Sophiris Bio (SPHS) 10-K 10 Mar 15 2014 FY Annual report Financial data

Document_And_Entity_Informatio

Document And Entity Information (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 01, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Document and Entity Information [Abstract]
Entity Registrant Name	SOPHIRIS BIO INC.
Document Type	10-K
Current Fiscal Year End Date	-19
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		16,844,736
Entity Public Float			$37,700,000
Amendment Flag	FALSE
Entity Central Index Key	1563855
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Filer Category	Smaller Reporting Company
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	No
Document Period End Date	31-Dec-14
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2014
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY

Consolidated_Balance_Sheets

Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$4,123,000	$14,839,000
Securities available-for-sale	18,572,000	33,310,000
Other receivables	16,000	48,000
Prepaid expenses	2,825,000	3,598,000
Total current assets	25,536,000	51,795,000
Property and equipment, net	36,000	78,000
Other long-term assets	19,000	19,000
Total assets	25,591,000	51,892,000
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	2,633,000	1,470,000
Accrued expenses	2,307,000	2,181,000
Current portion of promissory notes	598,000	6,877,000
Total current liabilities	5,538,000	10,528,000
Long-term promissory notes, less current portion	5,343,000
Warrant liability	0	883,000
Stock-based compensation liability	22,000	202,000
Total liabilities	10,903,000	11,613,000
Common shares, unlimited authorized shares, no par value; 16,844,736 and 16,149,871 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively	113,095,000	111,204,000
Contributed surplus	17,053,000	13,824,000
Accumulated other comprehensive gain	99,000	98,000
Accumulated deficit	-115,559,000	-84,847,000
Total shareholders’ equity	14,688,000	40,279,000
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	$25,591,000	$51,892,000

Consolidated_Balance_Sheets_Pa

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parentheticals) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Common shares, authorized shares
Common shares, shares issued	16,844,736	16,149,871
Common shares, shares outstanding	16,844,736	16,149,871
Common shares, par value (in Dollars per share)	$0	$0

Consolidated_Statements_of_Ope

Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Revenues:
License revenue		$5,000
Operating expenses:
Research and development	24,708	10,279	13,523
General and administrative	5,332	4,511	5,685
Total operating expenses	30,040	14,790	19,208
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	-726	-1,308	-1,988
Interest income	51		108
Gain on revaluation of warrant liability	49	689
Other expense, net	-46	-240	-106
Total other expense	-672	-859	-1,986
Net loss before income taxes	-30,712	-10,649	-21,194
Income tax expense		-500
Net loss	-30,712	-11,149	-21,194
Basic and diluted loss per share (in Dollars per share)	($1.85)	($1.39)	($6.94)
Weighted average number of outstanding shares – basic and diluted (in Shares)	16,586	8,029	3,054
Other comprehensive income
Foreign currency translation adjustment		145	131
Unrealized gain (loss) on securities available-for-sale	1	-1
Total comprehensive loss	($30,711)	($11,005)	($21,063)

Consolidated_Statements_of_Sha

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit) (USD $)	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Warrant [Member]	Right to Invest [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Total
In Thousands, except Share data
Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	$45,727	$5,632	$4,177	$4,142	($52,504)	($177)	$6,997
Balance, Shares (in Shares) at Dec. 31, 2011	2,749,228
Issuance of common shares and common share purchase warrants, net of issuance costs of $66	8,488		1,868	-2,071			8,285
Issuance of common shares and common share purchase warrants, net of issuance costs of $66 (in Shares)	400,643
Expiration of right to invest		2,071		-2,071
Stock-based compensation expense		676					676
Net loss					-21,194		-21,194
Other comprehensive income (loss)						131	131
Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	54,215	8,379	6,045		-73,698	-46	-5,105
Balance, Shares (in Shares) at Dec. 31, 2012	3,149,871
Issuance of common shares	56,989						56,989
Issuance of common shares (in Shares)	13,000,000
Reclassification of initial fair value of warrants denominated in Canadian dollars to liability			-1,572				-1,572
Reclassification of historic fair value of warrants		4,473	-4,473
Reclassification of fair value of options denominated in Canadian dollars to liability		-163					-163
Change in the fair value of stock-based compensation liability recorded to contributed surplus		-39					-39
Stock-based compensation expense		1,174					1,174
Net loss					-11,149		-11,149
Other comprehensive income (loss)						144	144
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	111,204	13,824			-84,847	98	40,279
Balance, Shares (in Shares) at Dec. 31, 2013	16,149,871
Issuance of common shares	1,891						1,891
Issuance of common shares (in Shares)	694,865
Reclassification of historic fair value of warrants		834					834
Change in the fair value of stock-based compensation liability recorded to contributed surplus		180					180
Issuance of warrants with secured promissory note		124					124
Stock-based compensation expense		2,091					2,091
Net loss					-30,712		-30,712
Other comprehensive income (loss)						1	1
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$113,095	$17,053			($115,559)	$99	$14,688
Balance, Shares (in Shares) at Dec. 31, 2014	16,844,736

Consolidated_Statements_of_Sha1

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit) (Parentheticals) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Issuance costs	$109	$8,011	$66

Consolidated_Statements_of_Cas

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Cash flows used in operating activities
Net loss for the period	($30,712,000)	($11,149,000)	($21,194,000)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used by operating activities:
Stock-based compensation	2,091,000	1,174,000	676,000
Amortization of debt discount	188,000	380,000	509,000
Depreciation of property and equipment	47,000	84,000	82,000
Amortization of intangible assets			149,000
Amortization of promissory note issuance costs	38,000	108,000	155,000
Amortization of discount on available-for-sale securities	39,000	9,000
Impairment loss			176,000
Change in fair value warrant liability	-49,000	-689,000
Foreign exchange transaction (gain) loss	1,000	229,000	-148,000
Other	3,000	2,000	1,000
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Other receivables	33,000	23,000	172,000
Prepaid expenses	734,000	-3,112,000	-162,000
Other long-term assets		25,000	-15,000
Accounts payable	1,171,000	-305,000	-1,006,000
Accrued expenses	186,000	15,000	1,769,000
Net cash used in operating activities	-26,230,000	-13,206,000	-18,836,000
Cash flows provided by (used) in investing activities
Purchases of property and equipment	-9,000	-3,000	-26,000
Proceeds from the disposal of property and equipment		1,000
Maturity of securities available-for-sale	43,201,000
Purchases of securities available-for-sale	-28,501,000	-33,320,000
Net cash provided by (used) in investing activities	14,691,000	-33,322,000	-26,000
Cash flows provided by financing activities
Issuance of common shares from private placement, net of issuance cost	1,891,000		8,285,000
Issuance of common shares from public offering, net of issuance cost		57,253,000	-211,000
Payment of issuance costs in connection with public offering	-53,000
Cash received from the issuance of promissory notes	2,362,000
Principal payments on notes payable	-3,361,000	-5,524,000	-3,190,000
Net cash provided by financing activities	839,000	51,729,000	4,884,000
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	-16,000	-83,000	289,000
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	-10,716,000	5,118,000	-13,689,000
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	14,839,000	9,721,000	23,410,000
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	4,123,000	14,839,000	9,721,000
Cash paid for interest	495,000	884,000	1,350,000
Cash paid for taxes		500,000
Supplemental disclosures of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Valuation of common share warrant liability upon issuance of warrants		1,572,000
Reclassification of fair value of warrant liability to equity as a result of the amendment of the underlying common share purchase warrants	834,000
Value of warrants issued in connection with promissory notes	124,000
Valuation of stock-based compensation liability for stock options denominated in Canadian dollars		163,000
Change in the fair value of stock-based compensation liability recorded to capital surplus	180,000	-39,000
Unrealized (gain) loss on securities available-for sale	-1,000	1,000
Deferred financing cost incurred but not yet paid		53,000	725,000
Denominated in Canadian Dollars [Member]
Supplemental disclosures of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Valuation of stock-based compensation liability for stock options denominated in Canadian dollars		($163,000)

Note_1_Nature_of_the_Business

Note 1 - Nature of the Business	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Disclosure Text Block [Abstract]
Nature of Operations [Text Block]	1	Nature of the business
	Company
	Sophiris Bio Inc., or the Company, or Sophiris, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company currently developing PRX302 for treatment of the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, commonly referred to as an enlarged prostate and for the treatment of localized low to intermediate risk prostate cancer. The Company is governed by the British Columbia Business Corporations Act. The Company’s operations were initially located in Vancouver, British Columbia until April 2011, when its core activities and headquarters relocated from Vancouver, British Columbia to San Diego, California.
	The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Sophiris Bio Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Sophiris Bio Corp. and Sophiris Bio Holding Corp., both of which are incorporated in the State of Delaware.
	Liquidity
	The consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, which contemplates the realization of assets and the settlement of liabilities in the normal course of business. The Company has incurred significant operating losses since inception and has relied on its ability to fund its operations through private and public equity financings and a debt financing. For the year ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 the Company incurred a net loss of $30.7 million and $11.1 million, respectively, and used $26.2 million and $13.2 million of cash in operations, respectively. At December 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company had $22.7 million and $48.1 million, respectively, in cash, cash equivalents and securities available-for-sale. Any clinical development efforts beyond the Company’s ongoing Phase 3 clinical trial in BPH and its planned Phase 2 clinical trial in localized low to intermediate risk prostate cancer will require additional funding. The Company has historically financed its operations through public or private equity offerings, debt financings or strategic partnerships and alliances and licensing arrangements, as well as through interest income earned on cash balances. Subject to limited exceptions, the Company’s Oxford Finance LLC, or Oxford, Loan and Security Agreement prohibits the Company from incurring indebtedness without the prior written consent of Oxford. If the Company is unable to raise additional capital to fund its development program efforts beyond its ongoing Phase 3 clinical trial in BPH and its planned Phase 2 clinical trial in localized low to intermediate risk prostate cancer in sufficient amounts or on terms acceptable to it, the Company may have to significantly delay, scale back or discontinue the development or commercialization of PRX302.
	Share Consolidation
	On August 9, 2013, the Company’s board of directors approved a 52-for-1 share consolidation of the Company’s issued and outstanding common shares. Accordingly, all share and per share amounts for all periods presented in these financial statements and notes thereto have been adjusted retroactively to reflect the share consolidation. The Company’s stock option plan and outstanding warrants provide for a pro-rata adjustment to the number of shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options and warrants in the event of a share consolidation. The effects of the share consolidation have been given retroactive effect to the related disclosures of outstanding stock options and warrants.

Note_2_Recently_Adopted_Accoun

Note 2 - Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]
New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Text Block]	2	Recently adopted accounting pronouncements
	On June 10, 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, issued Accounting Standards Update, or ASU, No. 2014-10, “Development Stage Entities (Topic 915) – Elimination of Certain Financial Reporting Requirements, Including an Amendment to Variable Interest Entities Guidance in Topic 810, Consolidation,” which eliminates the concept of a development stage entity in its entirety from current accounting guidance and provides for certain amendments to the consolidation guidance in Topic 810 in the Accounting Standards Codification, or ASC. Prior to the issuance of this guidance the Company was considered a development stage entity and as a result the Company included certain inception-to-date disclosures in its financial statements. The guidance related to the elimination of the concept of a development stage entity is effective for public companies for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2014, and interim periods therein. The amendment of the consolidation guidance in Topic 810 is effective for public companies for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption of the new standard was permitted. ASU No. 2014-10 was adopted by the Company during the year ended December 31, 2014. As such all inception-to-date disclosures have been removed from these consolidated financial statements.

