Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	Mar. 31, 2022
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	Description of Business and Basis of Presentation Description of Business Exicure, Inc. is an early-stage biotechnology company developing nucleic acid therapies targeting ribonucleic acid against validated targets to neurological disorders and hair loss. The team includes a diverse scientific group with expertise in nucleic acid chemistry, drug development and neuroscience. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, the Company conducts its discovery and development efforts in-house with a dedicated 30,000 square foot facility, including rapid and automated high throughput nucleic acid synthesis and screening. The Company’s therapeutic discovery and development efforts are supported by its proprietary Spherical Nucleic Acid, or SNA, technology. SNAs are nanoscale constructs consisting of densely packed synthetic nucleic acid sequences that are radially arranged in three dimensions. The Company believes the design of SNAs gives rise to distinct chemical and biological properties that may provide advantages over other nucleic acid therapeutics and enable therapeutic activity outside of the liver. The Company’s platform for therapeutic nucleic acids has demonstrated potential high potency, broad uptake, and prolonged efficacy in both in vitro and in vivo neurological models. The basis of the Company’s discovery approach harnesses our expertise in oligonucleotide chemistry for use against validated targets where we can screen thousands of oligonucleotides efficiently and identify top candidates in the appropriate cell and live animal models. The Company is conducting preclinical studies for a non-opioid analgesic directed against SCN9A (Nav1.7); undisclosed targets in Huntington’s disease and Angelman syndrome as part of our collaboration with Ipsen Biopharm Limited, or Ipsen; and undisclosed targets in hair loss disorders as part of our collaboration with AbbVie Inc., or AbbVie. Throughout these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, the terms the “Company,” and “Exicure” refer to Exicure, Inc. and where appropriate, its wholly owned subsidiary, Exicure Operating Company. Exicure Operating Company holds all material assets and conducts all business activities and operations of Exicure, Inc. Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, and for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, have been presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). Principles of Consolidation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Exicure and its wholly owned subsidiary, Exicure Operating Company. All intercompany transactions and accounts are eliminated in consolidation. Significant Risks and Uncertainties Determining the estimate of total project hours used to recognize revenue for the Company’s collaboration agreements requires significant judgment and any changes to those estimates may have a significant impact on the amount and timing of revenue recognition for the Ipsen Collaboration Agreement or the AbbVie Collaboration Agreement (each, as defined in Note 3, Collaborative Research and License Agreements) in future periods. For example, during 2021, revenue recognized under the AbbVie Collaboration Agreement for the year ended December 31, 2021 reflected the cumulative catchup adjustment (reduction) of revenue recorded in connection with a change in estimate that occurred during the third quarter of 2021. Due to uncertainties inherent in the estimation process, it is at least reasonably possible that estimated efforts required to complete the research services under the AbbVie Collaboration Agreement will be further revised in the near-term which may result in additional adjustments (reductions of revenue) in future periods. Going Concern At each reporting period, the Company evaluates whether there are conditions or events that raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of one year after the date that the financial statements are issued. The Company is required to make certain additional disclosures if it concludes substantial doubt exists and it is not alleviated by the Company’s plans or when its plans alleviate substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern for a period of one year after the date that the financial statements are issued. As of March 31, 2022, the Company has generated an accumulated deficit of $197,252 since inception and expects to incur significant expenses and negative cash flows for the foreseeable future. As of March 31, 2022, the Company’s cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments, and restricted cash were $27,584. Management believes that given the Company’s current cash position, operating plans and forecasted negative cash flows from operating activities over the next twelve months, there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date these financial statements are issued. Substantial additional financing will be needed by the Company to fund its operations. Management believes that it will be able to obtain additional funding through equity or debt financings, collaboration agreements, strategic partnerships and licensing arrangements, or other arrangements to fund its current operations and business strategy. However, there can be no assurance that such additional financing will be available and, if available, can be obtained on terms acceptable to the Company. If the Company is unable to raise additional capital, the Company could be forced to delay, reduce the scope of or eliminate its research and development programs or the Company may be required to relinquish rights to assets or preclinical programs that it might otherwise seek to develop independently, any of which could adversely affect its business prospects, or the Company may be unable to continue operations. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared as though the Company will continue as a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. The financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts or the amounts and classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern. Unaudited Interim Financial Information The accompanying interim condensed consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2022, the interim condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, the interim condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive loss for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, the interim condensed consolidated statements of changes in stockholders’ equity for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, and the interim condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021 are unaudited. The interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the annual audited financial statements; and in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, which include only normal recurring adjustments necessary for the fair statement of the Company’s financial position as of March 31, 2022, the results of its operations for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, and the results of its cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021. The financial data and other information disclosed in these notes related to the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021 are unaudited. The results for the three months ended March 31, 2022 are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2022, or any other interim periods, or any future year or period. Use of Estimates The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Management bases its estimates on certain assumptions which it believes are reasonable in the circumstances and while actual results could differ from those estimates, management does not believe that any change in those assumptions in the near term would have a significant effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows. Actual results in future periods could differ from those estimates.