Molecular Templates, Inc. Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Stockholders' Equity - Additional Information (Detail)

Stockholders' Equity - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)				1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Feb. 27, 2018	Aug. 01, 2017	Jun. 23, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018
Class Of Warrant Or Right [Line Items]
Warrants to purchase shares of common stock				3,331,735	3,521,735
Term Loan Facility \| Perceptive Credit Facility
Class Of Warrant Or Right [Line Items]
Warrant exercisable period	7 years
Common stock exercise price	$ 9.5792
Number of shares to be issued upon exercise of warrant	190,000
2017 Warrants
Class Of Warrant Or Right [Line Items]
Warrants to purchase shares of common stock				377,273	377,273
Common stock exercise price					$ 39.82
Common Stock
Class Of Warrant Or Right [Line Items]
Warrants to purchase shares of common stock					3,521,735
Common Stock \| Term Loan Facility \| Perceptive Credit Facility
Class Of Warrant Or Right [Line Items]
Warrant exercisable period	7 years
Common stock exercise price	$ 9.58
Valuation of equity classified warrants recorded in additional paid-n capital	$ 1,500,000
Expected dividend rate	0.00%
Expected volatility	105.00%
Risk free interest rate	2.83%
Expected term	7 years
Number of shares to be issued upon exercise of warrant	190,000
Common Stock \| 2017 Warrants
Class Of Warrant Or Right [Line Items]
Warrants to purchase shares of common stock		377,273
Common stock exercise price		$ 39.82
Change in fair value of common stock warrants					$ 912,000
Takeda Pharmaceuticals Inc
Class Of Warrant Or Right [Line Items]
Aggregate Purchase Price			$ 20,000,000
Each unit of shares transaction of common stock			2,922,993
Purchase price per share			$ 6.84
Wedbush Warrant Valuation
Class Of Warrant Or Right [Line Items]
Warrants to purchase shares of common stock				57,930
Common stock exercise price				$ 6.84
Valuation of equity classified warrants recorded in additional paid-n capital				$ 400,000
Expected dividend rate				0.00%
Expected volatility				108.00%
Risk free interest rate				2.33%
Expected term				7 years
Private Placement
Class Of Warrant Or Right [Line Items]
Warrants to purchase shares of common stock				2,954,462	2,954,462
Common stock exercise price					$ 6.84
Private Placement \| Common Stock
Class Of Warrant Or Right [Line Items]
Warrants to purchase shares of common stock		2,896,532
Common stock exercise price		$ 6.84
Valuation of equity classified warrants recorded in additional paid-n capital		$ 16,300,000
Expected dividend rate		0.00%
Expected volatility		147.00%
Risk free interest rate		2.07%
Expected term		7 years
Private Placement \| Longitude Venture Partners III, L..P.
Class Of Warrant Or Right [Line Items]
Number of aggregate units sold		5,793,063
Aggregate Purchase Price		$ 40,000,000
Each unit of shares transaction of common stock		1
Warrants to purchase shares of common stock		0.5			2,896,532
Sale of units, description and its composition					the Company sold an aggregate of 5,793,063 units (the “Units”) accredited investors having an aggregate purchase price of $40.0 million, each such Unit consisting of (i) one (1) share (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock and (ii) a warrant (the “Private Placement Warrants”) to purchase 0.5 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Private Placement”).
Purchase price per unit		$ 6.9048
Warrant exercisable period		7 years
Common stock exercise price		$ 6.8423
Private Placement \| Wedbush Agreement \| Common Stock
Class Of Warrant Or Right [Line Items]
Warrants to purchase shares of common stock				57,930	57,930
Warrant exercisable period				7 years
Common stock exercise price				$ 6.8423