Note_3_Summary_of_Significant_

Note 3 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]	3	Summary of significant accounting policies
	Significant accounting policies followed by the Company in the preparation of its consolidated financial statements are as follows:
	Basis of consolidation
	The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, Sophiris Bio Corp. and Sophiris Bio Holding Corp. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated for purposes of consolidation.
	Basis of presentation and use of estimates
	The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States or GAAP.
	GAAP requires the Company’s management to make estimates and judgments that may affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue, expenses and related disclosures. The Company bases estimates and judgments on historical experience and on various other factors that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. The significant estimates in these consolidated financial statements include revenue recognition, stock-based compensation expense, warrant liability, functional currency and accrued research and development expenses, including accruals related to the Company’s ongoing clinical trial. The Company’s actual results may differ from these estimates. The Company evaluates its estimates on an ongoing basis. Changes in estimates are reflected in reported results in the period in which they become known by the Company’s management.
	Foreign currency
	Functional currency
	Historically, the functional currency of Sophiris Bio Inc. had been the Canadian dollar. Subsequent to the completion of the Company’s initial public offering, or IPO, on the NASDAQ Global Market the Company reviewed the underlying indicators of the primary economic environment in which Sophiris Bio Inc. operates. Based upon this review, the Company determined that the functional currency of Sophiris Bio Inc. changed from the Canadian dollar to the U.S. dollar effective August 16, 2013, the date of the Company’s U.S. IPO.
	Transactions and balances
	Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are recognized as a component of other expense, net. The Company recorded foreign exchange transaction losses of $43,000, $269,000 and $105,000 for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012, respectively.
	Cash and cash equivalents
	Cash equivalents are short-term, highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase.
	Securities Available-for-Sale
	Investments with an original maturity of more than three months when purchased have been classified by management as securities available-for-sale. Such investments are carried at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses included as a component of accumulated other comprehensive gain (loss) in shareholders’ equity. Realized gains and losses and declines in value judged to be other-than-temporary on available-for-sale securities are included in interest income. The cost of investment securities classified as available-for-sale is adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity. Such amortization and accretion are included in interest income. The cost of securities sold is based on the specific-identification method. The Company has classified all of its investment securities available-for-sale, including those with maturities beyond one year, as current assets on the consolidated balance sheets based on the highly liquid nature of the investment securities and because these investment securities are considered available for use in current operations.
	Concentration of credit risk
	Financial instruments, which potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk, consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents and investment securities classified as available-for-sale. The Company maintains deposits in federally insured financial institutions in excess of federally insured limits. Management believes that the Company is not exposed to significant credit risk due to the financial position of the depository institutions in which those deposits are held. Additionally, the Company has adopted an investment policy that includes guidelines relative to credit quality, diversification of maturities to preserve principal and liquidity.
	Property and equipment
	Property and equipment are recorded at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method, based on their estimated useful lives as follows:
	Asset classification		Estimated useful life (in years)
	Equipment			5-Mar
	Computer hardware			3
	Software			5-Mar
	Leasehold improvements			Lesser of useful life or lease term
	Furniture and fixtures			5
	Repairs and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred.
	The Company reviews its long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of assets may not be fully recoverable or that the useful lives of these assets are no longer appropriate. Each impairment test is based on a comparison of the undiscounted cash flow to the recorded value of the asset. If impairment is indicated, the asset will be written down to its estimated fair value on a discounted cash flow basis. The Company has not recognized any impairment losses through December 31, 2014.
	Promissory notes
	Promissory notes are recognized initially at fair value. Promissory notes are subsequently carried at amortized cost; any difference between the initial fair market value and the redemption value is recognized in the statement of operations and comprehensive loss over the period of the notes payable using the effective interest method.
	The fair value of the promissory notes when issued with equity is recognized initially at the fair value of similar promissory notes issued on a standalone basis. The equity that is issued with borrowings is valued at fair value using the Black-Scholes valuation model.
	Revenue recognition
	The Company may enter into product development agreements with collaborative partners for the research and development of products for the treatment of urological diseases. The terms of the agreements may include nonrefundable signing and licensing fees, milestone payments and royalties on any product sales derived from collaborations. These multiple element arrangements are analyzed to determine whether the deliverables can be separated or whether they must be accounted for as a single unit of accounting. License fees are recognized as revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the fee is fixed or determinable, delivery or performance has substantially completed and collection is reasonably assured.
	The Company recognizes up front license payments as revenue upon delivery of the license only if the license has stand-alone value to the customer and if the agreement includes a general right of return, the delivery or performance of undelivered items is considered probable and within the control of the Company. The payment is generally allocated to the separate units of accounting based on their relative selling prices. The selling price of each deliverable is determined using vendor specific objective evidence of selling prices, if it exists; otherwise, third-party evidence of selling prices. If neither vendor specific objective evidence nor third-party evidence exists, the Company uses its’ best estimate of the selling price for each deliverable. The payment allocated is limited to the amount that is not contingent on the delivery of additional items or fulfillment of other performance conditions.
	Whenever the Company determines that an arrangement should be accounted for as a single unit of accounting, it must determine the period over which the performance obligations will be performed and revenue recognized. If the Company cannot reasonably estimate the timing and the level of effort to complete its performance obligations under the arrangement, then revenue under the arrangement is recognized on a straight-line basis over the period the Company is expected to complete its performance obligations.
	The Company evaluates milestone payments on an individual basis and recognizes revenue from non-refundable milestone payments when the earnings process is complete and the payment is reasonably assured. Non-refundable milestone payments related to arrangements under which the Company has continuing performance obligations are recognized as revenue upon achievement of the associated milestone, provided that (i) the milestone event is substantive and its achievability was not reasonably assured at the inception of the agreement and (ii) the amount of the milestone payment is reasonable in relation to the effort expended or the risk associated with the milestone event. Any amounts received under agreements in advance of performance, if deemed substantive, are recorded as deferred revenue and recognized as revenue as the Company completes its performance obligations. A milestone event is considered substantive if (i) the milestone is commensurate with either (a) the Company’s performance to achieve the milestone or (b) the enhancement of the value of the delivered item(s) as a result of a specific outcome resulting from the Company’s performance to achieve the milestone; (ii) it relates solely to past performance and (iii) it is reasonable relative to all of the deliverables and payment terms (including other potential milestone consideration) within the arrangement. If any portion of the milestone payment does not relate to the Company’s performance, does not relate solely to past performance or is refundable or adjustable based on future performance, the milestone is not considered to be substantive. Milestone payments are not bifurcated into substantive and non-substantive components. Payments related to the achievement of non-substantive milestones is deferred and recognized over the Company’s remaining performance period.
	Royalty revenue will be recognized upon the sale of the related products provided the Company has no remaining performance obligations under the arrangement.
	Research and development expenses
	Research and development costs are charged to expense as incurred. Research and development expenses comprise costs incurred in performing research and development activities, including personnel-related costs, stock-based compensation, facilities, research-related overhead, clinical trial costs, contracted services, manufacturing, license fees and other external costs. The Company accounts for nonrefundable advance payments for goods and services that will be used in future research and development activities as expenses when the service has been performed or when the goods have been consumed rather than when the payment is made.
	Accrued research and development expenses
	Clinical trial costs are recorded as a component of research and development expenses. The Company accrues and expenses clinical trial activities performed by third parties based upon estimates of the percentage of work completed of the total work over the life of the individual study in accordance with agreements established with clinical research organizations and clinical trial sites. The Company determines the estimates through discussions with internal clinical personnel and external service providers as to the progress or stage of completion of trials or services and the agreed-upon fee to be paid for such services based on facts and circumstances known to the Company as of each balance sheet date. However, actual costs and timing of clinical trials are highly uncertain, subject to risks and may change depending upon a number of factors, including the Company’s clinical development plan.
	If the actual timing of the performance of services or the level of effort varies from the estimate, the Company will adjust the accrual accordingly. Adjustments to prior period estimates have not been material.
	Examples of estimated accrued research and development expenses include:
		•	fees paid to clinical research organizations in connection with clinical studies;
		•	fees paid to investigative sites in connection with clinical studies;
		•	fees paid to vendors in connection with preclinical development activities;
		•	fees paid to vendors associated with the development of companion diagnostics; and
		•	fees paid to vendors related to product manufacturing, development and distribution of clinical supplies.
	Nonrefundable advance payments for goods and services that will be used or rendered in future research and development activities, are recorded as a prepaid expense and recognized as expense in the period that the related goods are consumed or services are performed.
	Dividend Policy
	The Company has never declared or paid any cash dividends on its capital shares. The Company intends to retain all available funds and any future earnings to support our operations and finance the growth and development of our business. We do not intend to pay cash dividends on our common shares for the foreseeable future. Any future determination related to our dividend policy will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon, among other factors, our results of operations, financial condition, capital requirements, contractual restrictions, business prospects and other factors our board of directors may deem relevant. In addition, the terms of our existing debt facility prohibit us from paying dividends without the prior written consent of Oxford.
	Stock-based compensation
	The Company expenses the fair value of employee stock options over the vesting period. Compensation expense is measured using the fair value of the award at the grant date, net of estimated forfeitures, and is adjusted annually to reflect actual forfeitures. The fair value of each stock-based award is estimated using the Black-Scholes pricing model and is expensed using graded amortization over the vesting period.
	The Company accounts for stock options granted to non-employees, which is primarily consultants of the Company, using the fair value approach. Stock options granted to non-employees are subject to revaluation each reporting period over their vesting terms.
	Prior to the Company’s IPO, the Company had issued its stock options with a Canadian dollar denominated exercise price. Subsequent to the Company’s IPO, the Company issues its stock options with a U.S. dollar denominated exercise price.
	Effective November 13, 2013, the Company voluntarily delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange, or TSX. As a result of the delisting from the TSX and the change in the Company’s functional currency to the U.S. dollar, the stock options granted with exercise prices denominated in Canadian dollars are now considered dual indexed as defined in ASC 718, “Compensation, Stock Compensation”. As a result, the Company is required to account for these stock options as a liability. Historically these options had been accounted for as equity. The estimated fair value is determined using the Black-Scholes pricing model based on the estimated value of the underlying common shares at the valuation measurement date, the remaining service period of the stock options, risk-free interest rates, expected dividends and expected volatility of the price of the underlying common shares. As of November 13, 2013, the Company calculated the initial fair value of the vested awards of $163,000. This fair value was initially recorded as a deduction from Contributed Surplus. At each reporting period subsequent to November 13, 2013, the Company adjusts the fair value of the stock-based compensation liability and any corresponding increase or decrease to the stock-based compensation liability will be recorded as an adjustment to Contributed Surplus and/or compensation expense on the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss but in no case will the amount of stock-based compensation expense be less than the original grant date fair value of the stock options.
	The fair value of the stock-based compensation liability was $22,000 and $202,000 at December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively. As the calculated fair value of the stock options at December 31, 2014 was less than the original grant date fair value no additional compensation expense was recorded in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss. The change in the fair value of the stock-based compensation liability of $180,000 for the year ended December 31, 2014 was recorded as an adjustment to Contributed Surplus.
	Common share purchase warrants with exercise prices denominated in Canadian Dollars
	Historically, the Company issued common share warrants in connection with the issuance of common share through private placements with exercise prices denominated in Canadian dollars. Upon the issuance of these warrants, the Company allocated the net proceeds to common share and warrants based on their relative fair values, and calculated the fair value of the issued common share warrants utilizing the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The allocated fair value was then recorded as Common Share Purchase Warrants within shareholders’ equity on the consolidated balance sheet. The fair value was not remeasured in periods subsequent to the date of issuance.
	The change in the functional currency of Sophiris Bio Inc. to the U.S. dollar effective August 16, 2013 effects how the Company accounts for its previously issued warrants which have exercise prices denominated in Canadian dollars, a currency that is not the Company’s functional currency. Upon the change in functional currency, the Company calculated the fair value of its warrants with exercise prices in Canadian dollars as $1.6 million utilizing the Black Scholes pricing model and classified this fair value as a long-term liability in accordance with ASC, 815, “Derivatives and Hedging”. The initial fair value of $1.6 million was deducted from the original fair value calculated on the issuance date of the warrants. The issuance date fair value in excess of the $1.6 million was reclassified to Contributed Surplus. At each reporting period subsequent to August 16, 2013, the Company adjusts the fair value of the warrant liability and any corresponding increase or decrease to the warrant liability is recorded as a component of other income (expense) on the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss. The estimated fair value is determined using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model based on the estimated value of the underlying common shares at the valuation measurement date, the remaining contractual term of the warrants, risk-free interest rates, expected dividends and expected volatility of the price of the underlying common shares.
	On January 31, 2014, the Company and Warburg Pincus Private Equity X, L.P. and Warburg Pincus X Partners, L.P. entered into an Omnibus Amendment to Common Share Purchase Warrants related to Warburg Pincus Private Equity X, L.P.’s and Warburg Pincus X Partners, L.P.’s 769,231 outstanding common share purchase warrants. On February 14, 2014, the Company and Oxford Finance LLC entered into an Omnibus Amendment to Warrants to Purchase Common Shares related to Oxford Finance LLC’s 26,971 outstanding common share purchase warrants. These amendments provided for the following:
	(i)	the amendment of the exercise price and number of shares underlying each of the outstanding common share purchase warrants to reflect the 52-for-1 share consolidation effected by the Company on August 9, 2013; and
	(ii)	the amendment of the existing exercise price which was denominated in Canadian dollars to be restated into U.S. dollars. The agreement stipulates that the conversion of the exercise price will be completed utilizing the exchange rate in effect on the date of the issuance of each warrant.
	As a result of the conversion of the exercise prices from Canadian dollars to U.S. dollars, the Company is no longer required to revalue the fair value of these warrants subsequent to their amendment. Upon the amendment of these common share purchase warrants the Company calculated a fair value on the date of their amendments using the Black-Scholes valuation model. As a result the Company recorded a $4,000 loss in its statement of operations and comprehensive loss which represents the change in the fair value of the common share purchase warrants from January 1, 2014 to the date of their amendments. The Company then reclassified the fair value as of the date of their amendments of $0.8 million for the amended common share purchase warrants from warrant liability to contributed surplus.
The Company continues to revalue at each reporting period 122,670 common share purchase warrants which continue to have exercise prices denominated in Canadian dollars. These warrants will expire on March 16, 2015 and have an exercise price of CND $33.80.
At December 31, 2014 and 2013 the warrant liability was revalued at $0 and $0.9 million, respectively and a gain of $49,000 and $0.7 million, respectively was recorded in gain on revaluation of warrant liability in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss. The amounts utilized to calculate the fair value of the warrant liability at December 31, 2014 and 2013 are included in Note 6.
Income taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to differences between financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted rates in effect for the year in which these temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. Valuation allowances are provided if, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
The Company provides reserves for potential payments of tax to various tax authorities related to uncertain tax positions and other issues. Reserves are based on a determination of whether and how much of a tax benefit taken by the Company in its tax filing is more likely than not to be realized following resolution of any potential contingencies present related to the tax benefit. Potential interest and penalties associated with such uncertain tax positions are recorded as components of income tax expense. To date, the Company has not taken any uncertain tax positions or recorded any reserves, interest or penalties.
Segment reporting
Operating segments are identified as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete financial information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision-maker, or CODM. The Company’s Chief Executive Officer serves as its CODM. The Company views its operations and manages its business as one segment operating primarily in the United States. As of December 31, 2014, all of the Company’s assets were located in the United States of America with the exception of $0.1 million of cash and cash equivalents and $32,000 of other assets which were located in Canada. All of the Company’s property and equipment was located within the United States as of December 31, 2014.
Fair value of financial instruments
The Company measures certain financial assets and liabilities at fair value based on the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid for to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. The carrying amounts of the Company’s financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents and accounts payable and accrued expenses, approximate fair value due to their short maturities.
The Company follows ASC 820-10, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” which among other things, defines fair value, establishes a consistent framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosure for each major asset and liability category measured at fair value on either a recurring or nonrecurring basis. Fair value is an exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. As a basis for considering such assumptions, a three-tier fair value hierarchy has been established, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value as follows:
Level 1 – Inputs are unadjusted, quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the measurement date.
Level 2 – Inputs (other than quoted prices included in Level 1) are either directly or indirectly observable for the asset or liability through correlation with market data at the measurement date and for the duration of the instrument’s anticipated life.
Level 3 – Inputs reflect management’s best estimate of what market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date. Consideration is given to the risk inherent in the valuation technique and the risk inherent in the inputs to the model.
Recent accounting pronouncements
In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers”. This guidance is a comprehensive new revenue recognition model that requires a company to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount that reflects the consideration it expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. This guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and early adoption is not permitted. The Company will adopt this guidance on January 1, 2017. Companies may use either a full retrospective or a modified retrospective approach to adopt this guidance. The Company is evaluating which transition approach to use and its impact, if any, on its consolidated financial statements.
In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern.” The guidance outlines management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern and provides guidance on the related footnote disclosure. The amendments are effective for the annual period ending after December 15, 2016, and for annual periods and interim periods thereafter. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of this guidance on its consolidated financial statement disclosures.

Note_4_Net_Loss_per_Common_Sha

Note 4 - Net Loss per Common Share	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Earnings Per Share [Text Block]	4	Net loss per common share
	Basic net loss per share is calculated by dividing the net loss attributable to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period, without consideration for common shares equivalents. Diluted net loss per share is computed by dividing the net loss attributable to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common share equivalents outstanding for the period determined using the treasury-stock method. For purposes of this calculation, stock options and warrants are considered to be common share equivalents and are only included in the calculation of diluted net loss per share when their effect is dilutive.
	The following table presents the computation of basic and diluted net loss per share (in thousands, except per share amounts):
			For the Years ended December 31,
			2014			2013			2012
	Net loss per share:
	Net loss		$	(30,712	)	$	(11,149	)	$	(21,194	)
	Weighted-average common shares – basic and diluted			16,586			8,029			3,054
	Net loss per share – basic and diluted per share		$	(1.85	)	$	(1.39	)	$	(6.94	)
	The following dilutive securities have been excluded from the computation of diluted weighted-average shares outstanding as of the year ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 as the Company recorded a net loss in all periods and, therefore, they would be anti-dilutive (in thousands):
			For the Years Ended December 31,
			2014			2013			2012
	Options to purchase common shares			1,378			1,362			241
	Common share purchase warrants			1,001			919			919

Note_5_Securities_Availablefor

Note 5 - Securities Available-for-Sale	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]
Investments in Debt and Marketable Equity Securities (and Certain Trading Assets) Disclosure [Text Block]	5	Securities Available-for-Sale
	Securities available-for-sale consisted of the following as of December 31, 2014 (in thousands):
			31-Dec-14
			Amortized		Unrealized					Estimated
			Cost		Gain		Loss			Fair Value
	Commercial paper		$	9,098	$	—	$	—		$	9,098
	U.S. government sponsored enterprise securities			6,308		—		—			6,308
	Corporate debt securities			3,166		—		—			3,166
			$	18,572	$	—	$	—		$	18,572
	The amortized cost and estimated fair value of the Company securities available-for-sale by contractual maturity as of December 31, 2014 are shown below (in thousands):
			31-Dec-14
			Amortized		Unrealized					Estimated
			Cost		Gain		Loss			Fair Value
	Within one year		$	18,572	$	—	$	—		$	18,572
	After one year			—		—		—			—
			$	18,572	$	—	$	—		$	18,572
	Securities available-for-sale consisted of the following as of December 31, 2013 (in thousands):
			31-Dec-13
			Amortized		Unrealized					Estimated
			Cost		Gain		Loss			Fair Value
	Commercial paper		$	9,798	$	—	$	—		$	9,798
	U.S. government sponsored enterprise securities			17,007		2		(4	)		17,005
	Corporate debt securities			6,506		2		(1	)		6,507
			$	33,311	$	4	$	(5	)	$	33,310
	The amortized cost and estimated fair value of the Company securities available-for-sale by contractual maturity as of December 31, 2013 are shown below (in thousands):
			31-Dec-13
			Amortized		Unrealized					Estimated
			Cost		Gain		Loss			Fair Value
	Within one year		$	30,430	$	2	$	(4	)	$	30,428
	After one year			2,881		2		(1	)		2,882
			$	33,311	$	4	$	(5	)	$	33,310
	As of December 31, 2014, the Company performed a review of all of the securities in its portfolio with an unrealized loss position to determine if any other-than-temporary impairments were required to be recorded. Factors considered in the Company’s assessment included, but were not limited to the following: the Company’s ability and intent to hold the security until maturity; the number of months until the security’s maturity, the number of quarters that each security has been in an unrealized loss position, ratings assigned to each security by independent rating agencies, the magnitude of the unrealized loss compared to the face value of the security and other market conditions. No other-than-temporary impairments were identified as of December 31, 2014 related to securities currently in the Company’s portfolio.

