Document and Entity Information - shares	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Nov. 15, 2017
Document And Entity Information [Abstract]
Trading Symbol	EBIO
Entity Registrant Name	Eleven Biotherapeutics, Inc.
Entity Central Index Key	0001485003
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Smaller Reporting Company
Document Type	10-Q
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2017
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2017
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3
Amendment Flag	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		31,831,995