIO^® (ciprofloxacin otic suspension) is approved in the United States for use during tympanostomy tube placement (TTP) surgery in pediatric patients. The Company has filed a Supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for OTIPRIO in acute otitis externa (AOE) with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and has been assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date of March 2, 2018. The Company has also completed a successful End-of-Phase 2 review with the FDA for OTIPRIO in patients with acute otitis media with tympanostomy tubes (AOMT). OTIVIDEX^TM (formerly OTO-104) is a steroid in development for the treatment of Ménière’s disease and other balance and hearing disorders. Two Phase 3 trials in Ménière’s disease patients are ongoing, AVERTS-1 in the United States and AVERTS-2 in Europe, with AVERTS-1 results expected in September 2017 and AVERTS-2 results expected by the end of 2017. In addition, a Phase 2 trial of OTIVIDEX is ongoing in patients at risk for cisplatin-induced hearing loss. OTO-311 is a N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist for the treatment of tinnitus that has completed a Phase 1 clinical safety trial with a Phase 2 trial expected to be initiated by the end of 2017. A fourth program targeting sensorineural hearing loss including age-related hearing loss is in preclinical development. OTIPRIO and the Company’s current product candidates utilize the Company’s proprietary formulation technology that combines a thermosensitive gel with drug microparticles to enable a single dose treatment by a physician.

In January 2016, the Company completed a public offering of 5,750,000 shares of its common stock, which includes the exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase 750,000 shares of common stock, at an offering price of $20.00 per share. Proceeds from the public offering were approximately $107.6 million, net of underwriting discounts, commissions and offering-related transaction costs.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying condensed financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. The Company has incurred operating losses and negative cash flows from operating activities since inception. As of June 30, 2017, the Company had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $150.5 million and an accumulated deficit of $325.0 million. The Company anticipates that it will continue to incur net losses into the foreseeable future as it: (i) commercializes OTIPRIO and continues its development for additional indications; (ii) develops and seeks regulatory approvals for its product candidates OTIVIDEX and OTO-311; and (iii) works to develop additional product candidates through research and development programs. If additional financing is required, the Company anticipates that it will seek additional funding through future debt and/or equity financings or other sources, such as potential collaboration agreements. If the Company is not able to secure adequate additional funding, if or when necessary, the Company may be forced to make reductions in spending, extend payment terms with suppliers, liquidate assets where possible, and/or suspend or curtail planned programs. Any of these actions could materially harm the Company’s business, results of operations, and future prospects.

Unaudited Interim Financial Information

The accompanying interim condensed financial statements are unaudited. These unaudited interim condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) and following the requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for interim reporting. As permitted under those rules, certain footnotes or other financial information that are normally required by GAAP can be condensed or omitted. In management’s opinion, the unaudited interim condensed financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited financial statements and include all adjustments, which include only normal recurring adjustments necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. These statements do not include all disclosures required by GAAP and should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited financial statements and accompanying notes for the year ended December 31, 2016 included in the Company’s Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on March 2, 2017. The results presented in these unaudited condensed financial statements are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full fiscal year or any other interim period or any future year or period.