Note_6_Fair_Value_Measurement_

Note 6 - Fair Value Measurement and Financial Instruments	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value Disclosures [Text Block]	6	Fair value measurement and financial instruments
	As of December 31, 2014, the Company has $22.0 million of securities consisting of money market funds, commercial paper, U.S. government sponsored enterprise securities and corporate debt securities with maturities that range from 1 day to 9 months with an overall average time to maturity of 2.9 months. The Company has the ability to liquidate these investments without restriction. The Company determines fair value for securities with Level 1 inputs through quoted market prices. The Company determines fair value for securities with Level 2 inputs through broker or dealer quotations or alternative pricing sources with reasonable levels of price transparency. The Company’s Level 2 securities have been initially valued at the transaction price and subsequently valued, at the end of each reporting period, typically utilizing third party pricing services or other market observable data. The pricing services utilize industry standard valuation models, including both income and market based approaches and observable market inputs to determine value. These observable market inputs include reportable trades, benchmark yields, credit spreads, broker/dealer quotes, bids, offers, and other industry and economic events. The Company’s Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs based on the Company’s assessment that market participants would use in pricing the instruments.
	The following table presents the Company’s assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis for the periods presented (in thousands):
			December 31,			Level 1			Level 2		Level 3
			2014
	Assets:
	Money market funds		$	99		$	99		$	—	$	—
	Commercial paper			12,398			—			12,398		—
	U.S. government sponsored enterprise securities			6,308			—			6,308		—
	Corporate debt securities			3,166			—			3,166		—
	Total assets		$	21,971		$	99		$	21,872	$	—
	Liabilities:
	Warrant liability		$	—		$	—		$	—	$	—
	Stock-based compensation liability			22			—			—		22
	Total liabilities		$	22		$	—		$	—	$	22
			December 31,			Level 1			Level 2		Level 3
			2013
	Assets:
	Money market funds		$	55		$	55		$	—	$	—
	Commercial paper			23,570			—			23,570		—
	U.S. government sponsored enterprise securities			17,005			—			17,005		—
	Corporate debt securities			6,507			—			6,507		—
	Total assets		$	47,137		$	55		$	47,082	$	—
	Liabilities:
	Warrant liability		$	883		$	—		$	—	$	883
	Stock-based compensation liability			202			—			—		202
	Total liabilities		$	1,085		$	—		$	—	$	1,085
	The Company calculates the fair value of the common share warrants with exercise prices denominated in Canadian dollars (level 3) at each reporting date utilizing a Black-Scholes pricing model. The following inputs were utilized in the Black-Scholes pricing model at December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013:
			December 31,
			2014			2013
	Stock price at the end of each reporting period		$	0.54		$	3.7
	Weighted average exercise price		$	29.14		$	25.45
	Risk-free interest rate			0.25	%		0.62	%
	Volatility			425.17	%		115.09	%
	Dividend yield			0	%		0	%
	Expected life in years			0.21			2.51
	Calculated fair value per common share purchase warrant		$	—		$	0.96
	The following table presents a reconciliation of the warrant liability measured at fair value using unobservable inputs (Level 3) (in thousands):
			For the Years Ended December 31,
			2014			2013
	Liabilities:
	Balance at beginning of period:		$	883		$	—
	Calculation of initial warrant liability fair value			—			1,572
	Reclassification of fair value of warrant liability to equity as a result of the amendment to convert the exercise price of certain warrants from Canadian dollars to U.S. dollars of the underlying common share purchase warrants			(834	)		—
	Change in fair value of warrant liability included in other expense, net			(49	)		(689	)
	Balance at end of period:		$	—		$	883
	The common share purchase warrants with exercise prices denominated in Canadian dollars will expire in March 2015. Subsequent to the common share purchase warrants expiration the Company will not be required to remeasure the fair value of the warrants.
	The Company calculates the fair value of the stock-based compensation liability for those stock options with exercise prices denominated in Canadian Dollars (level 3) at each reporting period utilizing a Black-Scholes pricing model. The following inputs were utilized in the Black-Scholes pricing model at December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013:
			December 31,
			2014			2013
	Stock price at the end of each reporting period		$	0.54		$	3.7
	Weighted average exercise price		$	15.83		$	17.66
	Risk-free interest rate			0.88	%		1	%
	Volatility			138.38	%		94.53	%
	Dividend yield			0	%		0	%
	Expected life in years			2.49			3.42
	Calculated fair value per stock option		$	0.1		$	1.17
	The following table presents a reconciliation of the stock-based compensation liability measured at fair value using unobservable inputs (Level 3) (in thousands):
			For the Years Ended December 31,
			2014			2013
	Liabilities:
	Balance at beginning of period		$	202		$	—
	Calculation of initial stock-based compensation liability fair value						163
	Change in fair value of stock-based compensation liability recorded as an adjustment to contributed surplus			(180	)		39
Balance at end of period:		$	22		$	202
The Company recognizes transfers into and out of levels within the fair value hierarchy at the end of the reporting period in which the actual event or change in circumstances that caused the transfer occurs. There were no transfers of assets or liabilities between the fair value measurement classifications.

Note_7_Prepaid_Expenses

Note 7 - Prepaid Expenses	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Prepaid Expenses And Other Assets [Abstract]
Prepaid Expenses And Other Assets [Text Block]	7.     Prepaid expenses
	Prepaid expenses as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 consisted of the following (in thousands):
		December 31,
		2014		2013
	Prepaid insurance	$	280	$	292
	Prepaid research and development expenses		2,506		3,218
	Other prepaid expenses		39		88
		$	2,825	$	3,598
	As of December 31, 2014 and 2103, prepaid research and development expenses includes $2.5 million and $2.7 million, respectively for upfront fees paid to our primary clinical research organization assisting with our clinical trials. The upfront fees will be relieved in future periods based upon work completed.

Note_8_Property_and_Equipment

Note 8 - Property and Equipment	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment Disclosure [Text Block]	8	Property and equipment
	Property and equipment consisted of the following (in thousands):
			December 31,
			2014			2013
	Equipment		$	5		$	7
	Computer hardware and software			46			44
	Leasehold improvements			155			155
	Furniture and fixtures			72			72
				278			278
	Less: accumulated depreciation			(242	)		(200	)
			$	36		$	78
	Depreciation expense was $47,000, $84,000 and $82,000 for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Note_9_Accrued_Expenses

Note 9 - Accrued Expenses	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Payables and Accruals [Abstract]
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities Disclosure [Text Block]	9	Accrued expenses
	Accrued expenses as of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 consisted of the following (in thousands):
			December 31,
			2014		2013
	Accrued personnel related costs		$	846	$	1,063
	Accrued interest			48		50
	Accrued research and development expenses			1,279		713
	Other accrued expenses			134		355
			$	2,307	$	2,181

Note_10_Promissory_Notes

Note 10 - Promissory Notes	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Debt Disclosure [Text Block]	10	Promissory notes
	In July 2011, the Company entered into a $15 million Loan and Security Agreement, as amended, or the Original Loan, with Oxford Finance LLC, or Oxford. Under the terms of the Original Loan, the Company made interest only payments for nine months at a fixed interest rate of 9.5%. Beginning in June 2012, the note began to amortize with principal and interest payments due through the remaining term of the loan. The Original Loan could be prepaid subject to certain provisions and prepayment fees. Upon final payment of the Original Loan, the Company was required to pay an additional fee of 5% of the original principal amount, which was being recognized over the term of the loan.
	On June 30, 2014, we entered into a new Loan and Security Agreement, or the New Loan, with Oxford. Under the New Loan, Oxford has loaned a principal amount of $6.0 million to the Company to refinance the Company’s existing Original Loan with Oxford and to provide additional working capital.
	The principal amount was used by us to settle approximately $2.9 million of outstanding principal on the Company’s Original Loan, to settle accrued interest on such existing term loan, to settle other fees and expenses, including $0.7 million for a final payment due under the Original Loan, and the remaining cash proceeds of approximately $2.4 million will be used for general corporate purposes.
	The principal borrowed under the New Loan bears fixed interest of 9.504% per annum. The Company has the option to prepay the outstanding balance of the New Loan in full, subject to a prepayment fee of 1% to 3% depending upon when the prepayment occurs. Upon the final repayment of the New Loan on the maturity date, by prepayment, or upon acceleration, the Company shall pay Oxford an additional fee of 5% of the principal amount of $6.0 million. This additional fee is recorded as a debt discount and is being recognized as interest expense over the life of the loan utilizing the effective interest method. The repayment terms are interest only payments through July 1, 2015 followed by 36 equal monthly payments of principal and interest. We accounted for the New Loan as a modification.
	Pursuant to the New Loan, on June 30, 2014, the Company issued to Oxford warrants to purchase an aggregate of up to 82,192 of the Company’s common shares at an exercise price of $2.19 per share. The warrants expire seven years from the date of the grant. The fair value of $0.1 million for this equity component was derived using the Black-Scholes pricing model utilizing the following inputs: risk-free interest rate – 2.1%, volatility – 72.1%, dividend yield – 0% and expected life in years – 7. The $6.0 million proceeds were allocated to equity and the debt based on their relative fair values. The debt discount will be amortized to interest expense over the life of the debt. Interest on the term loan, consisting of the stated interest rate, final payment fee and amortization of the discount, is being recognized under the effective interest method.
	In connection with the New Loan, the Company and its subsidiaries granted to Oxford a security interest in all of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ personal property now owned or hereafter acquired, excluding intellectual property and certain other assets. Oxford has the right to declare a default under the New Loan upon the occurrence of a material adverse change as that is defined under the New Loan, thereby requiring the Company to repay the loan immediately or to attempt to reverse the declaration of default through negotiation or litigation. As of December 31, 2014, the Company was in compliance with all material covenants under the credit facility.
	As of December 31, 2014, the future contractual principal and final fee payments on our debt obligation are as follows (in thousands):
		Year 1		$	735
		Year 2			1,887
		Year 3			2,074
		Year 4			1,604
		Total		$	6,300
	The following table summarizes interest expense (in thousands) for the periods presented:
			For the Years Ended December 31,
			2014			2013		2012
	Stated interest		$	500		$	840	$	1,325
	Amortization of debt discount			188			380		509
	Amortization of promissory notes issuance costs			38			108		155
			$	726		$	1,328	$	1,989
	The Company calculated the fair value of the secured promissory notes as $5.9 million (Level 3) as of December 31, 2014. The fair value of long-term debt is based on the net present value of calculated interest and principal payments, using an interest rate of 9.5%, which takes into consideration the financial position of the Company and the recent interest rate environment for new debt issuances for comparable companies. The fair value of this equity component was derived using the Black-Scholes valuation model. The Company calculated the promissory notes’ fair value by allocating to equity and the debt based on their respective fair values.

Note_11_Shareholders_equity

Note 11 - Shareholders' equity	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]
Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block]	11	Shareholders’ equity
	Common stock purchase agreement with Aspire Capital
	On May 16, 2014, the Company entered into a common stock purchase agreement, or the Purchase Agreement, with Aspire Capital Fund, LLC, or Aspire Capital, which provides that Aspire Capital is committed to purchase up to an aggregate of $15.0 million of the Company’s common shares over the approximately 30-month term of the Purchase Agreement. In consideration for entering into the Purchase Agreement, concurrently with the execution of the Purchase Agreement, the Company issued to Aspire Capital 90,635 of the Company’s common shares. Upon the execution of the Purchase Agreement, the Company sold to Aspire Capital 604,230 common shares at $3.31 per share for net proceeds of $1.9 million which was recorded as in increase to common shares on the balance sheet. The Company incurred offering costs of $0.1 million associated with this transaction.
	Under the Purchase Agreement, on any trading day on which the closing sale price of the Company’s common shares exceeds $2.00, the Company has the right, in its sole discretion, to present Aspire Capital with a purchase notice, directing Aspire Capital (as principal) to purchase up to 100,000 of the Company’s common shares, per trading day, provided that the aggregate price of each such purchase shall not exceed $1,000,000 per trading day. The Company can direct Aspire Capital to purchase an additional $13 million of the Company’s common shares over the remaining 23 months of the Purchase Agreement. Future purchases under the Purchase Agreement will be at a per share price equal to the lesser of:
	• the lowest sale price of the Company’s common shares on the purchase date; or
	• the arithmetic average of the three lowest closing sale prices for the Company’s common shares during the ten consecutive trading days ending on the trading day immediately preceding the purchase date.
	Other than the initial purchase completed under the Purchase Agreement, there were no sales of common shares to Aspire Capital from May 16, 2014 through December 31, 2014. As of December 31, 2014 our stock price has been below the $2.00 floor price included in the Aspire Capital agreement and therefore as of December 31, 2014 we were unable to sell shares to Aspire Capital.
	Authorized
	As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company had unlimited shares of no par common shares authorized. There were 16.8 million and 16.1 million common shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
	Initial Public Offering
	On August 23, 2013, the Company completed a U.S. public offering whereby the Company issued 13,000,000 common shares at a price of $5.00 per share. The Company received $57.0 million, net of underwriters’ discounts commissions and offering cost.
	Shares reserved for future issuance
	The shares reserved for future issuance as of December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 consisted of the following (in thousands):
			December 31,
			2014		2013		2012
	Common share purchase warrants			1,001		919		919
	Stock options
	Granted and outstanding			1,378		1,362		241
	Reserved for future grants			306		253		74
				2,685		2,534		1,234

Note_12_Common_Share_Purchase_

Note 12 - Common Share Purchase Warrants	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Common Stock Warrants Disclosure [Abstract]
Common Stock Warrants Disclosure [Text Block]	12	Common share purchase warrants
	At December 31, 2014 and 2013 there were 1,001,000 and 919,000 common share purchase warrants outstanding at a weighted average exercise price of U.S.$24.17 and CND$27.07, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2014 the total amounts for common share purchase warrants outstanding includes common share purchase warrants with exercise prices denominated in Canadian dollars and U.S. Dollars and the Canadian dollar amounts have been converted to U.S. dollars for purposes of the weighted average exercise price calculation utilizing a conversion rate as of December 31, 2014.
	The following table summarizes the expiration dates for the Company’s outstanding common share purchase warrants as of December 31, 2014 (in thousands):
		Number of		Expiration date
		warrants
		outstanding
			123	16-Mar-15
			289	19-Nov-15
			240	28-Dec-16
			240	28-Mar-17
			27	15-Jul-18
			82	30-Jun-21
			1,001
	The Company has recorded a $0.9 million liability at December 31, 2013 associated with the fair value of the Company’s common share purchase warrants. See Note 3 and Note 6.

Note_13_Stockbased_Compensatio

Note 13 - Stock-based Compensation Plan	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Text Block]	13	Stock-based compensation plan
	Equity awards
	The Company’s Amended and Restated 2011 Stock Option plan (the “Plan”) provides for the granting of options for the purchase of common shares of the Company at the fair value of the Company’s common shares on the date of the option grant. Options are granted to employees, directors and non-employees. The board of directors or a committee appointed by the board of directors administers the Plan and has discretion as to the number, vesting period and expiry date of each option award. Historically the Company granted options with an exercise price denominated in Canadian dollars prior to the Company’s U.S. IPO. Following the Company’s U.S. IPO the Company has granted options with an exercise price denominated in U.S. dollars.
	The Plan is based on a cumulative percentage of options issuable up to 10% of the Company’s outstanding common shares. As of December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, there were 306,137, 252,529 and 74,001 shares, respectively, available to be issued under the Plan.
	During the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company issued options to purchase 86,788 common shares to its directors and employees. These options vest over a three year period for employees and over a one to three year period for directors. The contractual period for the granted options is five years.
	No options to purchase common shares were granted to non-employees during the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2012. During the year ended December 31, 2013 the Company issued options to purchase 28,346 common shares to non-employees. The Company accounts for stock options granted to non-employees using the fair value approach. Stock options granted to non-employees are subject to revaluation at each reporting period over their vesting terms.
	The Company recognized stock-based compensation expense as follows (in thousands):
			For the Years Ended December 31,
			2014			2013				2012
	Research and development		$	650		$	311			$	148
	General and administrative			1,441			863				528
	Total		$	2,091		$	1,174			$	676
	As of December 31, 2014 there was $0.7 million of unrecognized compensation costs related to non-vested stock options. As of December 31, 2014 the Company expects to recognize those costs over weighted average periods of approximately 1.1 years.
	The fair values of options granted during the year ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 were estimated at the date of grant using the following weighted-average assumptions:
			For the Years Ended December 31,
			2014			2013				2012
	Expected Life of the Option Term (years)			3.7			3.9				3.9
	Risk-free interest rate			1.2	%		0.9	%			1.2	%
	Dividend rate			0	%		0	%			0	%
	Volatility			76.2	%		83.8	%			73.9	%
	Forfeiture rate			5.3	%		8.1	%			9	%
	Expected Life of the Option Term – This is the period of time that the options granted are expected to remain unexercised. Options granted have a contractual term of five years. The Company estimates the expected life of the option term based on actual past behavior for similar options.
	Risk-Free Interest Rate – This is the Canadian or the United States Treasury rates, as applicable, for the week of each option grant during the year having a term that most closely resembles the expected life of the option.
	Dividend Rate – The Company has never declared or paid dividends on common shares and has no plans to do so in the foreseeable future.
	Volatility – Volatility is a measure of the amount by which a financial variable such as a share price has fluctuated or is expected to fluctuate during a period. The Company considered the historical volatility from our Canadian initial public offering through the dates of grants.
	Forfeiture Rate – Forfeitures are estimated at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates. The Company assesses the forfeiture rate on an annual basis and revises the rate when deemed necessary.
	The following table summarizes stock option activity, including options issued to employees, directors and non-employees (in thousands, except per share and contractual term data):
			Options			Weighted			Underlying Exercise Price Currency		Weighted average		Aggregate
			outstanding			average					remaining		intrinsic
						exercise					contractual term		value
						price					(in years)
	Outstanding at January 1, 2012			191		$	30.16		CND			3.2	$	—
	Options granted			102			16.12		CND
	Options expired			(29	)		37.44		CND
	Options forfeited			(23	)		25.48		CND
	Outstanding at December 31, 2012			241		$	23.92		CND			3.5	$	—
	Options granted			71			13		CND
	Options granted			1,114			4.41		US
	Options expired			(14	)		41.02		CND
	Options forfeited			(50	)		27.83		CND
	Outstanding at December 31, 2013			1,362		$	7.1		US			4.5	$	—
	Options granted			87			2.57		US
	Options expired			(5	)		27.16		CND
	Options forfeited			(12	)		29.89		CND
	Options forfeited			(54	)		4.41		US
	Outstanding at December 31, 2014			1,378		$	6.65		US			3.6	$	—
	Vested or expected to vest at December 31, 2014			1,326		$	6.26		US			3.6	$	—
	Exercisable at December 31, 2014			635		$	7.48		US			3.5	$	—
	The total amounts for options outstanding, vested or expected to vest, and exercisable at December 31, 2014 include options with exercise prices denominated in Canadian dollars and U.S. Dollars and the Canadian dollar amounts have been converted to U.S. dollars for purposes of the calculation.
	The weighted average fair value of options granted during the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012 was approximately $1.41, $2.86, and $8.84, respectively.
	The aggregate intrinsic value was calculated as the difference between the exercise price of the stock options and the fair value of the underlying common shares converted to U.S. dollars as of the respective balance sheet date. The Company settles employee stock option exercises with newly issued common shares.

