Business	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Business	Business La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company (the "Company") is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapies intended to significantly improve outcomes in patients suffering from life-threatening diseases. The Company was incorporated in 1989 as a Delaware corporation. On June 7, 2012, the Company reincorporated in the State of California. The Company has a history of incurring significant operating losses and negative cash flows from operations. Since January 2012, when the Company was effectively restarted with new assets and a new management team, through March 31, 2015, the Company's cash used in operating activities was $25.2 million. In July 2014, the Company completed a common stock offering and received approximately $53.1 million, net of issuance costs (see Note 3). As of March 31, 2015, the Company had available cash and cash equivalents of $42.7 million. Management believes that the available cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to fund operations through 2016; provided, however, that if the Company pursues additional clinical trials other than those planned for the Company's current product candidates, or if the Company adds additional product candidates prior to the end of 2016, the Company will need to raise additional capital. Effective January 14, 2014, the Company effected a 1-for-50 reverse split (the "2014 Reverse Stock Split") of its outstanding common stock (See Note 3). All common stock share and per share information in the accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements have been restated to reflect retrospective application of the 2014 Reverse Stock Split for all periods presented, except for par value per share and the number of authorized share amounts, which were not affected. All stock options and the shares of common stock underlying outstanding convertible preferred stock were appropriately adjusted to give effect to the 2014 Reverse Stock Split.

Business

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company (the "Company") is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapies intended to significantly improve outcomes in patients suffering from life-threatening diseases. The Company was incorporated in 1989 as a Delaware corporation. On June 7, 2012, the Company reincorporated in the State of California.

The Company has a history of incurring significant operating losses and negative cash flows from operations. Since January 2012, when the Company was effectively restarted with new assets and a new management team, through March 31, 2015, the Company's cash used in operating activities was $25.2 million. In July 2014, the Company completed a common stock offering and received approximately $53.1 million, net of issuance costs (see Note 3). As of March 31, 2015, the Company had available cash and cash equivalents of $42.7 million. Management believes that the available cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to fund operations through 2016; provided, however, that if the Company pursues additional clinical trials other than those planned for the Company's current product candidates, or if the Company adds additional product candidates prior to the end of 2016, the Company will need to raise additional capital.

Effective January 14, 2014, the Company effected a 1-for-50 reverse split (the "2014 Reverse Stock Split") of its outstanding common stock (See Note 3). All common stock share and per share information in the accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements have been restated to reflect retrospective application of the 2014 Reverse Stock Split for all periods presented, except for par value per share and the number of authorized share amounts, which were not affected. All stock options and the shares of common stock underlying outstanding convertible preferred stock were appropriately adjusted to give effect to the 2014 Reverse Stock Split.