Nature of Business	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Nature of Business	Nature of Business Metabolix is an advanced biomaterials company focused on delivering sustainable solutions to the plastics industry. The Company has core capabilities in microbial genetics, fermentation process engineering, chemical engineering, polymer science, plant genetics and botanical science, and it has assembled these capabilities in a way that has allowed it to integrate its biotechnology research with real world chemical engineering and industrial practice. In addition, the Company has created an extensive intellectual property portfolio to protect its innovations which, together with its technology, serves as a valuable foundation for its business and future industry collaborations. The Company is subject to risks common to companies in the biotechnology industry including, but not limited to, the need to obtain additional funding, development by the Company's competitors of new technological innovations, protection of proprietary technology, and compliance with government regulations. The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a basis which assumes that the Company will continue as a going concern and which contemplates the realization of assets and satisfaction of liabilities and commitments in the normal course of business. However, with the exception of 2012, when the Company recognized $38,885 of deferred revenue from the terminated Telles joint venture, it has recorded losses since its inception, including its fiscal year ended December 31, 2015. As of December 31, 2015, the Company held unrestricted cash and cash equivalents of $12,269. The Company continues to face significant challenges and uncertainties and, as a result, its available capital resources may be consumed more rapidly than currently expected due to (a) lower than expected sales of its biopolymer products as a result of slow market adoption; (b) increases in capital costs and operating expenses related to the expansion of pilot manufacturing or the establishment and start-up of commercial manufacturing either on its own or with third parties; (c) changes the Company may make to the business that affect ongoing operating expenses; (d) changes the Company may make to its business strategy; (e) changes in the Company’s research and development spending plans; (f) higher than expected costs in connection with the relocation of its Massachusetts facilities, and (g) other items affecting the Company’s forecasted level of expenditures and use of cash resources. The Company's present capital resources are not be sufficient to fund its planned operations for a twelve month period, and therefore, raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. The Company was successful during its fiscal quarters ending June 30, 2015 and September 30, 2014, in raising $14,703 and $24,914, net of offering costs, respectively, through private equity offerings. On October 7, 2015, the Company entered into a $20,000 common stock purchase agreement with Aspire Capital Fund, LLC ("Aspire"). Under terms of the agreement, Aspire has committed to purchase up to $20,000 of Metabolix’s common stock over a 30 month period that began on November 9, 2015, the date on which the conditions to the commencement of common stock purchases under the agreement were satisfied. Common stock may be sold from time to time at the Company’s option under pricing formulas based on prevailing market prices around the time of each sale. The purchase agreement contains limitations on the number of shares that the Company may sell to Aspire. Additionally, the Company and Aspire may not effect any sales of shares of our common stock under the purchase agreement during the continuance of an event of default or on any trading day that the closing sale price of its common stock is less than $0.50 per share. At December 31, 2015, the full $20,000 remained available under the purchase agreement with Aspire. Even if the Company sells shares under the Aspire agreement, the Company will require additional funding during the next twelve months to continue its operations and support its capital needs. The timing, structure and vehicles for obtaining future financing are under consideration, but there can be no assurance that such financing efforts will be successful. The current economic environment and recent uncertainty and volatility in financial markets may make it difficult to obtain additional financing. The Company intends to use the proceeds of its recent and any future financings for general corporate purposes and working capital requirements, including the continued development of its specialty biopolymers business as the foundation for its longer range commercial scale plans and the future growth of its business. If the Company issues equity or debt securities to raise additional funds, (i) the Company may incur fees associated with such issuance, (ii) its existing stockholders may experience dilution from the issuance of new equity securities, (iii) the Company may incur ongoing interest expense and be required to grant a security interest in Company assets in connection with any debt issuance, and (iv) the new equity or debt securities may have rights, preferences and privileges senior to those of the Company’s existing stockholders. In addition, utilization of the Company’s net operating loss and research and development credit carryforwards may be subject to significant annual limitations under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 due to ownership changes resulting from equity financing transactions. If the Company raises additional funds through collaboration, licensing or other similar arrangements, it may be necessary to relinquish valuable rights to its potential products or proprietary technologies, or grant licenses on terms that are not favorable to the Company. Failure to receive additional funding during the next twelve months may force the Company to delay, scale back or otherwise modify its business and manufacturing plans, sales and marketing efforts, research and development activities and other operations, and/or seek strategic alternatives. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that may result from the outcome of these uncertainties.