Note_14_License_Agreements

Note 14 - License Agreements	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Collaborative Arrangement Disclosure [Text Block]	14	License agreements
	Kissei Agreement
	In April 2010, the Company entered into an exclusive license agreement for the development and commercialization of PRX302 (and other products covered by the licensed patent). The agreement with Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., a Japanese pharmaceutical company, (“Kissei”) covers the development and commercialization of PRX302 in Japan for the treatment of the symptoms of BPH, prostate cancer, prostatitis or other diseases of the prostate. Pursuant to the agreement in 2010, the Company received an upfront license payment of $3.0 million. The Company has determined that the deliverables under this agreement included the license, the transfer of relevant technical information and participation in a periodic development meeting. The Company recognized the entire upfront license payment upon receipt as the license was deemed to have stand-alone value and no significant undelivered performance obligations were identified in connection with the license.
	The agreement also notes that the Company shall supply Kissei with bulk material under a separate supply agreement for use in future clinical studies and, if approved, for commercial sales. The license agreement also notes that if the Company is unwilling or unable to supply Kissei with the necessary bulk material that Kissei will have the option to manufacture the bulk material themselves or they can outsource the manufacturing to a third party. To date the Company and Kissei have not signed a supply agreement.
	The agreement also provides that the Company shall have full responsibility, including financial responsibility, for filing, prosecuting and maintaining all of the patents in Japan during the term of the agreement. The filing of patents is an administrative and perfunctory deliverable. The associated costs are immaterial. The prosecution and maintenance of patents is not considered an undelivered performance obligation.
	During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company recorded as revenue a $5.0 million non-refundable substantive milestone payment due from Kissei upon the achievement of certain development activities during the year ended December 31, 2013, as such milestone had been achieved during this period. In accordance with the Company’s revenue recognition policy, the Company recognizes the receipt of milestone payments in accordance with the milestone method in the period in which the underlying triggering event occurs. The Company received payment for the milestone in April 2013.
	In addition to the upfront license payment and the $5.0 million milestone payment recognized as revenue during the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company is entitled to receive up to $67.0 million of non-refundable milestone payments as follows: a total of $12.0 million for the BPH indication, of which $7.0 million relates to the completion of regulatory approvals and $5.0 million relates to the achievement of certain product sale goals; a total of $21.0 million for the prostate cancer indication, of which $7.0 million relates to the completion of certain development activities, $7.0 million relates to the completion of regulatory approvals and $7.0 million relates to the achievement of certain product sale goals; and a total of $21.0 million for prostatitis or other diseases of the prostate, of which $7.0 million relates to the completion of certain development activities, $7.0 million relates to the completion of regulatory approvals and $7.0 million relates to the achievement of certain product sale goals. An additional $13.0 million of aggregate milestone payments are not indication specific, of which $5.0 million relates to the completion of regulatory approvals and $8.0 million relates to the achievement of certain product sale goals.
	Management evaluated the nature of the events triggering these additional milestone payments, and concluded that these events fall into two categories: (a) events which involve the performance of the Company’s obligations under the Kissei license agreement, and (b) events which do not involve the performance of the Company’s obligations under the Kissei license agreement.
	Milestone payments which involve the performance of the Company’s obligations include activities related to the completion of development activities and regulatory approvals in the United States. Management concluded that each of these payments constitutes a substantive milestone. This conclusion was based primarily on the facts that (i) each triggering event represents a specific outcome that can be achieved only through successful performance by the Company of one or more of its deliverables, (ii) achievement of each triggering event was subject to inherent risk and was not reasonably assured at the inception of the agreement, (iii) each of these milestones is non-refundable, (iv) substantial effort is required to complete each milestone, (v) the amount of each milestone payment is reasonable in relation to the value created in achieving the milestone, (vi) a substantial amount of time is expected to pass between the up-front payment and the potential milestone payments, and (vii) the milestone payments relate solely to past performance. Based on the foregoing, the Company recognizes any revenue from these milestone payments under the milestone method in the period in which the underlying triggering event occurs.
	Milestone payments which do not involve the performance of the Company’s obligations include the completion of development activities, regulatory approvals and certain product sale goals in Japan, all of which are areas in which the Company has no pertinent contractual responsibilities under the agreement. Management concluded that these milestones are not substantive and will be recognized in accordance with the Company’s accounting policy for revenue recognition. The following table breaks down the remaining unpaid milestone payments by indication or, in the case of milestones not associated with a specific indication, by triggering events and by involvement of the Company:
			Milestone Payments		Milestone Payments Not
			Involving Performance		Involving Performance
			of Company		of Company
			Obligations		Obligations
			(in millions)		(in millions)
	Milestones by Indication
	BPH			—	$	12
	Prostate cancer			—	$	21
	Prostatitis and other diseases of the prostate			—	$	21
	Milestones Not Associated with an Indication
	Gross sale targets			—	$	8
	Regulatory approvals		$	5		—
	The Company may also receive a drug supply fee, assuming the Company supplies material to Kissei, and royalty payments in the 20-29% range as a percentage of future net sales of licensed products sold under the agreement.
	Kissei is not currently studying PRX302 for the treatment of prostate cancer, prostatitis or other diseases of the prostate. In addition, Kissei has the option to sublicense the development and commercialization for PRX302 in their territory.
	PRX302 license agreement for Benign Prostate Hyperplasia
	In 2009, the Company signed an exclusive license agreement with UVIC Industry Partnerships Inc. (“UVIC”) and The Johns Hopkins University (“Johns Hopkins”) with respect to the use of PRX302 for the treatment of the symptoms of benign prostate hyperplasia and other non-cancer diseases and conditions of the prostate. The license agreement requires the Company to make payments of CND$1.3 million in the aggregate on the achievement of certain clinical and regulatory milestones and to pay royalties on commercial sales of resulting products. To the extent the Company receives any milestone payments relating to the development of therapeutics for the treatment of the symptoms of BPH under its exclusive license agreement with Kissei, the Company is obligated to pay a percentage of such consideration, which percentage is in the 10-19% range, to UVIC and Johns Hopkins; however, pursuant to a separate agreement which the Company entered into in 2003 with Dr. J. Thomas Buckley, one of the Company’s founders, the aggregate amount of such consideration payable by the Company to UVIC and Johns Hopkins is reduced by 25% .
	During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company expensed a $0.1 million milestone payment due under the agreement upon the completion of the Company’s last Phase 2b clinical trial prior to commencing a Phase 3 clinical trial. The Company paid this milestone upon the enrollment of the Company’s first patient in a Phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of the symptoms of BPH. This amount was expensed to research and development expense. In addition, the Company accrued a sub-license royalty of $0.4 million payable under the agreement associated with the Company’s $5.0 million milestone payment from Kissei. The Company paid this amount during April 2013. This amount was recorded as a component of research and development expense.
	From the inception of the agreement, the Company has incurred sub-license fees of $0.6 million and milestone payments of $0.1 million under this agreement.
	PRX302 License Agreement for Prostate Cancer
	In 2004, we licensed exclusive rights to PRX302 for the treatment of prostate cancer under an agreement with UVIC and Johns Hopkins. We have agreed to make cumulative milestone payments over the lifecycle of PRX302 of up to CND$3.6 million on the achievement of certain clinical and regulatory milestones and to pay royalties on commercial sales of resulting products. From the inception of the agreement we have paid milestone payments of CND$0.1 million. We have to date completed two clinical trials in patients with prostate cancer.

Note_15_Income_taxes

Note 15 - Income taxes	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]	15	Income taxes
	The $5.0 million milestone payment from Kissei was subject to a 10% Japanese withholding tax. As a result, the Company recorded income tax expense of $0.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2013. The Company will be eligible to utilize the withholding tax to offset future taxes due in Canada. Given the uncertainty around the Company’s ability to generate future taxable income, the Company has expensed the withholding tax during the year ended December 31, 2013.
	The component of the loss before provision for income taxes were as follows (in thousands):
			For the Years Ended December 31,
			2014			2013
	United States		$	(2,147	)	$	(1,422	)
	Canada			(28,565	)		(9,227	)
			$	(30,712	)	$	(10,649	)
	The components of the provision for income taxes from continuing operations is as follows (in thousands):
			For the Years Ended December 31,
			2014			2013
	Current Tax:
	Canada		$	—		$	500
	US			—			—
	State			—			—
			$	—		$	500
	Deferred Tax:
	Canada		$	—		$	—
	US			—			—
	State			—			—
				—			—
			$	—		$	500
	A reconciliation of income taxes to the amount computed by applying the statutory federal income tax rate to the net loss is as follows (in thousands, except income tax rates):
			For the Years Ended December 31,
			2014			2013
	Combined federal and provincial income tax rates			26	%		25.75	%
	Income tax benefit at statutory rates		$	(7,982	)	$	(2,742	)
	State income tax, net of federal benefit			(88	)		(67	)
	Permanent items			34			65
	Tax credits			(1,007	)		(681	)
	Non-deductible stock-based compensation			253			91
	Foreign accrual property income			67			63
	Foreign withholding tax			—			500
	Expired NOLs			299			120
	Return to provision true up			83			—
	Rate differential			(229	)		(116	)
	Rate change			—			(739	)
	Other			152			(61	)
	Revaluation of warrant liability			(13	)		(176	)
	CTA			2,028			1,629
	Change in valuation allowance			6,403			2,614
	Income tax expense		$	—		$	500
	Significant components of the Company’s deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 are shown below (in thousands):
			December 31,
			2014			2013
	Deferred tax assets:
	Net operating loss carryforwards (non-capital losses)		$	24,617		$	17,974
	Scientific research and development			2,294			2,494
	Tax credits			4,151			3,646
	Stock based compensation			1,148			602
	Other, net			367			863
	Share issue costs			1,162			1,728
	Total deferred tax assets, net, before valuation allowance			33,739			27,307
	Valuation allowance			(33,739	)		(27,307	)
	Net deferred tax assets		$	—		$	—
	Due to the operating losses since inception, a valuation allowance has been recognized to offset net deferred assets as realization of such deferred tax assets is not more likely than not. During the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, the valuation allowance on the deferred tax assets increased by $6.4 million and $5.1 million, respectively.
	At December 31, 2014, the Company has tax losses for income tax purposes in Canada and in the United States which may be used to reduce taxable income. The income tax benefit, if any, of these losses has not been recorded due to the uncertainty of its recovery. Based upon statute, losses are expected to expire as follows (in thousands):
	Expiration date		Canada			U.S. Federal			Total
	2015		$	3,121		$	—		$	3,121
	2026			3,099			—			3,099
	2027			4,578			—			4,578
	2028			5,209			—			5,209
	2029			4,152			—			4,152
	2030			3,819			—			3,819
2031			11,186			—			11,186
2032			16,810			—			16,810
2033			12,529			—			12,529
2034			29,893			182			30,075
		$	94,396		$	182		$	94,578
In addition, the Company has $0.2 million of U.S. state net operating loss carryforwards which begin to expire in 2034.
At December 31, 2014, the Company had investment tax credits in Canada and research and development tax credits in the United States that expire as follows (in thousands).
Expiration date		Canada			U.S. Federal			Total
2015		$	28		$	—		$	28
2016			72			—			72
2017			128			—			128
2018			183			—			183
2019			177			—			177
2020			37			—			37
2021			8			—			8
2023			30			—			30
2024			102			—			102
2025			216			—			216
2026			209			—			209
2027			326			—			326
2028			409			—			409
2029			517			—			517
2030			161			—			161
2031			24			56			80
2032			—			335			335
2033			—			249			249
2034			—			908			908
		$	2,627		$	1,548		$	4,175
In addition, the Company has $0.5 million of California research and development tax credits which carry forward indefinitely as well as foreign tax credits in Canada of $0.2 million that begin to expire in 2023.
The Company’s Canadian tax years are subject to inspection from 2009 forward. The Company’s United States Federal and California 2011 tax returns are subject to examination by taxing authorities.
The future utilization of the Company’s research and development credit carry forwards and net operating loss carry forwards to offset future taxable income may be subject to an annual limitation as a result of ownership changes that may have occurred previously or may occur in the future. The Tax Reform Act of 1986 (the “Act”) limits a company’s ability to utilize certain tax credit carry forwards and net operating loss carry forwards in the event of a cumulative change in ownerships in excess of 50% as defined in the Act.
The Company recognizes interest and/or penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense. For the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, we have not recognized any interest or penalties related to income taxes.
In 2011, the Company adopted the recognition and measurement principals under ASC740, “Income Taxes” (ASC740) regarding the recognition of tax benefits. In accordance with ASC740, tax benefits are only recognized when a position is more likely than not of being sustained. Tax benefits are then measured using a cumulative benefit approach whereby the largest amount of tax benefit that is more likely than not of being sustained is recognized. The Company has no unrecognized benefits recorded as of December 31, 2014 and 2013.
The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 was enacted into law on January 2, 2013. The change in tax law, which reinstated the United States federal research and development tax credit retroactively from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2013. The retroactive impact related to 2012 was treated as a discrete tax item during the first quarter of 2013.

Note_16_Commitments_and_Contin

Note 16 - Commitments and Contingencies	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]	16	Commitments and contingencies
	Operating leases
	The Company leases a facility, comprising the Company’s headquarters, located in San Diego, California under a non-cancelable lease. During September 2013, the Company exercised the first of two 3-year lease extensions on its headquarters in San Diego, California. As a result of this extension, the expiration date for the Company’s headquarters was extended from May 2014 to May 2017. The rent on the Company’s headquarters is currently $8,729 per month.
	Total rent expense under operating leases was $0.1 million, $0.1 million and $0.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
	Future minimum lease payments under non-cancelable operating leases at December 31, 2014 are as follows (in thousands):
			Future rent payments
	2015		$	119
	2016			119
	2017			51
	Total		$	289
	License agreements
	The Company has license agreements with third parties that require the Company to make annual license maintenance payments and contingent future payments upon the success of licensed products that include milestone and/or royalties. Minimum future payments over the next five years are not material.
	Purchase commitments
	The Company is required to schedule its manufacturing activities in advance. If the Company cancels any of these scheduled activities without proper notice the Company would be required to pay penalties equal to the cost of the originally scheduled activity. The Company estimates that the cost of these penalties would be approximately $0.1 million at December 31, 2014 if the Company cancels the scheduled activities. The amounts recorded under this manufacturing contract included in research and development was $3.4 million, $2.8 million and $4.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Note_17_401k_Plan

Note 17 - 401(k) Plan	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]	17	401(k) Plan
	Effective July 2012, the Company established a deferred compensation plan (the “401(k) Plan”) pursuant to Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 where by all employees, subject to certain age requirement can contribute pretax earnings to the plan. The Company makes safe harbor contributions to the 401(k) Plan up to 4% of eligible compensation, subject to limitations under the Code. The Company’s total contributions to the 401(k) Plan were $0.1 million for each of the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012.

