Long-term debt	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Long-term debt
Long-term debt	9 Long-term debt On June 14, 2013, the Company entered into a venture debt loan facility with Hercules ("Original Facility"). This $10.0 million facility agreement was amended and restated on June 26, 2014 ("2014 Amended Facility"). The Original Facility provided for an interest-only period of 15 months following the completion of the Chiesi cooperation. The 2014 Amended Facility increased the principal amount by $10.0 million to $20.0 million, the net cash inflow was $9.8 million. The total loan commitment under the 2014 Amended Facility as of December 31, 2015, was $20.0 million with an interest rate of the greater of 1) 10.25% or 2) 10.25% plus the prime rate less 5.25%, maturing over a period of 48 months, and repayments commencing after an interest-only period of 18 months. Included were two back-end fees of $0.3 million and $0.2 million due October 2016 and June 2018, respectively. The Company was initially required to repay the loan in monthly principal installments from January 2016 through June 2018. In December 2015, the interest-only period was extended to April 2016 causing an increase in the final installment due in 2018. On May 6, 2016, the Company executed a second amended and restated loan agreement ("2016 Amended Facility") with Hercules. The 2016 Amended Facility includes a total commitment from Hercules of up to $40.0 million, of which $20.0 million is outstanding as of December 31, 2016, and extends the maturity date from June 30, 2018 to May 1, 2020. The Company did not draw down any additional loan amounts. The interest rate is adjustable and is the greater of 1) 8.25% or 2) 8.25% plus the prime rate less 5.25%. Under the 2016 Amended Facility, the interest rate will initially be 8.25% per annum with a back-end fee of 4.85% and facility fee of 0.75% of the outstanding loan amounts. The interest-only payment period under the 2016 Amended Facility is extended and set at 18 months from May 6, 2016, but can be extended to 24 months upon the Company raising a cumulative $30.0 million in up-front corporate payments and/or proceeds from equity financings (the "Raisings") and to 30 months upon the Company raising a cumulative $50.0 million from Raisings. The amortized cost of the 2016 Amended Loan as of December 31, 2016, was $20.2 million (December 31, 2015: $20.2 million) and is recorded net of discount and debt issuance costs. The foreign currency loss on the loan was $0.9 million in 2016 (December 31, 2015: loss of $2.2 million; December 31, 2014: loss of $2.4 million). The fair value of the loan approximates its carrying amount, given the impact of discounting is insignificant as the loan is already amortized at a market conforming interest rate. During 2016, an amount of $2.2 million, compared with $2.5 million and $2.0 million for 2015 and 2014 respectively, was recorded as interest expense in relation to the Original, the 2014 Amended and the 2016 Amended Facility. The 2016 Amended Facility contains covenants that restrict the Company's ability to, amongst other things, incur future indebtedness and obtain additional financing, to make investments in securities or in other companies, to transfer assets, to perform certain corporate changes, to make loans to employees, officers and directors, and to make dividend payments and other distributions. The Company secured the facilities by pledging the shares in its subsidiaries, substantially all its receivables, moveable assets as well as the equipment, fixtures, inventory and cash of uniQure Inc. Further, the Company has periodic reporting requirements and is required to keep a minimum cash balance deposited in bank accounts in the United States, equivalent to the lesser of the outstanding balance of principal due and 50% of worldwide cash reserves. This restriction on the cash reserves only relates to the location of the cash reserves, but all cash reserves are at free disposal of the Company. The 2016 Amended Facility contains provisions that include the occurrence of a material adverse effect, as defined therein, which would entitle Hercules to declare all principal, interest and other amounts owed by the Company immediately due and payable. As of December 31, 2016, the Company was in compliance with all covenants and provisions. The aggregate maturities of the loan, including $4.8 million of coupon interest payments and financing fees, for each of the four years subsequent to December 31, 2016, are: $2.2 million in 2017, $9.1 million in 2018, $8.9 million in 2019, and $4.7 million in 2020.