Nature of Business

Metabolix is an advanced biomaterials company focused on delivering sustainable solutions to the plastics industry. The Company has core capabilities in microbial genetics, fermentation process engineering, chemical engineering, polymer science, plant genetics and botanical science, and it has assembled these capabilities in a way that has allowed it to integrate its biotechnology research with real world chemical engineering and industrial practice. In addition, the Company has created an extensive intellectual property portfolio to protect its innovations which, together with its technology, serves as a valuable foundation for its business and future industry collaborations. The Company is subject to risks common to companies in the biotechnology industry including, but not limited to, the need to obtain additional funding, development by the Company's competitors of new technological innovations, protection of proprietary technology, and compliance with government regulations.

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a basis which assumes that the Company will continue as a going concern and which contemplates the realization of assets and satisfaction of liabilities and commitments in the normal course of business. However, with the exception of 2012, when the Company recognized $38,885 of deferred revenue from the terminated Telles joint venture, it has recorded losses since its inception, including its fiscal year ended December 31, 2015. As of December 31, 2015, the Company held unrestricted cash and cash equivalents of $12,269. The Company continues to face significant challenges and uncertainties and, as a result, its available capital resources may be consumed more rapidly than currently expected due to (a) lower than expected sales of its biopolymer products as a result of slow market adoption; (b) increases in capital costs and operating expenses related to the expansion of pilot manufacturing or the establishment and start-up of commercial manufacturing either on its own or with third parties; (c) changes the Company may make to the business that affect ongoing operating expenses; (d) changes the Company may make to its business strategy; (e) changes in the Company’s research and development spending plans; (f) higher than expected costs in connection with the relocation of its Massachusetts facilities, and (g) other items affecting the Company’s forecasted level of expenditures and use of cash resources. The Company's present capital resources are not be sufficient to fund its planned operations for a twelve month period, and therefore, raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern.

The Company was successful during its fiscal quarters ending June 30, 2015 and September 30, 2014, in raising $14,703 and $24,914, net of offering costs, respectively, through private equity offerings. On October 7, 2015, the Company entered into a $20,000 common stock purchase agreement with Aspire Capital Fund, LLC ("Aspire"). Under terms of the agreement, Aspire has committed to purchase up to $20,000 of Metabolix’s common stock over a 30 month period that began on November 9, 2015, the date on which the conditions to the commencement of common stock purchases under the agreement were satisfied. Common stock may be sold from time to time at the Company’s option under pricing formulas based on prevailing market prices around the time of each sale. The purchase agreement contains limitations on the number of shares that the Company may sell to Aspire. Additionally, the Company and Aspire may not effect any sales of shares of our common stock under the purchase agreement during the continuance of an event of default or on any trading day that the closing sale price of its common stock is less than $0.50 per share. At December 31, 2015, the full $20,000 remained available under the purchase agreement with Aspire. Even if the Company sells shares under the Aspire agreement, the Company will require additional funding during the next twelve months to continue its operations and support its capital needs. The timing, structure and vehicles for obtaining future financing are under consideration, but there can be no assurance that such financing efforts will be successful. The current economic environment and recent uncertainty and volatility in financial markets may make it difficult to obtain additional financing. The Company intends to use the proceeds of its recent and any future financings for general corporate purposes and working capital requirements, including the continued development of its specialty biopolymers business as the foundation for its longer range commercial scale plans and the future growth of its business.

If the Company issues equity or debt securities to raise additional funds, (i) the Company may incur fees associated with such issuance, (ii) its existing stockholders may experience dilution from the issuance of new equity securities, (iii) the

Company may incur ongoing interest expense and be required to grant a security interest in Company assets in connection with any debt issuance, and (iv) the new equity or debt securities may have rights, preferences and privileges senior to those of the Company’s existing stockholders. In addition, utilization of the Company’s net operating loss and research and development credit carryforwards may be subject to significant annual limitations under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 due to ownership changes resulting from equity financing transactions. If the Company raises additional funds through collaboration, licensing or other similar arrangements, it may be necessary to relinquish valuable rights to its potential products or proprietary technologies, or grant licenses on terms that are not favorable to the Company.

Failure to receive additional funding during the next twelve months may force the Company to delay, scale back or

otherwise modify its business and manufacturing plans, sales and marketing efforts, research and development activities and

other operations, and/or seek strategic alternatives. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that may result from the outcome of these uncertainties.