Note_18_Subsequent_Events

Note 18 - Subsequent Events	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Subsequent Events [Abstract]
Subsequent Events [Text Block]	18	Subsequent Events
	On January 29, 2015, the Company received a letter from the Listing Qualifications Department of The NASDAQ Stock Market, or NASDAQ, notifying the Company that the consolidated closing bid price of the Company’s common stock had been below $1.00 per share for 30 consecutive business days and that the Company was therefore not in compliance with the minimum bid price requirement for continued listing on The NASDAQ Global Market, as set forth in Marketplace Rule 5450(a)(1). The notification from NASDAQ does not have an immediate effect on the listing of the Company’s common stock and the Company’s common stock will continue to trade on The NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol "SPHS".
	NASDAQ stated in its January 29th letter that, in accordance with Marketplace Rule 5810(c)(3)(A), the Company has been provided a grace period of 180 calendar days, or until July 28, 2015, to regain compliance with the minimum consolidated closing bid price requirement for continued listing. Compliance will be regained if the Company’s consolidated closing bid price is at or above $1.00 for at least 10 consecutive trading days anytime during the 180-day grace period.
	The Company is considering actions that it may take in response to this notification in order to regain compliance with the continued listing requirements.

Accounting_Policies_by_Policy_

Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Basis of consolidation
	The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, Sophiris Bio Corp. and Sophiris Bio Holding Corp. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated for purposes of consolidation.
Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Basis of presentation and use of estimates
	The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States or GAAP.
	GAAP requires the Company’s management to make estimates and judgments that may affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue, expenses and related disclosures. The Company bases estimates and judgments on historical experience and on various other factors that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. The significant estimates in these consolidated financial statements include revenue recognition, stock-based compensation expense, warrant liability, functional currency and accrued research and development expenses, including accruals related to the Company’s ongoing clinical trial. The Company’s actual results may differ from these estimates. The Company evaluates its estimates on an ongoing basis. Changes in estimates are reflected in reported results in the period in which they become known by the Company’s management.
Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations Policy [Policy Text Block]	Foreign currency
	Functional currency
	Historically, the functional currency of Sophiris Bio Inc. had been the Canadian dollar. Subsequent to the completion of the Company’s initial public offering, or IPO, on the NASDAQ Global Market the Company reviewed the underlying indicators of the primary economic environment in which Sophiris Bio Inc. operates. Based upon this review, the Company determined that the functional currency of Sophiris Bio Inc. changed from the Canadian dollar to the U.S. dollar effective August 16, 2013, the date of the Company’s U.S. IPO.
	Transactions and balances
	Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are recognized as a component of other expense, net. The Company recorded foreign exchange transaction losses of $43,000, $269,000 and $105,000 for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012, respectively.
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Cash and cash equivalents
	Cash equivalents are short-term, highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase.
Marketable Securities, Available-for-sale Securities, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Securities Available-for-Sale
	Investments with an original maturity of more than three months when purchased have been classified by management as securities available-for-sale. Such investments are carried at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses included as a component of accumulated other comprehensive gain (loss) in shareholders’ equity. Realized gains and losses and declines in value judged to be other-than-temporary on available-for-sale securities are included in interest income. The cost of investment securities classified as available-for-sale is adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity. Such amortization and accretion are included in interest income. The cost of securities sold is based on the specific-identification method. The Company has classified all of its investment securities available-for-sale, including those with maturities beyond one year, as current assets on the consolidated balance sheets based on the highly liquid nature of the investment securities and because these investment securities are considered available for use in current operations.
Concentration Risk, Credit Risk, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Concentration of credit risk
	Financial instruments, which potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk, consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents and investment securities classified as available-for-sale. The Company maintains deposits in federally insured financial institutions in excess of federally insured limits. Management believes that the Company is not exposed to significant credit risk due to the financial position of the depository institutions in which those deposits are held. Additionally, the Company has adopted an investment policy that includes guidelines relative to credit quality, diversification of maturities to preserve principal and liquidity.
Property, Plant and Equipment, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Property and equipment
	Property and equipment are recorded at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method, based on their estimated useful lives as follows:
	Asset classification		Estimated useful life (in years)
	Equipment			5-Mar
	Computer hardware			3
	Software			5-Mar
	Leasehold improvements			Lesser of useful life or lease term
	Furniture and fixtures			5
	Repairs and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred.
	The Company reviews its long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of assets may not be fully recoverable or that the useful lives of these assets are no longer appropriate. Each impairment test is based on a comparison of the undiscounted cash flow to the recorded value of the asset. If impairment is indicated, the asset will be written down to its estimated fair value on a discounted cash flow basis. The Company has not recognized any impairment losses through December 31, 2014.
Debt, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Promissory notes
	Promissory notes are recognized initially at fair value. Promissory notes are subsequently carried at amortized cost; any difference between the initial fair market value and the redemption value is recognized in the statement of operations and comprehensive loss over the period of the notes payable using the effective interest method.
	The fair value of the promissory notes when issued with equity is recognized initially at the fair value of similar promissory notes issued on a standalone basis. The equity that is issued with borrowings is valued at fair value using the Black-Scholes valuation model.
Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Revenue recognition
	The Company may enter into product development agreements with collaborative partners for the research and development of products for the treatment of urological diseases. The terms of the agreements may include nonrefundable signing and licensing fees, milestone payments and royalties on any product sales derived from collaborations. These multiple element arrangements are analyzed to determine whether the deliverables can be separated or whether they must be accounted for as a single unit of accounting. License fees are recognized as revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the fee is fixed or determinable, delivery or performance has substantially completed and collection is reasonably assured.
	The Company recognizes up front license payments as revenue upon delivery of the license only if the license has stand-alone value to the customer and if the agreement includes a general right of return, the delivery or performance of undelivered items is considered probable and within the control of the Company. The payment is generally allocated to the separate units of accounting based on their relative selling prices. The selling price of each deliverable is determined using vendor specific objective evidence of selling prices, if it exists; otherwise, third-party evidence of selling prices. If neither vendor specific objective evidence nor third-party evidence exists, the Company uses its’ best estimate of the selling price for each deliverable. The payment allocated is limited to the amount that is not contingent on the delivery of additional items or fulfillment of other performance conditions.
	Whenever the Company determines that an arrangement should be accounted for as a single unit of accounting, it must determine the period over which the performance obligations will be performed and revenue recognized. If the Company cannot reasonably estimate the timing and the level of effort to complete its performance obligations under the arrangement, then revenue under the arrangement is recognized on a straight-line basis over the period the Company is expected to complete its performance obligations.
	The Company evaluates milestone payments on an individual basis and recognizes revenue from non-refundable milestone payments when the earnings process is complete and the payment is reasonably assured. Non-refundable milestone payments related to arrangements under which the Company has continuing performance obligations are recognized as revenue upon achievement of the associated milestone, provided that (i) the milestone event is substantive and its achievability was not reasonably assured at the inception of the agreement and (ii) the amount of the milestone payment is reasonable in relation to the effort expended or the risk associated with the milestone event. Any amounts received under agreements in advance of performance, if deemed substantive, are recorded as deferred revenue and recognized as revenue as the Company completes its performance obligations. A milestone event is considered substantive if (i) the milestone is commensurate with either (a) the Company’s performance to achieve the milestone or (b) the enhancement of the value of the delivered item(s) as a result of a specific outcome resulting from the Company’s performance to achieve the milestone; (ii) it relates solely to past performance and (iii) it is reasonable relative to all of the deliverables and payment terms (including other potential milestone consideration) within the arrangement. If any portion of the milestone payment does not relate to the Company’s performance, does not relate solely to past performance or is refundable or adjustable based on future performance, the milestone is not considered to be substantive. Milestone payments are not bifurcated into substantive and non-substantive components. Payments related to the achievement of non-substantive milestones is deferred and recognized over the Company’s remaining performance period.
	Royalty revenue will be recognized upon the sale of the related products provided the Company has no remaining performance obligations under the arrangement.
Research and Development Expense, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Research and development expenses
	Research and development costs are charged to expense as incurred. Research and development expenses comprise costs incurred in performing research and development activities, including personnel-related costs, stock-based compensation, facilities, research-related overhead, clinical trial costs, contracted services, manufacturing, license fees and other external costs. The Company accounts for nonrefundable advance payments for goods and services that will be used in future research and development activities as expenses when the service has been performed or when the goods have been consumed rather than when the payment is made.
Accrued Research and Development Expenses Policy [Policy Text Block]	Accrued research and development expenses
	Clinical trial costs are recorded as a component of research and development expenses. The Company accrues and expenses clinical trial activities performed by third parties based upon estimates of the percentage of work completed of the total work over the life of the individual study in accordance with agreements established with clinical research organizations and clinical trial sites. The Company determines the estimates through discussions with internal clinical personnel and external service providers as to the progress or stage of completion of trials or services and the agreed-upon fee to be paid for such services based on facts and circumstances known to the Company as of each balance sheet date. However, actual costs and timing of clinical trials are highly uncertain, subject to risks and may change depending upon a number of factors, including the Company’s clinical development plan.
	If the actual timing of the performance of services or the level of effort varies from the estimate, the Company will adjust the accrual accordingly. Adjustments to prior period estimates have not been material.
	Examples of estimated accrued research and development expenses include:
		•	fees paid to clinical research organizations in connection with clinical studies;
		•	fees paid to investigative sites in connection with clinical studies;
		•	fees paid to vendors in connection with preclinical development activities;
		•	fees paid to vendors associated with the development of companion diagnostics; and
		•	fees paid to vendors related to product manufacturing, development and distribution of clinical supplies.
	Nonrefundable advance payments for goods and services that will be used or rendered in future research and development activities, are recorded as a prepaid expense and recognized as expense in the period that the related goods are consumed or services are performed.
Stockholders' Equity, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Dividend Policy
	The Company has never declared or paid any cash dividends on its capital shares. The Company intends to retain all available funds and any future earnings to support our operations and finance the growth and development of our business. We do not intend to pay cash dividends on our common shares for the foreseeable future. Any future determination related to our dividend policy will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon, among other factors, our results of operations, financial condition, capital requirements, contractual restrictions, business prospects and other factors our board of directors may deem relevant. In addition, the terms of our existing debt facility prohibit us from paying dividends without the prior written consent of Oxford.
Share-based Compensation, Option and Incentive Plans Policy [Policy Text Block]	Stock-based compensation
	The Company expenses the fair value of employee stock options over the vesting period. Compensation expense is measured using the fair value of the award at the grant date, net of estimated forfeitures, and is adjusted annually to reflect actual forfeitures. The fair value of each stock-based award is estimated using the Black-Scholes pricing model and is expensed using graded amortization over the vesting period.
	The Company accounts for stock options granted to non-employees, which is primarily consultants of the Company, using the fair value approach. Stock options granted to non-employees are subject to revaluation each reporting period over their vesting terms.
	Prior to the Company’s IPO, the Company had issued its stock options with a Canadian dollar denominated exercise price. Subsequent to the Company’s IPO, the Company issues its stock options with a U.S. dollar denominated exercise price.
	Effective November 13, 2013, the Company voluntarily delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange, or TSX. As a result of the delisting from the TSX and the change in the Company’s functional currency to the U.S. dollar, the stock options granted with exercise prices denominated in Canadian dollars are now considered dual indexed as defined in ASC 718, “Compensation, Stock Compensation”. As a result, the Company is required to account for these stock options as a liability. Historically these options had been accounted for as equity. The estimated fair value is determined using the Black-Scholes pricing model based on the estimated value of the underlying common shares at the valuation measurement date, the remaining service period of the stock options, risk-free interest rates, expected dividends and expected volatility of the price of the underlying common shares. As of November 13, 2013, the Company calculated the initial fair value of the vested awards of $163,000. This fair value was initially recorded as a deduction from Contributed Surplus. At each reporting period subsequent to November 13, 2013, the Company adjusts the fair value of the stock-based compensation liability and any corresponding increase or decrease to the stock-based compensation liability will be recorded as an adjustment to Contributed Surplus and/or compensation expense on the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss but in no case will the amount of stock-based compensation expense be less than the original grant date fair value of the stock options.
	The fair value of the stock-based compensation liability was $22,000 and $202,000 at December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively. As the calculated fair value of the stock options at December 31, 2014 was less than the original grant date fair value no additional compensation expense was recorded in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss. The change in the fair value of the stock-based compensation liability of $180,000 for the year ended December 31, 2014 was recorded as an adjustment to Contributed Surplus.
Derivatives, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Common share purchase warrants with exercise prices denominated in Canadian Dollars
	Historically, the Company issued common share warrants in connection with the issuance of common share through private placements with exercise prices denominated in Canadian dollars. Upon the issuance of these warrants, the Company allocated the net proceeds to common share and warrants based on their relative fair values, and calculated the fair value of the issued common share warrants utilizing the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The allocated fair value was then recorded as Common Share Purchase Warrants within shareholders’ equity on the consolidated balance sheet. The fair value was not remeasured in periods subsequent to the date of issuance.
	The change in the functional currency of Sophiris Bio Inc. to the U.S. dollar effective August 16, 2013 effects how the Company accounts for its previously issued warrants which have exercise prices denominated in Canadian dollars, a currency that is not the Company’s functional currency. Upon the change in functional currency, the Company calculated the fair value of its warrants with exercise prices in Canadian dollars as $1.6 million utilizing the Black Scholes pricing model and classified this fair value as a long-term liability in accordance with ASC, 815, “Derivatives and Hedging”. The initial fair value of $1.6 million was deducted from the original fair value calculated on the issuance date of the warrants. The issuance date fair value in excess of the $1.6 million was reclassified to Contributed Surplus. At each reporting period subsequent to August 16, 2013, the Company adjusts the fair value of the warrant liability and any corresponding increase or decrease to the warrant liability is recorded as a component of other income (expense) on the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss. The estimated fair value is determined using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model based on the estimated value of the underlying common shares at the valuation measurement date, the remaining contractual term of the warrants, risk-free interest rates, expected dividends and expected volatility of the price of the underlying common shares.
	On January 31, 2014, the Company and Warburg Pincus Private Equity X, L.P. and Warburg Pincus X Partners, L.P. entered into an Omnibus Amendment to Common Share Purchase Warrants related to Warburg Pincus Private Equity X, L.P.’s and Warburg Pincus X Partners, L.P.’s 769,231 outstanding common share purchase warrants. On February 14, 2014, the Company and Oxford Finance LLC entered into an Omnibus Amendment to Warrants to Purchase Common Shares related to Oxford Finance LLC’s 26,971 outstanding common share purchase warrants. These amendments provided for the following:
	(i)	the amendment of the exercise price and number of shares underlying each of the outstanding common share purchase warrants to reflect the 52-for-1 share consolidation effected by the Company on August 9, 2013; and
	(ii)	the amendment of the existing exercise price which was denominated in Canadian dollars to be restated into U.S. dollars. The agreement stipulates that the conversion of the exercise price will be completed utilizing the exchange rate in effect on the date of the issuance of each warrant.
	As a result of the conversion of the exercise prices from Canadian dollars to U.S. dollars, the Company is no longer required to revalue the fair value of these warrants subsequent to their amendment. Upon the amendment of these common share purchase warrants the Company calculated a fair value on the date of their amendments using the Black-Scholes valuation model. As a result the Company recorded a $4,000 loss in its statement of operations and comprehensive loss which represents the change in the fair value of the common share purchase warrants from January 1, 2014 to the date of their amendments. The Company then reclassified the fair value as of the date of their amendments of $0.8 million for the amended common share purchase warrants from warrant liability to contributed surplus.
	The Company continues to revalue at each reporting period 122,670 common share purchase warrants which continue to have exercise prices denominated in Canadian dollars. These warrants will expire on March 16, 2015 and have an exercise price of CND $33.80.
	At December 31, 2014 and 2013 the warrant liability was revalued at $0 and $0.9 million, respectively and a gain of $49,000 and $0.7 million, respectively was recorded in gain on revaluation of warrant liability in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss. The amounts utilized to calculate the fair value of the warrant liability at December 31, 2014 and 2013 are included in Note 6.
Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Income taxes
	The Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to differences between financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted rates in effect for the year in which these temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. Valuation allowances are provided if, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
	The Company provides reserves for potential payments of tax to various tax authorities related to uncertain tax positions and other issues. Reserves are based on a determination of whether and how much of a tax benefit taken by the Company in its tax filing is more likely than not to be realized following resolution of any potential contingencies present related to the tax benefit. Potential interest and penalties associated with such uncertain tax positions are recorded as components of income tax expense. To date, the Company has not taken any uncertain tax positions or recorded any reserves, interest or penalties.
Segment Reporting, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Segment reporting
	Operating segments are identified as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete financial information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision-maker, or CODM. The Company’s Chief Executive Officer serves as its CODM. The Company views its operations and manages its business as one segment operating primarily in the United States. As of December 31, 2014, all of the Company’s assets were located in the United States of America with the exception of $0.1 million of cash and cash equivalents and $32,000 of other assets which were located in Canada. All of the Company’s property and equipment was located within the United States as of December 31, 2014.
Fair Value Measurement, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Fair value of financial instruments
	The Company measures certain financial assets and liabilities at fair value based on the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid for to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. The carrying amounts of the Company’s financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents and accounts payable and accrued expenses, approximate fair value due to their short maturities.
	The Company follows ASC 820-10, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” which among other things, defines fair value, establishes a consistent framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosure for each major asset and liability category measured at fair value on either a recurring or nonrecurring basis. Fair value is an exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. As a basis for considering such assumptions, a three-tier fair value hierarchy has been established, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value as follows:
	Level 1 – Inputs are unadjusted, quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the measurement date.
	Level 2 – Inputs (other than quoted prices included in Level 1) are either directly or indirectly observable for the asset or liability through correlation with market data at the measurement date and for the duration of the instrument’s anticipated life.
	Level 3 – Inputs reflect management’s best estimate of what market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date. Consideration is given to the risk inherent in the valuation technique and the risk inherent in the inputs to the model.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Recent accounting pronouncements
	In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers”. This guidance is a comprehensive new revenue recognition model that requires a company to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount that reflects the consideration it expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. This guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and early adoption is not permitted. The Company will adopt this guidance on January 1, 2017. Companies may use either a full retrospective or a modified retrospective approach to adopt this guidance. The Company is evaluating which transition approach to use and its impact, if any, on its consolidated financial statements.
	In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern.” The guidance outlines management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern and provides guidance on the related footnote disclosure. The amendments are effective for the annual period ending after December 15, 2016, and for annual periods and interim periods thereafter. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of this guidance on its consolidated financial statement disclosures.

