The Company and Basis of Presentation	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
The Company and Basis of Presentation
The Company and Basis of Presentation	1. The Company and Basis of Presentation On November 10, 2008, Michigan Life Therapeutics, LLC (MLT) was organized as a limited liability company (LLC) in Michigan. On October 30, 2014, Gemphire Therapeutics Inc. (Gemphire) was incorporated as a C corporation in the state of Delaware. On November 1, 2014, MLT entered into a merger agreement with Gemphire whereby MLT was merged with and into Gemphire with Gemphire as the surviving entity; all outstanding membership interests of MLT were exchanged for shares of Gemphire’s common stock. The purpose of the merger was to change the jurisdiction of MLT from Michigan to Delaware and to convert from an LLC to a corporation. All financial results presented prior to November 1, 2014 are from the operations of MLT. MLT and Gemphire are collectively referred to as the “Company” in the accompanying notes to the financial statements. The Company’s headquarters are located in Livonia, Michigan. The Company is a clinical‑stage biopharmaceutical entity focused on developing and commercializing therapies for the treatment of dyslipidemia, a serious medical condition that increases the risk of life threatening cardiovascular disease and NAFLD/NASH (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease). The Company’s primary activities have been conducting research and development activities, planning clinical trials, performing business and financial planning, recruiting personnel and raising capital. The Company is subject to certain risks, which include the need to research, develop, and clinically test potentially therapeutic products, initially one product candidate gemcabene (also known as CI‑1027); obtain regulatory approval for its products and commercialize them around the world; expand its management scientific staff; finance its operations; and, find collaboration partners to further advance development and commercial efforts. Initial Public Offering and Capital Requirements On August 4, 2016, the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No 333-210815) relating to its IPO of its common stock was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Pursuant to such Registration Statement, on August 10, 2016, the Company closed its IPO whereby 3,000,000 shares of its common stock were issued and sold at a public offering price of $10.00 per share. On September 8, 2016, the Company closed the sale of 27,755 shares of its common stock at the public offering price of $10.00 per share, representing a partial exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option, following which, the IPO terminated. The Company received net proceeds of approximately $26.1 million after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions of $2.1 million and other offering expenses of $2.1 million. Immediately prior to the IPO, the Company amended and restated its certificate of incorporation and bylaws to, among other things, change its authorized capital stock to consist of (i) 100,000,000 shares of common stock and (ii) 10,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock. Both the common stock and the preferred stock have a par value of $0.001 per share. The Company has sustained operating losses since inception and expects such losses to continue over the next several years. Management plans to continue financing the operations with equity issuances. The Company’s management believes the cash and cash equivalents on hand are adequate to fund the Company’s operations for at least the next 12 months. If adequate funds are not available, the Company may be required to delay, reduce the scope of, or eliminate part or all of its research and development programs. Basis of Presentation Certain prior period balances have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. Specifically, the Company reclassified all current deferred tax liabilities as long term in the amount of $10,000 on its December 31, 2015 balance sheet in conformity with the adoption of Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2015‑17, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes (ASU 2015‑17). Reverse Stock Split In April 2016, the board of directors approved an amendment to the Company’s certificate of incorporation to effect a 1-for-3.119 reverse stock split (the Reverse Stock Split) for all common and Series A preferred stock. The Reverse Stock Split became effective on April 27, 2016 upon the filing of the amendment to the certificate of incorporation. The authorized shares and par value of the common stock and Series A preferred stock were not adjusted as a result of the Reverse Stock Split. All issued and outstanding common and Series A preferred stock, options for common stock and per share amounts contained in the financial statements were retroactively adjusted to reflect the Reverse Stock Split for all periods presented.

1. The Company and Basis of Presentation

On November 10, 2008, Michigan Life Therapeutics, LLC (MLT) was organized as a limited liability company (LLC) in Michigan. On October 30, 2014, Gemphire Therapeutics Inc. (Gemphire) was incorporated as a C corporation in the state of Delaware. On November 1, 2014, MLT entered into a merger agreement with Gemphire whereby MLT was merged with and into Gemphire with Gemphire as the surviving entity; all outstanding membership interests of MLT were exchanged for shares of Gemphire’s common stock. The purpose of the merger was to change the jurisdiction of MLT from Michigan to Delaware and to convert from an LLC to a corporation. All financial results presented prior to November 1, 2014 are from the operations of MLT. MLT and Gemphire are collectively referred to as the “Company” in the accompanying notes to the financial statements. The Company’s headquarters are located in Livonia, Michigan.

The Company is a clinical‑stage biopharmaceutical entity focused on developing and commercializing therapies for the treatment of dyslipidemia, a serious medical condition that increases the risk of life threatening cardiovascular disease and NAFLD/NASH (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease). The Company’s primary activities have been conducting research and development activities, planning clinical trials, performing business and financial planning, recruiting personnel and raising capital. The Company is subject to certain risks, which include the need to research, develop, and clinically test potentially therapeutic products, initially one product candidate gemcabene (also known as CI‑1027); obtain regulatory approval for its products and commercialize them around the world; expand its management scientific staff; finance its operations; and, find collaboration partners to further advance development and commercial efforts.

Initial Public Offering and Capital Requirements

On August 4, 2016, the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No 333-210815) relating to its IPO of its common stock was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Pursuant to such Registration Statement, on August 10, 2016, the Company closed its IPO whereby 3,000,000 shares of its common stock were issued and sold at a public offering price of $10.00 per share. On September 8, 2016, the Company closed the sale of 27,755 shares of its common stock at the public offering price of $10.00 per share, representing a partial exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option, following which, the IPO terminated. The Company received net proceeds of approximately $26.1 million after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions of $2.1 million and other offering expenses of $2.1 million.

Immediately prior to the IPO, the Company amended and restated its certificate of incorporation and bylaws to, among other things, change its authorized capital stock to consist of (i) 100,000,000 shares of common stock and (ii) 10,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock. Both the common stock and the preferred stock have a par value of $0.001 per share.

The Company has sustained operating losses since inception and expects such losses to continue over the next several years. Management plans to continue financing the operations with equity issuances. The Company’s management believes the cash and cash equivalents on hand are adequate to fund the Company’s operations for at least the next 12 months. If adequate funds are not available, the Company may be required to delay, reduce the scope of, or eliminate part or all of its research and development programs.

Basis of Presentation

Certain prior period balances have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. Specifically, the Company reclassified all current deferred tax liabilities as long term in the amount of $10,000 on its December 31, 2015 balance sheet in conformity with the adoption of Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2015‑17, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes (ASU 2015‑17).

Reverse Stock Split

In April 2016, the board of directors approved an amendment to the Company’s certificate of incorporation to effect a 1-for-3.119 reverse stock split (the Reverse Stock Split) for all common and Series A preferred stock. The Reverse Stock Split became effective on April 27, 2016 upon the filing of the amendment to the certificate of incorporation. The authorized shares and par value of the common stock and Series A preferred stock were not adjusted as a result of the Reverse Stock Split. All issued and outstanding common and Series A preferred stock, options for common stock and per share amounts contained in the financial statements were retroactively adjusted to reflect the Reverse Stock Split for all periods presented.