Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Fair Value Measurements - Narrative (Details)

Fair Value Measurements - Narrative (Details)		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
Fair Value Measurements - Narrative (Details)	Nov. 17, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) $ / shares	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) $ / shares class_of_stock milestone	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 27, 2018 shares	Feb. 16, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 shares	Dec. 31, 2014 shares
Level 3 Valuation
Warrants outstanding term							5 years 6 months
Number of shares available under warrant (in shares) \| shares							4,000,000
Number of changes in valuation techniques \| class_of_stock				0
Change in fair value		$ 197,219	$ (84,844)	$ 1,009,168	$ (360,850)
Amount of transfers of assets from level 2 to level 1		0	0	0	0
Amount of transfers of assets from level 1 to level 2		0	$ 0	0	0
Common Stock Warrant
Level 3 Valuation
Number of shares available under warrant (in shares) \| shares									40,000
Level 2
Level 3 Valuation
Long-term debt fair value		$ 15,000,000		15,000,000
Level 3
Level 3 Valuation
Change in fair value				$ 1,277,150	(383,178)
Warrant liability \| Level 3
Level 3 Valuation
Warrants outstanding term		1 year 18 days		1 year 18 days
Equity Unit Purchase Option \| Level 3
Level 3 Valuation
Warrants outstanding term		1 year 18 days		1 year 18 days
Change in fair value					(16,183)
Contingent consideration \| Level 3
Level 3 Valuation
Change in fair value				$ 1,277,150	$ (360,850)
Volatility \| Warrant liability \| Level 3
Level 3 Valuation
Warrants measurement input		0.50		0.50
Volatility \| Equity Unit Purchase Option \| Level 3 \| Minimum
Level 3 Valuation
Warrants measurement input		0.50		0.50
Risk Free Interest Rate \| Warrant liability \| Level 3
Level 3 Valuation
Warrants measurement input		0.0174		0.0174
Risk Free Interest Rate \| Equity Unit Purchase Option \| Level 3 \| Minimum
Level 3 Valuation
Warrants measurement input		0.0174		0.0174
Strike Price (in dollars per share) \| Warrant liability \| Level 3
Level 3 Valuation
Warrants measurement input \| $ / shares		(8.40)		(8.40)
Strike Price (in dollars per share) \| Equity Unit Purchase Option \| Level 3
Level 3 Valuation
Warrants measurement input \| $ / shares		(7.47)		(7.47)
Share Price (in dollars per share) \| Warrant liability \| Level 3
Level 3 Valuation
Warrants measurement input \| $ / shares		(3.29)		(3.29)
Share Price (in dollars per share) \| Equity Unit Purchase Option \| Level 3
Level 3 Valuation
Warrants measurement input \| $ / shares		(3.29)		(3.29)
Preferred Stock \| Series B Preferred Stock
Level 3 Valuation
Number of shares available under warrant (in shares) \| shares										625,208
Common stock
Level 3 Valuation
Number of shares available under warrant (in shares) \| shares										22,328
Avadel
Level 3 Valuation
Product royalty, net				15.00%
Royalty obligation		$ 12,500,000		$ 12,500,000
Royalty obligation fair value disclosure		$ 7,500,000		$ 7,500,000
Contingent payments								$ 7,900,000
Avadel \| Discount Rate
Level 3 Valuation
Royalty obligation measurement input		0.0786		0.0786
Avadel \| Risk Free Interest Rate
Level 3 Valuation
Royalty obligation measurement input		0.0160		0.0160
Avadel \| Counterparty Credit Risk
Level 3 Valuation
Royalty obligation measurement input		0.0626		0.0626
TRx
Level 3 Valuation
Potential milestone payment	$ 3,000,000
Contingent payments		$ 0		$ 0		$ 0
Number of contingent consideration milestones \| milestone				2
Ulesfia Supply Agreement \| Level 3
Level 3 Valuation
Change in fair value				$ 1,300,000
Milestone One \| TRx
Level 3 Valuation
Business combination gross profit						$ 12,600,000
Milestone Two \| TRx
Level 3 Valuation
Contingent payments	2,000,000
Milestone Three \| TRx
Level 3 Valuation
Contingent payments	$ 2,000,000