Note_3_Summary_of_Significant_1

Note 3 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Schedule Of Property Plant And Equipment Estimated Useful Life Table [Text Block]	Asset classification	Estimated useful life (in years)
	Equipment		5-Mar
	Computer hardware		3
	Software		5-Mar
	Leasehold improvements		Lesser of useful life or lease term
	Furniture and fixtures		5

Note_4_Net_Loss_per_Common_Sha1

Note 4 - Net Loss per Common Share (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Table Text Block]		For the Years ended December 31,
		2014			2013			2012
	Net loss per share:
	Net loss	$	(30,712	)	$	(11,149	)	$	(21,194	)
	Weighted-average common shares – basic and diluted		16,586			8,029			3,054
	Net loss per share – basic and diluted per share	$	(1.85	)	$	(1.39	)	$	(6.94	)
Schedule of Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Table Text Block]		For the Years Ended December 31,
		2014			2013			2012
	Options to purchase common shares		1,378			1,362			241
	Common share purchase warrants		1,001			919			919

Note_5_Securities_Availablefor1

Note 5 - Securities Available-for-Sale (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities [Table Text Block]		31-Dec-14
		Amortized		Unrealized					Estimated
		Cost		Gain		Loss			Fair Value
	Commercial paper	$	9,098	$	—	$	—		$	9,098
	U.S. government sponsored enterprise securities		6,308		—		—			6,308
	Corporate debt securities		3,166		—		—			3,166
		$	18,572	$	—	$	—		$	18,572
		31-Dec-13
		Amortized		Unrealized					Estimated
		Cost		Gain		Loss			Fair Value
	Commercial paper	$	9,798	$	—	$	—		$	9,798
	U.S. government sponsored enterprise securities		17,007		2		(4	)		17,005
	Corporate debt securities		6,506		2		(1	)		6,507
		$	33,311	$	4	$	(5	)	$	33,310
Investments Classified by Contractual Maturity Date [Table Text Block]		31-Dec-14
		Amortized		Unrealized					Estimated
		Cost		Gain		Loss			Fair Value
	Within one year	$	18,572	$	—	$	—		$	18,572
	After one year		—		—		—			—
		$	18,572	$	—	$	—		$	18,572
		31-Dec-13
		Amortized		Unrealized					Estimated
		Cost		Gain		Loss			Fair Value
	Within one year	$	30,430	$	2	$	(4	)	$	30,428
	After one year		2,881		2		(1	)		2,882
		$	33,311	$	4	$	(5	)	$	33,310

Note_6_Fair_Value_Measurement_1

Note 6 - Fair Value Measurement and Financial Instruments (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Note 6 - Fair Value Measurement and Financial Instruments (Tables) [Line Items]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis [Table Text Block]		December 31,			Level 1			Level 2			Level 3
		2014
	Assets:
	Money market funds	$	99		$	99		$	—		$	—
	Commercial paper		12,398			—			12,398			—
	U.S. government sponsored enterprise securities		6,308			—			6,308			—
	Corporate debt securities		3,166			—			3,166			—
	Total assets	$	21,971		$	99		$	21,872		$	—
	Liabilities:
	Warrant liability	$	—		$	—		$	—		$	—
	Stock-based compensation liability		22			—			—			22
	Total liabilities	$	22		$	—		$	—		$	22
		December 31,			Level 1			Level 2			Level 3
		2013
	Assets:
	Money market funds	$	55		$	55		$	—		$	—
	Commercial paper		23,570			—			23,570			—
	U.S. government sponsored enterprise securities		17,005			—			17,005			—
	Corporate debt securities		6,507			—			6,507			—
	Total assets	$	47,137		$	55		$	47,082		$	—
	Liabilities:
	Warrant liability	$	883		$	—		$	—		$	883
	Stock-based compensation liability		202			—			—			202
	Total liabilities	$	1,085		$	—		$	—		$	1,085
Schedule of Share-based Payment Award, Stock Options, Valuation Assumptions [Table Text Block]		For the Years Ended December 31,
		2014			2013			2012
	Expected Life of the Option Term (years)		3.7			3.9			3.9
	Risk-free interest rate		1.2	%		0.9	%		1.2	%
	Dividend rate		0	%		0	%		0	%
	Volatility		76.2	%		83.8	%		73.9	%
	Forfeiture rate		5.3	%		8.1	%		9	%
Warrant Liability [Member]
Note 6 - Fair Value Measurement and Financial Instruments (Tables) [Line Items]
Schedule of Share-based Payment Award, Stock Options, Valuation Assumptions [Table Text Block]		December 31,
		2014			2013
	Stock price at the end of each reporting period	$	0.54		$	3.7
	Weighted average exercise price	$	29.14		$	25.45
	Risk-free interest rate		0.25	%		0.62	%
	Volatility		425.17	%		115.09	%
	Dividend yield		0	%		0	%
	Expected life in years		0.21			2.51
	Calculated fair value per common share purchase warrant	$	—		$	0.96
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Table Text Block]		For the Years Ended December 31,
		2014			2013
	Liabilities:
	Balance at beginning of period:	$	883		$	—
	Calculation of initial warrant liability fair value		—			1,572
	Reclassification of fair value of warrant liability to equity as a result of the amendment to convert the exercise price of certain warrants from Canadian dollars to U.S. dollars of the underlying common share purchase warrants		(834	)		—
	Change in fair value of warrant liability included in other expense, net		(49	)		(689	)
	Balance at end of period:	$	—		$	883
Stock-based Compensation Liability [Member]
Note 6 - Fair Value Measurement and Financial Instruments (Tables) [Line Items]
Schedule of Share-based Payment Award, Stock Options, Valuation Assumptions [Table Text Block]		December 31,
		2014			2013
	Stock price at the end of each reporting period	$	0.54		$	3.7
	Weighted average exercise price	$	15.83		$	17.66
	Risk-free interest rate		0.88	%		1	%
	Volatility		138.38	%		94.53	%
	Dividend yield		0	%		0	%
	Expected life in years		2.49			3.42
	Calculated fair value per stock option	$	0.1		$	1.17
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Table Text Block]		For the Years Ended December 31,
		2014			2013
	Liabilities:
	Balance at beginning of period	$	202		$	—
	Calculation of initial stock-based compensation liability fair value					163
	Change in fair value of stock-based compensation liability recorded as an adjustment to contributed surplus		(180	)		39
	Balance at end of period:	$	22		$	202

Note_7_Prepaid_Expenses_Tables

Note 7 - Prepaid Expenses (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Prepaid Expenses And Other Assets [Abstract]
Schedule of Prepaid Expense and Other Current Assets [Table Text Block]		December 31,
		2014		2013
	Prepaid insurance	$	280	$	292
	Prepaid research and development expenses		2,506		3,218
	Other prepaid expenses		39		88
		$	2,825	$	3,598

Note_8_Property_and_Equipment_

Note 8 - Property and Equipment (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Table Text Block]		December 31,
		2014			2013
	Equipment	$	5		$	7
	Computer hardware and software		46			44
	Leasehold improvements		155			155
	Furniture and fixtures		72			72
			278			278
	Less: accumulated depreciation		(242	)		(200	)
		$	36		$	78

Note_9_Accrued_Expenses_Tables

Note 9 - Accrued Expenses (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Payables and Accruals [Abstract]
Schedule of Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities [Table Text Block]		December 31,
		2014		2013
	Accrued personnel related costs	$	846	$	1,063
	Accrued interest		48		50
	Accrued research and development expenses		1,279		713
	Other accrued expenses		134		355
		$	2,307	$	2,181

Note_10_Promissory_Notes_Table

Note 10 - Promissory Notes (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Maturities of Long-term Debt [Table Text Block]		Year 1		$	735
		Year 2			1,887
		Year 3			2,074
		Year 4			1,604
		Total		$	6,300
Contractual Interest Expense and Amortization of Debt Issuance Costs and Debt Discount [Table Text Block]			For the Years Ended December 31,
			2014			2013		2012
	Stated interest		$	500		$	840	$	1,325
	Amortization of debt discount			188			380		509
	Amortization of promissory notes issuance costs			38			108		155
			$	726		$	1,328	$	1,989

Note_11_Shareholders_equity_Ta

Note 11 - Shareholders' equity (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]
Summary of Common Shares Reserved for Future Issuance [Table Text Block]		December 31,
		2014		2013		2012
	Common share purchase warrants		1,001		919		919
	Stock options
	Granted and outstanding		1,378		1,362		241
	Reserved for future grants		306		253		74
			2,685		2,534		1,234

Note_12_Common_Share_Purchase_1

Note 12 - Common Share Purchase Warrants (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Common Stock Warrants Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Stockholders' Equity Note, Warrants or Rights [Table Text Block]		Number of		Expiration date
		warrants
		outstanding
			123	16-Mar-15
			289	19-Nov-15
			240	28-Dec-16
			240	28-Mar-17
			27	15-Jul-18
			82	30-Jun-21
			1,001

Note_13_Stockbased_Compensatio1

Note 13 - Stock-based Compensation Plan (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Schedule of Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Table Text Block]		For the Years Ended December 31,
		2014			2013				2012
	Research and development	$	650		$	311			$	148
	General and administrative		1,441			863				528
	Total	$	2,091		$	1,174			$	676
Schedule of Share-based Payment Award, Stock Options, Valuation Assumptions [Table Text Block]		For the Years Ended December 31,
		2014			2013				2012
	Expected Life of the Option Term (years)		3.7			3.9				3.9
	Risk-free interest rate		1.2	%		0.9	%			1.2	%
	Dividend rate		0	%		0	%			0	%
	Volatility		76.2	%		83.8	%			73.9	%
	Forfeiture rate		5.3	%		8.1	%			9	%
Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Stock Options, Activity [Table Text Block]		Options			Weighted			Underlying Exercise Price Currency		Weighted average		Aggregate
		outstanding			average					remaining		intrinsic
					exercise					contractual term		value
					price					(in years)
	Outstanding at January 1, 2012		191		$	30.16		CND			3.2	$	—
	Options granted		102			16.12		CND
	Options expired		(29	)		37.44		CND
	Options forfeited		(23	)		25.48		CND
	Outstanding at December 31, 2012		241		$	23.92		CND			3.5	$	—
	Options granted		71			13		CND
	Options granted		1,114			4.41		US
	Options expired		(14	)		41.02		CND
	Options forfeited		(50	)		27.83		CND
	Outstanding at December 31, 2013		1,362		$	7.1		US			4.5	$	—
	Options granted		87			2.57		US
	Options expired		(5	)		27.16		CND
	Options forfeited		(12	)		29.89		CND
	Options forfeited		(54	)		4.41		US
	Outstanding at December 31, 2014		1,378		$	6.65		US			3.6	$	—
	Vested or expected to vest at December 31, 2014		1,326		$	6.26		US			3.6	$	—
	Exercisable at December 31, 2014		635		$	7.48		US			3.5	$	—

Note_14_License_Agreements_Tab

Note 14 - License Agreements (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Revenue Recognition, Milestone Method [Table Text Block]		Milestone Payments		Milestone Payments Not
		Involving Performance		Involving Performance
		of Company		of Company
		Obligations		Obligations
		(in millions)		(in millions)
	Milestones by Indication
	BPH		—	$	12
	Prostate cancer		—	$	21
	Prostatitis and other diseases of the prostate		—	$	21
	Milestones Not Associated with an Indication
	Gross sale targets		—	$	8
	Regulatory approvals	$	5		—

Note_15_Income_taxes_Tables

Note 15 - Income taxes (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Income before Income Tax, Domestic and Foreign [Table Text Block]		For the Years Ended December 31,
		2014			2013
	United States	$	(2,147	)	$	(1,422	)
	Canada		(28,565	)		(9,227	)
		$	(30,712	)	$	(10,649	)
Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block]		For the Years Ended December 31,
		2014			2013
	Current Tax:
	Canada	$	—		$	500
	US		—			—
	State		—			—
		$	—		$	500
	Deferred Tax:
	Canada	$	—		$	—
	US		—			—
	State		—			—
			—			—
		$	—		$	500
Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Table Text Block]		For the Years Ended December 31,
		2014			2013
	Combined federal and provincial income tax rates		26	%		25.75	%
	Income tax benefit at statutory rates	$	(7,982	)	$	(2,742	)
	State income tax, net of federal benefit		(88	)		(67	)
	Permanent items		34			65
	Tax credits		(1,007	)		(681	)
	Non-deductible stock-based compensation		253			91
	Foreign accrual property income		67			63
	Foreign withholding tax		—			500
	Expired NOLs		299			120
	Return to provision true up		83			—
	Rate differential		(229	)		(116	)
	Rate change		—			(739	)
	Other		152			(61	)
	Revaluation of warrant liability		(13	)		(176	)
	CTA		2,028			1,629
	Change in valuation allowance		6,403			2,614
	Income tax expense	$	—		$	500
Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block]		December 31,
		2014			2013
	Deferred tax assets:
	Net operating loss carryforwards (non-capital losses)	$	24,617		$	17,974
	Scientific research and development		2,294			2,494
	Tax credits		4,151			3,646
	Stock based compensation		1,148			602
	Other, net		367			863
	Share issue costs		1,162			1,728
	Total deferred tax assets, net, before valuation allowance		33,739			27,307
	Valuation allowance		(33,739	)		(27,307	)
	Net deferred tax assets	$	—		$	—
Summary of Operating Loss Carryforwards [Table Text Block]	Expiration date	Canada			U.S. Federal			Total
	2015	$	3,121		$	—		$	3,121
	2026		3,099			—			3,099
	2027		4,578			—			4,578
	2028		5,209			—			5,209
	2029		4,152			—			4,152
	2030		3,819			—			3,819
	2031		11,186			—			11,186
	2032		16,810			—			16,810
	2033		12,529			—			12,529
	2034		29,893			182			30,075
		$	94,396		$	182		$	94,578
Summary of Tax Credit Carryforwards [Table Text Block]	Expiration date	Canada			U.S. Federal			Total
	2015	$	28		$	—		$	28
	2016		72			—			72
	2017		128			—			128
	2018		183			—			183
	2019		177			—			177
	2020		37			—			37
	2021		8			—			8
	2023		30			—			30
	2024		102			—			102
	2025		216			—			216
	2026		209			—			209
	2027		326			—			326
	2028		409			—			409
	2029		517			—			517
	2030		161			—			161
	2031		24			56			80
	2032		—			335			335
	2033		—			249			249
	2034		—			908			908
		$	2,627		$	1,548		$	4,175

