Description of business and basis of presentation (Policies)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016
Loss on purchase commitments	*Loss on purchase commitments* — The Company assesses whether losses on long term purchase commitments should be accrued. Losses that are expected to arise from firm, non-cancellable, commitments for the future purchases of inventory items are recognized unless recoverable through firm sales contracts. When making the assessment, the Company considers whether it is able to renegotiate with its vendors and considering the Company’s lower of cost or market analysis.
Business	*Business —* MannKind is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of therapeutic products for diseases such as diabetes. Our only approved product, Afrezza (insulin human) inhalation powder, is a rapid-acting inhaled insulin that was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”) on June 27, 2014 to improve glycemic control in adult patients with diabetes.
Basis of Presentation	*Basis of Presentation* — The Company’s primary activities since incorporation have been establishing its facilities, recruiting personnel, conducting research and development, business development, business and financial planning, raising capital, and commercial manufacturing. In addition, the Company recently commenced commercial sales and marketing activities related to Afrezza. It is costly to develop and conduct clinical studies for therapeutic products, as well as to establish and maintain commercial sales and marketing capabilities. As of June 30, 2016, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $2.9 billion and has reported negative cash flow from operations since inception, other than for the nine months ended September 30, 2014, the year ended December 31, 2014, and for the three months ended March 31, 2015, as a result of receipt of the upfront payment and milestone payments from Sanofi-Aventis U.S. LLC (“Sanofi”). In May 2016, pursuant to a previously filed Form S-3 Registration Statement, which was declared effective by the SEC on April 27, 2016, the Company sold in an underwritten public offering 48,543,692 shares of its common stock, together with warrants to purchase up to 48,543,692 shares of the Company’s common stock. Net proceeds from this offering were approximately $47.4 million after deducting discounts and commissions to the underwriters and paying for offering expenses, excluding any future proceeds from the exercise of the warrants. (see Note 14 — Warrants). At June 30, 2016, the Company’s capital resources consisted of cash and cash equivalents of $63.7 million. The Company expects to continue to incur significant expenditures to support commercial manufacturing and sales and marketing of Afrezza and the development of other product candidates. The facility agreement (the “Facility Agreement”) with Deerfield Private Design Fund II, L.P. (“Deerfield Private Design Fund”) and Deerfield Private Design International II, L.P. (collectively, “Deerfield”) and the First Amendment to Facility Agreement and Registration Rights Agreement (the “First Amendment”) that resulted in additional sales of an additional tranche of notes (see Note 13 — Facility Agreement) requires the Company to maintain at least $25.0 million in cash and cash equivalents or available borrowings under the loan arrangement, dated as of October 2, 2007, between The Company and The Mann Group LLC (as amended, restated, or otherwise modified as of the date hereof, “The Mann Group Loan Arrangement”), as of the last day of each fiscal quarter. The Company will need to continue to incur expenses for the commercialization of Afrezza and will need to raise additional capital to finance such activities. The Company cannot be certain that it will be able to raise additional capital on favorable terms, or at all, which raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. On August 11, 2014, the Company executed a license and collaboration agreement (the “Sanofi License Agreement”) with Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH (which subsequently assigned its rights and obligations under the agreement to Sanofi), pursuant to which Sanofi was responsible for global commercial, regulatory and development activities for Afrezza. The Sanofi License Agreement became effective on September 23, 2014. The Company manufactured Afrezza at its manufacturing facility in Danbury, Connecticut to supply Sanofi’s demand for the product pursuant to a supply agreement dated August 11, 2014 (the “Sanofi Supply Agreement”). The Sanofi License Agreement and Sanofi Supply Agreement terminated, effective April 4, 2016, following which the Company assumed responsibility for the worldwide development and commercialization of Afrezza from Sanofi. Under the terms of the transition agreement, Sanofi continued to fulfill orders for Afrezza in the United States until the Company began distributing MannKind-branded product to major wholesalers during the week of July 25, 2016. The Company expects to commence recognition, likely within the third quarter of 2016, the deferred sales from collaboration, deferred costs from collaboration, and deferred payments from collaboration deferred as of June 30, 2016, as a result of the termination of the transition agreement. Under the Sanofi License Agreement, worldwide profits and losses, which are determined based on the difference between the net sales of Afrezza and the costs and expenses incurred by the Company and Sanofi that are specifically attributable or related to the development, regulatory filings, manufacturing, or commercialization of Afrezza, are shared 65% by Sanofi and 35% by the Company until Sanofi ceases to distribute Afrezza. As a result of this loss share provision, and because the Company does not currently have the ability to estimate the amount of costs that would potentially be incurred related to the Sanofi License Agreement, the amount of up-front cash payment or milestone payments that could be recognized as revenue is not fixed or determinable. In connection with the Sanofi License Agreement, an affiliate of Sanofi provided the Company with a secured loan facility (the “Sanofi Loan Facility”) of up to $175.0 million to fund the Company’s share of net losses under the Sanofi License Agreement. Additional funding sources that are, or in certain circumstances may be, available to the Company, include approximately $30.1 million principal amount of available borrowings under The Mann Group Loan Arrangement. A portion of these available borrowings may be used to capitalize accrued interest into principal, upon mutual agreement of the parties, as it becomes due and payable under The Mann Group Loan Arrangement (see Note 5 — Related-party arrangements). The Company cannot provide assurances that its plans will not change or that changed circumstances will not result in the depletion of its capital resources more rapidly than it currently anticipates. The Company is seeking and will need to raise additional capital, whether through a sale of equity or debt securities, a strategic business collaboration with a pharmaceutical company, the establishment of other funding facilities, licensing arrangements, asset sales or other means, in order to continue the development and commercialization of Afrezza and other product candidates and to support its other ongoing activities. However, the Company cannot provide assurances that such additional capital will be available on acceptable terms or at all. Certain prior year balances in the Statement of Cash Flows have been reclassified to conform to current year presentation. Specifically Interest incurred through borrowing under Sanofi Loan Facility and interest on note payable to principal stockholder have been reclassified from Accrued and other current liabilities and Other liabilities, respectively.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments	*Fair Value of Financial Instruments —* The carrying amounts reported in the accompanying financial statements for cash and cash equivalents, accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate their fair value due to their relatively short maturities. The fair value of the cash equivalents, note payable to related party, senior convertible notes, and the Facility Agreement are discussed in Note 8 – Fair Value of Financial Instruments.