9 Long-term debt

On June 14, 2013, the Company entered into a venture debt loan facility with Hercules ("Original Facility"). This $10.0 million facility agreement was amended and restated on June 26, 2014 ("2014 Amended Facility"). The Original Facility provided for an interest-only period of 15 months following the completion of the Chiesi cooperation. The 2014 Amended Facility increased the principal amount by $10.0 million to $20.0 million, the net cash inflow was $9.8 million.

The total loan commitment under the 2014 Amended Facility as of December 31, 2015, was $20.0 million with an interest rate of the greater of 1) 10.25% or 2) 10.25% plus the prime rate less 5.25%, maturing over a period of 48 months, and repayments commencing after an interest-only period of 18 months. Included were two back-end fees of $0.3 million and $0.2 million due October 2016 and June 2018, respectively. The Company was initially required to repay the loan in monthly principal installments from January 2016 through June 2018. In December 2015, the interest-only period was extended to April 2016 causing an increase in the final installment due in 2018.

On May 6, 2016, the Company executed a second amended and restated loan agreement ("2016 Amended Facility") with Hercules. The 2016 Amended Facility includes a total commitment from Hercules of up to $40.0 million, of which $20.0 million is outstanding as of December 31, 2016, and extends the maturity date from June 30, 2018 to May 1, 2020. The Company did not draw down any additional loan amounts. The interest rate is adjustable and is the greater of 1) 8.25% or 2) 8.25% plus the prime rate less 5.25%. Under the 2016 Amended Facility, the interest rate will initially be 8.25% per annum with a back-end fee of 4.85% and facility fee of 0.75% of the outstanding loan amounts. The interest-only payment period under the 2016 Amended Facility is extended and set at 18 months from May 6, 2016, but can be extended to 24 months upon the Company raising a cumulative $30.0 million in up-front corporate payments and/or proceeds from equity financings (the "Raisings") and to 30 months upon the Company raising a cumulative $50.0 million from Raisings.

The amortized cost of the 2016 Amended Loan as of December 31, 2016, was $20.2 million (December 31, 2015: $20.2 million) and is recorded net of discount and debt issuance costs. The foreign currency loss on the loan was $0.9 million in 2016 (December 31, 2015: loss of $2.2 million; December 31, 2014: loss of $2.4 million). The fair value of the loan approximates its carrying amount, given the impact of discounting is insignificant as the loan is already amortized at a market conforming interest rate.

During 2016, an amount of $2.2 million, compared with $2.5 million and $2.0 million for 2015 and 2014 respectively, was recorded as interest expense in relation to the Original, the 2014 Amended and the 2016 Amended Facility.

The 2016 Amended Facility contains covenants that restrict the Company's ability to, amongst other things, incur future indebtedness and obtain additional financing, to make investments in securities or in other companies, to transfer assets, to perform certain corporate changes, to make loans to employees, officers and directors, and to make dividend payments and other distributions. The Company secured the facilities by pledging the shares in its subsidiaries, substantially all its receivables, moveable assets as well as the equipment, fixtures, inventory and cash of uniQure Inc. Further, the Company has periodic reporting requirements and is required to keep a minimum cash balance deposited in bank accounts in the United States, equivalent to the lesser of the outstanding balance of principal due and 50% of worldwide cash reserves. This restriction on the cash reserves only relates to the location of the cash reserves, but all cash reserves are at free disposal of the Company.

The 2016 Amended Facility contains provisions that include the occurrence of a material adverse effect, as defined therein, which would entitle Hercules to declare all principal, interest and other amounts owed by the Company immediately due and payable. As of December 31, 2016, the Company was in compliance with all covenants and provisions.

The aggregate maturities of the loan, including $4.8 million of coupon interest payments and financing fees, for each of the four years subsequent to December 31, 2016, are: $2.2 million in 2017, $9.1 million in 2018, $8.9 million in 2019, and $4.7 million in 2020.