Note_16_Commitments_and_Contin1

Note 16 - Commitments and Contingencies (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Future Minimum Rental Payments for Operating Leases [Table Text Block]		Future rent payments
	2015	$	119
	2016		119
	2017		51
	Total	$	289

Note_1_Nature_of_the_Business_

Note 1 - Nature of the Business (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Disclosure Text Block [Abstract]
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	($30,712,000)	($11,149,000)	($21,194,000)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	-26,230,000	-13,206,000	-18,836,000
Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Short-term Investments	$22,700,000	$48,100,000

Note_3_Summary_of_Significant_2

Note 3 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details)

0 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

0 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

Nov. 13, 2013

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2013

Dec. 31, 2012

Jun. 30, 2014

Feb. 14, 2014

Jan. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2011

Dec. 31, 2014

Jan. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2013

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2013

Dec. 31, 2012

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

Warrant [Member]

Warrant [Member]

Warrant [Member]

Warrant [Member]

Warrant [Member]

Other Income (Expense), Net [Member]

Other Income (Expense), Net [Member]

Other Income (Expense), Net [Member]

UNITED STATES

CANADA

Denominated in Canadian Dollars [Member]

USD ($)

USD ($)

USS

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

CAD

Note 3 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) [Line Items]

Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), before Tax

($1,000)

($229,000)

$148,000

$43,000

$269,000

$105,000

Concentration Risk, Credit Risk, Financial Instrument, Maximum Exposure

0

Fair Value of Stock-based Compensation Liability for Stock Options

163,000

22,000

202,000

Change in Fair Value of Stock-based Compensation Liability

-180,000

39,000

Derivative Liability, Noncurrent

0

883,000

1,600,000

900,000

Fair Value Adjustment of Warrants (in Same-Day Dollars)

-49,000

-689,000

1,600,000

Class of Warrant or Right, Outstanding (in Shares)

1,001,000

919,000

919,000

26,971

769,231

122,670

Gain (Loss) on Derivative Instruments, Net, Pretax

-4,000

Reclassification of Fair Value from Warrant Liability to Contributed Surplus

834,000

800,000

Class of Warrant or Right, Exercise Price of Warrants or Rights (in Dollars per share)

$2.19

33.8

Derivative, Gain (Loss) on Derivative, Net

49,000

689,000

49,000

700,000

Number of Operating Segments

1

Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value

4,123,000

14,839,000

9,721,000

23,410,000

100,000

Other Assets

$32,000

Note_3_Summary_of_Significant_3

Note 3 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - Property and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Note 3 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - Property and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives [Line Items]
Property and equipment, estimated useful life	3 years
Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Note 3 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - Property and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives [Line Items]
Property and equipment, estimated useful life	5 years
Computer Equipment [Member]
Note 3 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - Property and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives [Line Items]
Property and equipment, estimated useful life	3 years
Software and Software Development Costs [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Note 3 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - Property and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives [Line Items]
Property and equipment, estimated useful life	3 years
Software and Software Development Costs [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Note 3 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - Property and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives [Line Items]
Property and equipment, estimated useful life	5 years
Leasehold Improvements [Member]
Note 3 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - Property and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives [Line Items]
Leasehold improvements	Lesser of useful life or lease term
Furniture and Fixtures [Member]
Note 3 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - Property and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives [Line Items]
Property and equipment, estimated useful life	5 years

Note_4_Net_Loss_per_Common_Sha2

Note 4 - Net Loss per Common Share (Details) - Basic and Diluted Net Loss per Share (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Net loss per share:
Net loss	($30,712)	($11,149)	($21,194)
Weighted-average common shares – basic and diluted	16,586	8,029	3,054
Net loss per share – basic and diluted per share	($1.85)	($1.39)	($6.94)

Note_4_Net_Loss_per_Common_Sha3

Note 4 - Net Loss per Common Share (Details) - Potentially Dilutive Securities Excluded from Diluted Weighted-average Shares Outstanding	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Equity Option [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Anti-dilutive securities excluded from computation of weighted-average shares outstanding	1,378	1,362	241
Warrant [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Anti-dilutive securities excluded from computation of weighted-average shares outstanding	1,001	919	919

Note_5_Securities_Availablefor2

Note 5 - Securities Available-for-Sale (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments	$0

Note_5_Securities_Availablefor3

Note 5 - Securities Available-for-Sale (Details) - Securities Available-for-Sale (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost	$33,311	$18,572
Unrealized Gain	4
Unrealized Loss	-5
Estimated Fair Value	33,310	18,572
Commercial Paper, Not Included with Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost	9,798	9,098
Estimated Fair Value	9,798	9,098
US Government-sponsored Enterprises Debt Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost	17,007	6,308
Unrealized Gain	2
Unrealized Loss	-4
Estimated Fair Value	17,005	6,308
Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost	6,506	3,166
Unrealized Gain	2
Unrealized Loss	-1
Estimated Fair Value	$6,507	$3,166

Note_5_Securities_Availablefor4

Note 5 - Securities Available-for-Sale (Details) - Amortized Cost and Estimated Fair Value of Securities (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014
Note 5 - Securities Available-for-Sale (Details) - Amortized Cost and Estimated Fair Value of Securities [Line Items]
Amortized cost	$33,311	$18,572
Unrealized Gain	4
Unrealized Loss	-5
Estimated Fair Value	33,310	18,572
Within One Year [Member]
Note 5 - Securities Available-for-Sale (Details) - Amortized Cost and Estimated Fair Value of Securities [Line Items]
Amortized cost	30,430	18,572
Unrealized Gain	2
Unrealized Loss	-4
Estimated Fair Value	30,428	18,572
After One Year [Member]
Note 5 - Securities Available-for-Sale (Details) - Amortized Cost and Estimated Fair Value of Securities [Line Items]
Amortized cost	2,881
Unrealized Gain	2
Unrealized Loss	-1
Estimated Fair Value	$2,882

Note_6_Fair_Value_Measurement_2

Note 6 - Fair Value Measurement and Financial Instruments (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure, Recurring	$21,971	$47,137

Note_6_Fair_Value_Measurement_3

Note 6 - Fair Value Measurement and Financial Instruments (Details) - Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value Measured on a Recurring Basis (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Assets:
Asset Fair Value	$21,971	$47,137
Liabilities:
Liability Fair Value	22	1,085
Warrant Liability [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Liabilities:
Liability Fair Value		883
Warrant Liability [Member]
Liabilities:
Liability Fair Value		883
Stock-based Compensation Liability [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Liabilities:
Liability Fair Value	22	202
Stock-based Compensation Liability [Member]
Liabilities:
Liability Fair Value	22	202
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Assets:
Asset Fair Value	99	55
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Assets:
Asset Fair Value	99	55
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Commercial Paper [Member]
Assets:
Asset Fair Value	12,398	23,570
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | US Government-sponsored Enterprises Debt Securities [Member]
Assets:
Asset Fair Value	6,308	17,005
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Assets:
Asset Fair Value	3,166	6,507
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Assets:
Asset Fair Value	21,872	47,082
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Liabilities:
Liability Fair Value	22	1,085
Money Market Funds [Member]
Assets:
Asset Fair Value	99	55
Commercial Paper [Member]
Assets:
Asset Fair Value	12,398	23,570
US Government-sponsored Enterprises Debt Securities [Member]
Assets:
Asset Fair Value	6,308	17,005
Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Assets:
Asset Fair Value	$3,166	$6,507

Note_6_Fair_Value_Measurement_4

Note 6 - Fair Value Measurement and Financial Instruments (Details) - Fair Value Assumptions, Warrant Liability (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014
Note 6 - Fair Value Measurement and Financial Instruments (Details) - Fair Value Assumptions, Warrant Liability [Line Items]
Stock price at the end of each reporting period (in Dollars per share)	$0.54	$3.70
Calculated fair value per common share purchase warrant (in Dollars per share)			$2.19
Warrant [Member]
Note 6 - Fair Value Measurement and Financial Instruments (Details) - Fair Value Assumptions, Warrant Liability [Line Items]
Weighted average exercise price (in Dollars per share)	$29.14	$25.45
Risk-free interest rate	0.25%	0.62%
Volatility	425.17%	115.09%
Dividend yield	0.00%	0.00%
Expected life in years	76 days	2 years 186 days
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Note 6 - Fair Value Measurement and Financial Instruments (Details) - Fair Value Assumptions, Warrant Liability [Line Items]
Calculated fair value per common share purchase warrant (in Dollars per share)		$0.96

Note_6_Fair_Value_Measurement_5

Note 6 - Fair Value Measurement and Financial Instruments (Details) - Fair Value Reconciliation of Warrant Liability (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Liabilities:
Liabilities, Fair Value	$202
Calculation of initial warrant liability fair value		-1,572
Reclassification of fair value of warrant liability to equity as a result of the amendment to convert the exercise price of certain warrants from Canadian dollars to U.S. dollars of the underlying common share purchase warrants	-834
Liabilities, Fair Value		202
Warrant Liability [Member]
Liabilities:
Liabilities, Fair Value	883
Calculation of initial warrant liability fair value		1,572
Reclassification of fair value of warrant liability to equity as a result of the amendment to convert the exercise price of certain warrants from Canadian dollars to U.S. dollars of the underlying common share purchase warrants	-834
Change in fair value of warrant liability included in other expense, net	-49	-689
Liabilities, Fair Value		$883

Note_6_Fair_Value_Measurement_6

Note 6 - Fair Value Measurement and Financial Instruments (Details) - Fair Value Assumptions, Stock-based Compensation Liability (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Note 6 - Fair Value Measurement and Financial Instruments (Details) - Fair Value Assumptions, Stock-based Compensation Liability [Line Items]
Stock price at the end of each reporting period	$0.54	$3.70
Stock-based Compensation Liability [Member]
Note 6 - Fair Value Measurement and Financial Instruments (Details) - Fair Value Assumptions, Stock-based Compensation Liability [Line Items]
Stock price at the end of each reporting period	$0.54	$3.70
Weighted average exercise price	$15.83	$17.66
Risk-free interest rate	0.88%	1.00%
Volatility	138.38%	94.53%
Dividend yield	0.00%	0.00%
Expected life in years	2 years 178 days	3 years 153 days
Calculated fair value per stock option	$0.10	$1.17

Note_6_Fair_Value_Measurement_7

Note 6 - Fair Value Measurement and Financial Instruments (Details) - Fair Value Reconciliation of Stock-based Compensation Liability (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Liabilities:
Liabilities, Fair Value	$202,000
Calculation of initial stock-based compensation liability fair value		163,000
Change in fair value of stock-based compensation liability recorded as an adjustment to contributed surplus	-180,000	39,000
Liabilities, Fair Value		202,000
Stock-based Compensation Liability [Member]
Liabilities:
Liabilities, Fair Value	202,000
Change in fair value of stock-based compensation liability recorded as an adjustment to contributed surplus	-180,000
Liabilities, Fair Value	$22,000

Note_7_Prepaid_Expenses_Detail

Note 7 - Prepaid Expenses (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Prepaid Expenses And Other Assets [Abstract]
Upfront Fees Included in Prepaid Research and Development Expenses	$2.50	$2.70

Note_7_Prepaid_Expenses_Detail1

Note 7 - Prepaid Expenses (Details) - Components of Prepaid Expenses (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Components of Prepaid Expenses [Abstract]
Prepaid insurance	$280	$292
Prepaid research and development expenses	2,506	3,218
Other prepaid expenses	39	88
	$2,825	$3,598

Note_8_Property_and_Equipment_1

Note 8 - Property and Equipment (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Depreciation	$47,000	$84,000	$82,000

Note_8_Property_and_Equipment_2

Note 8 - Property and Equipment (Details) - Components of Property and Equipment (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and Equipment	$278	$278
Less: accumulated depreciation	-242	-200
	36	78
Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and Equipment	5	7
Computer Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and Equipment	46	44
Leasehold Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and Equipment	155	155
Furniture and Fixtures [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and Equipment	$72	$72

Note_9_Accrued_Expenses_Detail

Note 9 - Accrued Expenses (Details) - Components of Accrued Expenses (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Components of Accrued Expenses [Abstract]
Accrued personnel related costs	$846	$1,063
Accrued interest	48	50
Accrued research and development expenses	1,279	713
Other accrued expenses	134	355
	$2,307	$2,181

Note_10_Promissory_Notes_Detai

Note 10 - Promissory Notes (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 01, 2012	Jul. 15, 2011
Note 10 - Promissory Notes (Details) [Line Items]
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt (in Dollars)	$2,362,000
Class of Warrant or Right, Number of Securities Called by Warrants or Rights (in Shares)		82,192
Class of Warrant or Right, Exercise Price of Warrants or Rights (in Dollars per share)		2.19
Warrants Not Settleable in Cash, Fair Value Disclosure (in Dollars)		100,000
Warrant [Member]
Note 10 - Promissory Notes (Details) [Line Items]
Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate		2.10%
Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Volatility Rate		72.10%
Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Dividend Rate		0.00%
Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Term		7 years
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Promissory Notes [Member]
Note 10 - Promissory Notes (Details) [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Fair Value (in Dollars)	5,900,000
Oxford New Loan [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Note 10 - Promissory Notes (Details) [Line Items]
Prepayment Fee Rate	1.00%
Oxford New Loan [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Note 10 - Promissory Notes (Details) [Line Items]
Prepayment Fee Rate	3.00%
Oxford New Loan [Member]
Note 10 - Promissory Notes (Details) [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount (in Dollars)		6,000,000		15,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		9.50%		9.50%
Additional Fee, Percentage	5.00%		5.00%
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt (in Dollars)	2,400,000
Debt Instrument, Number of Monthly Payments	36
Oxford Loan [Member]
Note 10 - Promissory Notes (Details) [Line Items]
Repayments of Debt (in Dollars)	2,900,000
Payment to Settle Final Payment Due (in Dollars)	$700,000
Promissory Notes [Member]
Note 10 - Promissory Notes (Details) [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage	9.50%

Note_10_Promissory_Notes_Detai1

Note 10 - Promissory Notes (Details) - Future Contractual and Final Fee Payments (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Future Contractual and Final Fee Payments [Abstract]
Year 1	$735
Year 2	1,887
Year 3	2,074
Year 4	1,604
Total	$6,300

Note_10_Promissory_Notes_Detai2

Note 10 - Promissory Notes (Details) - Actual Interest Expense and Amortization of Debt Discount (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Actual Interest Expense and Amortization of Debt Discount [Abstract]
Stated interest	$500	$840	$1,325
Amortization of debt discount	188	380	509
Amortization of promissory notes issuance costs	38	108	155
	$726	$1,328	$1,989

Note_11_Shareholders_equity_De

Note 11 - Shareholders' equity (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	8 Months Ended
	Aug. 23, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	16-May-14	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Note 11 - Shareholders' equity (Details) [Line Items]
Share Price (in Dollars per share)		$0.54		$0.54	$3.70
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock (in Dollars)	$57,000,000
Minimum Price Per Share To Retain Stock Purchase Direction Right (in Dollars per share)		$2
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding		16,844,736		16,844,736	16,149,871
Common Stock, Shares, Issued	13,000,000	16,844,736		16,844,736	16,149,871
Sale of Stock, Price Per Share (in Dollars per share)	$5
Aspire Capital [Member]
Note 11 - Shareholders' equity (Details) [Line Items]
Common Stock, Value, Subscriptions (in Dollars)			15,000,000
Common Stock Purchase Agreement Term			30 months
Development Stage Entities, Stock Issued, Shares, Issued for Noncash Consideration			90,635
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues			604,230
Share Price (in Dollars per share)			$3.31
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock (in Dollars)			1,900,000
Issuance Cost for Purchase Agreement (in Dollars)			100,000
Minimum Price Per Share To Retain Stock Purchase Direction Right (in Dollars per share)				$2
Maximum Number of Common Shares to Be Purchased				100,000
Maximum Amount of Common Shares to Be Purchased, Per Trading Day (in Dollars)				1,000,000
Additional Common Shares To Be Purchased At Reporting Entity's Direction, Value (in Dollars)				$13,000,000

Note_11_Shareholders_equity_De1

Note 11 - Shareholders' equity (Details) - Shares Reserved for Future Issuance	Dec. 31, 2014	Feb. 14, 2014	Jan. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Shares Reserved for Future Issuance [Abstract]
Common share purchase warrants	1,001,000	26,971	769,231	919,000	919,000
Stock options
Granted and outstanding	1,378,000			1,362,000	241,000
Reserved for future grants	306,137			252,529	74,001
	2,685,000			2,534,000	1,234,000

