Business	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Business	Business La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company (collectively with its subsidiaries, 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 has several product candidates in development. LJPC-501 is the Company’s proprietary formulation of synthetic human angiotensin II for the potential treatment of catecholamine resistant hypotension. LJPC-401 is the Company’s proprietary formulation of synthetic human hepcidin for the potential treatment of conditions characterized by iron overload, such as hereditary hemochromatosis, beta thalassemia, sickle cell disease and myelodysplastic syndrome. LJPC-30S is the Company’s next-generation gentamicin derivative program that is focused on the potential treatment of serious bacterial infections as well as rare genetic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The Company was incorporated in 1989 as a Delaware corporation and reincorporated in California in 2012. In March 2017, the Company completed a common stock offering and received proceeds of approximately $117.5 million, net of issuance costs (see Note 4). As of March 31, 2017, the Company had $162.4 million in cash and cash equivalents. The Company has incurred significant operating losses and negative cash flows from operations. Based on our current operating plans and projections, management believes that available cash and cash equivalents are sufficient to fund operations for at least one year from the date this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q is filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Business

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company (collectively with its subsidiaries, 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 has several product candidates in development. LJPC-501 is the Company’s proprietary formulation of synthetic human angiotensin II for the potential treatment of catecholamine resistant hypotension. LJPC-401 is the Company’s proprietary formulation of synthetic human hepcidin for the potential treatment of conditions characterized by iron overload, such as hereditary hemochromatosis, beta thalassemia, sickle cell disease and myelodysplastic syndrome. LJPC-30S is the Company’s next-generation gentamicin derivative program that is focused on the potential treatment of serious bacterial infections as well as rare genetic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The Company was incorporated in 1989 as a Delaware corporation and reincorporated in California in 2012.

In March 2017, the Company completed a common stock offering and received proceeds of approximately $117.5 million, net of issuance costs (see Note 4).

As of March 31, 2017, the Company had $162.4 million in cash and cash equivalents. The Company has incurred significant operating losses and negative cash flows from operations. Based on our current operating plans and projections, management believes that available cash and cash equivalents are sufficient to fund operations for at least one year from the date this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q is filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).