Deferred product costs from collaboration	*Deferred costs from collaboration* — Deferred costs from collaboration represent the costs of product manufactured and sold to Sanofi, as well as certain direct costs associated with a firm purchase commitment entered into in connection with the collaboration with Sanofi. Such costs are deferred to the extent they are deemed recoverable through the recognition of future revenue associated with the collaboration and will be amortized as the associated revenue is recognized.
Warrant	*Warrants* — The Company accounts for its warrants as either equity or liabilities based upon the characteristics and provisions of each instrument and evaluation. Warrants classified as derivative liabilities are recorded on the Company’s balance sheet at their fair value on the date of issuance and are of sufficient authorized shares available to satisfy the obligations are revalued at each subsequent balance sheet date, with fair value changes recognized as increases or deductions to other income (expense) in the statement of operations. The Company estimates the fair value of its derivative liabilities using third party valuation analysis that utilizes option pricing models and assumptions that are based on the individual characteristics of the warrants or instruments on the valuation date, as well as assumptions expected volatility, expected life, yield, and risk-free interest rate. Warrants classified as equity are recorded within additional paid in capital at the issuance date and are not remeasured in subsequent periods, unless the underlying assumptions change to trigger liability accounting.
Recently Issued Accounting Standards	*Recently Issued Accounting Standards —* From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) or other standard setting bodies that are adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09 related to revenue recognition, which requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. The standard requires a company to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration it expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for those goods or services. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date, which delayed the effective date of the new standard from January 1, 2017 to January 1, 2018. The FASB also agreed to allow entities to choose to adopt the standard as of the original effective date. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-08, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Principal versus Agent Considerations, which clarifies the implementation guidance on principal versus agent considerations. In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-10, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing, which clarifies certain aspects of identifying performance obligations and licensing implementation guidance. In May 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-12, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients related to disclosures of remaining performance obligations, as well as other amendments to guidance on collectability, non-cash consideration and the presentation of sales and other similar taxes collected from customers. The Company is assessing the potential impact of the new standards on its consolidated financial statements and has not yet selected a method of adoption. In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-15, which provides guidance on determining when and how reporting entities must disclose going-concern uncertainties in their financial statements. The new standard requires management to perform interim and annual assessments of an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year of the date of issuance of the entity’s financial statements (or within one year after the date on which the financial statements are available to be issued, when applicable). Further, an entity must provide certain disclosures if there is “substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern.” The ASU is effective for annual periods ending after December 15, 2016, and interim periods thereafter; early adoption is permitted. The Company is evaluating the impact the adoption of ASU No. 2014-15 will have on its consolidated financial statements. In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-11, Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory. Topic 330, Inventory, currently requires an entity to measure inventory at the lower of cost or market. Market could be replacement cost, net realizable value, or net realizable value less an approximately normal profit margin. The amendments do not apply to inventory that is measured using last-in, first-out (LIFO) or the retail inventory method. The amendments apply to all other inventory, which includes inventory that is measured using first-in, first-out (FIFO) or average cost. The amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The amendments should be applied prospectively with earlier application permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. The Company is evaluating the impact the adoption of ASU No. 2015-11 will have on its consolidated financial statements. In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments — Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. The update is intended to improve the recognition and measurement of financial instruments. The ASU affects public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations, and employee benefit plans that hold financial assets or owe financial liabilities. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is evaluating the impact the adoption of ASU No. 2016-01 will have on its consolidated financial statements. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The new standard requires that all lessees recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases on the balance sheet and disclose qualitative and quantitative information about its leasing arrangements. The new standard will be effective for us on January 1, 2019. The Company is evaluating the impact the adoption of ASU No. 2016-02 will have on its consolidated financial statements. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. The new standard involves several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities and classification on the statement of cash flows. For public business entities, the amendments in this standard are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company is evaluating the impact the adoption of ASU No. 2016-09 will have on its consolidated financial statements.