Note_12_Common_Share_Purchase_2

Note 12 - Common Share Purchase Warrants (Details)	Dec. 31, 2014	Feb. 14, 2014	Jan. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
	USD ($)			USD ($)	CAD		Warrant [Member]	Warrant [Member]
							USD ($)	USD ($)
Note 12 - Common Share Purchase Warrants (Details) [Line Items]
Class of Warrant or Right, Outstanding	1,001,000	26,971	769,231	919,000	919,000	919,000
Class Of Warrant Or Right Outstanding Weighted Average Exercise Price	$24.17				27.07
Derivative Liability, Noncurrent (in Dollars)	$0			$883,000			$1,600,000	$900,000

Note_12_Common_Share_Purchase_3

Note 12 - Common Share Purchase Warrants (Details) - Common Share Purchase Warrants Activity	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Feb. 14, 2014	Jan. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Class of Warrant or Right [Line Items]
Number of warrants outstanding	1,001,000	26,971	769,231	919,000	919,000
Warrants 1 [Member]
Class of Warrant or Right [Line Items]
Number of warrants outstanding	123,000
Expiration date	16-Mar-15
Warrants 2 [Member]
Class of Warrant or Right [Line Items]
Number of warrants outstanding	289,000
Expiration date	19-Nov-15
Warrants 3 [Member]
Class of Warrant or Right [Line Items]
Number of warrants outstanding	240,000
Expiration date	28-Dec-16
Warrants 4 [Member]
Class of Warrant or Right [Line Items]
Number of warrants outstanding	240,000
Expiration date	28-Mar-17
Warrants 5 [Member]
Class of Warrant or Right [Line Items]
Number of warrants outstanding	27,000
Expiration date	15-Jul-18
Warrants 6 [Member]
Class of Warrant or Right [Line Items]
Number of warrants outstanding	82,000
Expiration date	30-Jun-21

Note_13_Stockbased_Compensatio2

Note 13 - Stock-based Compensation Plan (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Note 13 - Stock-based Compensation Plan (Details) [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Percentage of Outstanding Stock Maximum	10.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Available for Grant	306,137	252,529	74,001
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options To Purchase Common Stock Issued To Non Employee	0	28,346	0
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized (in Dollars)	$0.70
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition	1 year 36 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value (in Dollars per share)	$1.41	$2.86	$8.84
Minimum [Member] | Director [Member]
Note 13 - Stock-based Compensation Plan (Details) [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period	1 year
Maximum [Member] | Director [Member]
Note 13 - Stock-based Compensation Plan (Details) [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period	3 years
Directors And Employees [Member]
Note 13 - Stock-based Compensation Plan (Details) [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Shares Issued in Period	86,788
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Expiration Period	5 years
Employees [Member]
Note 13 - Stock-based Compensation Plan (Details) [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period	3 years

Note_13_Stockbased_Compensatio3

Note 13 - Stock-based Compensation Plan (Details) - Stock-based Compensation Expense (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense	$2,091	$1,174	$676
Research and Development Expense [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense	650	311	148
General and Administrative Expense [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense	$1,441	$863	$528

Note_13_Stockbased_Compensatio4

Note 13 - Stock-based Compensation Plan (Details) - Fair Value Assumptions of Options Granted (Black Scholes Pricing Model [Member])	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Black Scholes Pricing Model [Member]
Note 13 - Stock-based Compensation Plan (Details) - Fair Value Assumptions of Options Granted [Line Items]
Expected Life of the Option Term (years)	3 years 255 days	3 years 328 days	3 years 328 days
Risk-free interest rate	1.20%	0.90%	1.20%
Dividend rate	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Volatility	76.20%	83.80%	73.90%
Forfeiture rate	5.30%	8.10%	9.00%

Note_13_Stockbased_Compensatio5

Note 13 - Stock-based Compensation Plan (Details) - Stock Option Activity	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified				Canada, Dollars	Canada, Dollars	Canada, Dollars	Canada, Dollars	United States of America, Dollars	United States of America, Dollars
				CAD	CAD	CAD	CAD	USD ($)	USD ($)
Note 13 - Stock-based Compensation Plan (Details) - Stock Option Activity [Line Items]
Options outstanding	1,378	1,362	241			241	191	1,378	1,362
Weighted average exercise price - options outstanding (in Dollars per share)						23.92	30.16	$6.65	$7.10
Weighted average contractual term						3 years 6 months	3 years 73 days	3 years 219 days	4 years 6 months
Options granted					71	102		87	1,114
Weighted average exercise price - options granted (in Dollars per share)					13	16.12		$2.57	$4.41
Options granted					71	102		87	1,114
Weighted average exercise price - options granted (in Dollars per share)					13	16.12		$2.57	$4.41
Options expired				-5	-14	-29
Weighted average exercise price - options expired (in Dollars per share)				27.16	41.02	37.44
Options forfeited				-12	-50	-23		-54
Weighted average exercise price - options forfeited (in Dollars per share)				29.89	27.83	25.48		$4.41
Options forfeited				-12	-50	-23		-54
Options forfeited (in Dollars per share)				29.89	27.83	25.48		$4.41
Options outstanding	1,378	1,362	241			241	191	1,378	1,362
Weighted average exercise price - options outstanding (in Dollars per share)						23.92	30.16	$6.65	$7.10
Weighted average contractual term						3 years 6 months	3 years 73 days	3 years 219 days	4 years 6 months
Vested or expected to vest at December 31, 2014								1,326
Vested or expected to vest at December 31, 2014 (in Dollars per share)								$6.26
Vested or expected to vest at December 31, 2014								3 years 219 days
Exercisable at December 31, 2014								635
Exercisable at December 31, 2014 (in Dollars per share)								$7.48
Exercisable at December 31, 2014								3 years 6 months

Note_14_License_Agreements_Det

Note 14 - License Agreements (Details)

12 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

132 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

1 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

In Millions, unless otherwise specified

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2013

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2004

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Apr. 30, 2010

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2013

USD ($)

Benign Prostate Hyperplasia [Member]

Benign Prostate Hyperplasia [Member]

Benign Prostate Hyperplasia [Member]

Benign Prostate Hyperplasia [Member]

Benign Prostate Hyperplasia [Member]

Benign Prostate Hyperplasia [Member]

Benign Prostate Hyperplasia [Member]

Prostate Cancer [Member]

Prostate Cancer [Member]

Prostate Cancer [Member]

Prostate Cancer [Member]

Prostate Cancer [Member]

Prostate Cancer [Member]

Prostatitis and other Diseases of Prostate [Member]

Prostatitis and other Diseases of Prostate [Member]

Prostatitis and other Diseases of Prostate [Member]

Prostatitis and other Diseases of Prostate [Member]

Milestones not Associated with Indication [Member]

Milestones not Associated with Indication [Member]

Milestones not Associated with Indication [Member]

Minimum [Member]

Maximum [Member]

Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]

Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]

Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]

Regulatory Approvals [Member]

Gross Sale Targets [Member]

Minimum [Member]

Maximum [Member]

Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]

UVIC Industry Partnerships Inc. [Member]

USD ($)

Regulatory Approvals [Member]

Gross Sale Targets [Member]

Development Activities [Member]

Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]

UVIC Industry Partnerships Inc. [Member]

UVIC Industry Partnerships Inc. [Member]

Regulatory Approvals [Member]

Gross Sale Targets [Member]

Development Activities [Member]

Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]

Regulatory Approvals [Member]

Gross Sale Targets [Member]

Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]

Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]

Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]

Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]

UVIC Industry Partnerships Inc. [Member]

UVIC Industry Partnerships Inc. [Member]

USD ($)

CAD

Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]

Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]

Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]

USD ($)

CAD

CAD

Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]

Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]

Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]

USD ($)

Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]

Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

Note 14 - License Agreements (Details) [Line Items]

Upfront Payment Related to Licensing Agreement

$3

Revenue Recognition, Milestone Method, Revenue Recognized

5

5

Non Refundable Milestone Payments Entitled to Receive

7

5

12

7

7

7

21

7

7

7

21

5

8

13

67

Percentage of Royalty Payable under Agreement

20.00%

29.00%

Payments under License Agreements (in Dollars)

1.3

3.6

Percentage Of Consideration In Cash

10.00%

19.00%

Percentage of Consideration in Cash Reduced

25.00%

Milestone Payments

0.1

0.1

0.1

Accrued Royalties

0.4

License Costs

$0.60

Note_14_License_Agreements_Det1

Note 14 - License Agreements (Details) - Summary of Remaining Unpaid Milestone Payments by Indication (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014
Benign Prostate Hyperplasia [Member] | Milestone Payments Not Involving Performance Of Company Obligations [Member] | Milestones By Indication [Member]
Milestones by Indication
Remaining unpaid milestone payments	$12
Prostate Cancer [Member] | Milestone Payments Not Involving Performance Of Company Obligations [Member] | Milestones By Indication [Member]
Milestones by Indication
Remaining unpaid milestone payments	21
Prostatitis and other Diseases of Prostate [Member] | Milestone Payments Not Involving Performance Of Company Obligations [Member] | Milestones By Indication [Member]
Milestones by Indication
Remaining unpaid milestone payments	21
Gross Sale Targets [Member] | Milestone Payments Not Involving Performance Of Company Obligations [Member] | Milestones not Associated with Indication [Member]
Milestones by Indication
Remaining unpaid milestone payments	8
Regulatory Approvals [Member] | Milestone Payments Involving Performance Of Company Obligations [Member] | Milestones not Associated with Indication [Member]
Milestones by Indication
Remaining unpaid milestone payments	$5

Note_15_Income_taxes_Details

Note 15 - Income taxes (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Note 15 - Income taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Income Tax Reconciliation, Foreign Withholding Taxes		$500,000
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Increase (Decrease), Amount	6,400,000	5,100,000
Operating Loss Carryforwards	94,578,000
Tax Credit Carryforward, Amount	4,175,000
Threshold Percentage of Cumulative Change in Ownership	50.00%
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Expense	0	0
Unrecognized Tax Benefits	0	0
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]
Note 15 - Income taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Operating Loss Carryforwards	200,000
CANADA
Note 15 - Income taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Tax Credit, Foreign, Amount	500,000
California [Member[ | Research Tax Credit Carryforward [Member]
Note 15 - Income taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Tax Credit Carryforward, Amount	200,000
Kissei Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. [Member]
Note 15 - Income taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Revenue Recognition, Milestone Method, Revenue Recognized	5,000,000	5,000,000
Effective Income Tax Rate, Foreign Tax Withholding	10.00%
Income Tax Reconciliation, Foreign Withholding Taxes	$500,000

Note_15_Income_taxes_Details_C

Note 15 - Income taxes (Details) - Component of Loss Before Provision for Income Taxes (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Component of Loss Before Provision for Income Taxes [Abstract]
United States	($2,147)	($1,422)
Canada	-28,565	-9,227
	($30,712)	($10,649)	($21,194)

Note_15_Income_taxes_Details_C1

Note 15 - Income taxes (Details) - Components of Provision for Income Taxes from Continuing Operations (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013
Components of Provision for Income Taxes from Continuing Operations [Abstract]
Canada	$500
	500
	$500

Note_15_Income_taxes_Details_R

Note 15 - Income taxes (Details) - Reconciliation of Income Taxes to Amount Computed by Applying Statutory Federal Income Tax Rate to Net Loss (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Reconciliation of Income Taxes to Amount Computed by Applying Statutory Federal Income Tax Rate to Net Loss [Abstract]
Combined federal and provincial income tax rates	26.00%	25.75%
Income tax benefit at statutory rates	($7,982)	($2,742)
State income tax, net of federal benefit	-88	-67
Permanent items	34	65
Tax credits	-1,007	-681
Non-deductible stock-based compensation	253	91
Foreign accrual property income	67	63
Foreign withholding tax		500
Expired NOLs	299	120
Return to provision true up	83
Rate differential	-229	-116
Rate change		-739
Other	152	-61
Revaluation of warrant liability	-13	-176
CTA	2,028	1,629
Change in valuation allowance	6,403	2,614
Income tax expense		$500

Note_15_Income_taxes_Details_S

Note 15 - Income taxes (Details) - Summary of Significant Components of Deferred Tax Assets (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Summary of Significant Components of Deferred Tax Assets [Abstract]
Net operating loss carryforwards (non-capital losses)	$24,617	$17,974
Scientific research and development	2,294	2,494
Tax credits	4,151	3,646
Stock based compensation	1,148	602
Other, net	367	863
Share issue costs	1,162	1,728
Total deferred tax assets, net, before valuation allowance	33,739	27,307
Valuation allowance	-33,739	-27,307
Net deferred tax assets	$0	$0

Note_15_Income_taxes_Details_L

Note 15 - Income taxes (Details) - Losses Expected to Expire (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	$94,578
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Fifteen [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	3,121
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Six [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	3,099
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Seven [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	4,578
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Eight [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	5,209
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Nine [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	4,152
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Thirty [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	3,819
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Thirty One [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	11,186
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Thirty Two [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	16,810
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand and Thirty Three [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	12,529
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand and Thirty Four [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	29,893
Foreign Tax Authority [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	94,396
Domestic Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand and Thirty Four [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	182
Domestic Tax Authority [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	182
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Fifteen [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	3,121
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Six [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	3,099
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Seven [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	4,578
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Eight [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	5,209
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Nine [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	4,152
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Thirty [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	3,819
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Thirty One [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	11,186
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Thirty Two [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	16,810
Expiration Date Two Thousand and Thirty Three [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	12,529
Expiration Date Two Thousand and Thirty Four [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income tax losses expected to reduce future taxable income	$30,075

Note_15_Income_taxes_Details_I

Note 15 - Income taxes (Details) - Investment Tax Credits and Research and Development Tax Credits Expiration (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	$4,175
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Fifteen [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	28
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Sixteen [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	72
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Seventeen [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	128
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Eighteen [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	183
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Nineteen [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	177
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	37
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty One [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	8
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Three [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	30
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Four [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	102
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Five [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	216
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Six [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	209
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Seven [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	326
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Eight [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	409
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Nine [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	517
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Thirty [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	161
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Thirty One [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	24
Foreign Tax Authority [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	2,627
Domestic Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Thirty One [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	56
Domestic Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand And Thirty Two [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	335
Domestic Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand and Thirty Three [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	249
Domestic Tax Authority [Member] | Expiration Date Two Thousand and Thirty Four [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	908
Domestic Tax Authority [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	1,548
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Fifteen [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	28
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Sixteen [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	72
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Seventeen [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	128
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Eighteen [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	183
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Nineteen [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	177
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	37
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty One [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	8
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Three [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	30
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Four [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	102
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Five [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	216
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Six [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	209
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Seven [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	326
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Eight [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	409
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Twenty Nine [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	517
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Thirty [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	161
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Thirty One [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	80
Expiration Date Two Thousand And Thirty Two [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	335
Expiration Date Two Thousand and Thirty Three [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	249
Expiration Date Two Thousand and Thirty Four [Member]
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Investment tax credits	$908

Note_16_Commitments_and_Contin2

Note 16 - Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Note 16 - Commitments and Contingencies (Details) [Line Items]
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Net	$100,000	$100,000	$200,000
Purchase Commitment Estimated Penalties	100,000
Research and Development Expense	24,708,000	10,279,000	13,523,000
Manufacturing Contract [Member]
Note 16 - Commitments and Contingencies (Details) [Line Items]
Research and Development Expense	3,400,000	2,800,000	4,500,000
CALIFORNIA
Note 16 - Commitments and Contingencies (Details) [Line Items]
Operating Leases, Rent Expense	$8,729

Note_16_Commitments_and_Contin3

Note 16 - Commitments and Contingencies (Details) - Future Minimum Lease Payments under Non-Cancelable Operating Leases (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Future Minimum Lease Payments under Non-Cancelable Operating Leases [Abstract]
2015	$119
2016	119
2017	51
Total	$289

Note_17_401k_Plan_Details

Note 17 - 401(k) Plan (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]
Defined Contribution Plan, Employer Matching Contribution, Percent of Employees' Gross Pay	4.00%
Defined Contribution Plan, Cost Recognized	$0.10	$0.10	$0.10

Note_18_Subsequent_Events_Deta

Note 18 - Subsequent Events (Details) (Subsequent Event [Member], USD $)	0 Months Ended
	Jan. 29, 2015
Subsequent Event [Member]
Note 18 - Subsequent Events (Details) [Line Items]
NASDAQ Listing Requirement, Minimum Stock Price (in Dollars per share)	$1
undefined	30 years
NASDAQ Listing Requirement to Regain Compliance, Grace Period	180 years
NASDAQ Listing Requirement to Regain Compliance, Minimum Stock Price (in Dollars per share)	$1
NASDAQ Listing Requirement to Regain Compliance, Number of Constructive Business Day	10 years