Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	1. Description of Business and Basis of Presentation Description of Business Otonomy, Inc. (Otonomy or the Company) was incorporated in the state of Delaware on May 6, 2008. Otonomy is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of innovative therapeutics for otology. The Company pioneered the application of drug delivery technology to the ear in order to develop products that achieve sustained drug exposure from a single local administration. OTIVIDEX^TM is a steroid formulation that has completed two Phase 3 trials for the treatment of Ménière’s disease, with a third Phase 3 trial recently initiated to support a submission for U.S. registration. OTO-313 is a formulation of the potent and selective N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist gacyclidine that is in development for the treatment of tinnitus. Otonomy is also advancing three preclinical-stage programs that address different pathologies of hearing loss: (i) OTO-413 is a formulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) for the repair of cochlear synaptopathy and the treatment of speech-in-noise hearing difficulties; (ii) OTO-5XX is an otoprotectant for the prevention of cisplatin-induced hearing loss; and (iii) OTO-6XX induces hair cell regeneration for the treatment of severe hearing loss. In addition, the Company developed, received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval and commercially launched OTIPRIO^® (ciprofloxacin otic suspension) for use during tympanostomy tube placement (TTP) surgery in pediatric patients. OTIPRIO was also approved by the FDA for the treatment of acute otitis externa (AOE). The Company recently announced the initiation of a partnership with privately held Mission Pharmacal (Mission) to support the promotion of OTIPRIO for the treatment of AOE in pediatric and primary care physician offices as well as urgent care clinics. 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, 2018, the Company had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $100.0 million and an accumulated deficit of $389.8 million. The Company anticipates that it will continue to incur net losses into the foreseeable future as it: (i) develops and seeks regulatory approvals for OTIVIDEX and its other potential product candidates; and (ii) works to develop additional product candidates through research and development programs. When 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 the Company’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, 2017 included in the Company’s Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on March 8, 2018. 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. (Otonomy or the Company) was incorporated in the state of Delaware on May 6, 2008. Otonomy is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of innovative therapeutics for otology. The Company pioneered the application of drug delivery technology to the ear in order to develop products that achieve sustained drug exposure from a single local administration. OTIVIDEX^TM is a steroid formulation that has completed two Phase 3 trials for the treatment of Ménière’s disease, with a third Phase 3 trial recently initiated to support a submission for U.S. registration. OTO-313 is a formulation of the potent and selective N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist gacyclidine that is in development for the treatment of tinnitus. Otonomy is also advancing three preclinical-stage programs that address different pathologies of hearing loss: (i) OTO-413 is a formulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) for the repair of cochlear synaptopathy and the treatment of speech-in-noise hearing difficulties; (ii) OTO-5XX is an otoprotectant for the prevention of cisplatin-induced hearing loss; and (iii) OTO-6XX induces hair cell regeneration for the treatment of severe hearing loss.

In addition, the Company developed, received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval and commercially launched OTIPRIO^® (ciprofloxacin otic suspension) for use during tympanostomy tube placement (TTP) surgery in pediatric patients. OTIPRIO was also approved by the FDA for the treatment of acute otitis externa (AOE). The Company recently announced the initiation of a partnership with privately held Mission Pharmacal (Mission) to support the promotion of OTIPRIO for the treatment of AOE in pediatric and primary care physician offices as well as urgent care clinics.

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, 2018, the Company had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $100.0 million and an accumulated deficit of $389.8 million. The Company anticipates that it will continue to incur net losses into the foreseeable future as it: (i) develops and seeks regulatory approvals for OTIVIDEX and its other potential product candidates; and (ii) works to develop additional product candidates through research and development programs. When 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 the Company’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, 2017 included in the Company’s Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on March 8, 2018. 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.