Common Stock Equity Components [Axis] Additional Paid-In Capital Accumulated Other Comprehensive loss Deficit Accumulated During Development Stage Level 1 Measurement Frequency [Axis] Level 2 Level 3 -10% Change in Stock Price Series A 2009 Warrants Weighted Average Stock Price Series A 2009 Warrants + 10% change in stock price Series A 2009 Warrants -10% change in stock price Class of Warrant or Right [Axis] Series A 2009 Warrants Weighted Average Stock Price +10% change in stock price -10% change in volatility Series A 2009 Warrants Weighted Average Volatility +10% change in volatility -10% Change in Stock Price Weighted Average Stock Price +10% Change in Stock Price -10% Change in Volatility Weighted Average Volatility +10% Change in Volatility Operating Lease Purchase Commitment, Excluding Long-term Commitment [Axis] Research and Development and Purchase Commitments December 2009 Equity Financing Series A August 2010 Private Placement Investors And Placement Agent Value Balance Sheet Location [Axis] Percentage Encode Merger Placement Agents May And June 2008 Placement Agents August 2009 Torrey Pines Warrants Registered Direct Investorss Dec 2009 Private Placement Investors Aug 2010 Placement Agent Aug 2010 Option 1 Option Indexed to Issuer's Equity, Type [Axis] Option 2 $0 to $1.00 $1.01 to $2.00 $2.01 to $3.00 $3.01 to $4.00 $4.01 to $5.00 $5.01 to $6.00 $6.01 to $7.00 $7.01 to $8.00 $8.01 to $964.24 Options outstanding and expected to vest Options Exercisable Outstanding, Beginning Granted Exercised Outstanding, Ending Document And Entity Information Entity Registrant Name Entity Central Index Key Current Fiscal Year End Date Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer Entity Voluntary Filers Entity Current Reporting Status Entity Filer Category Entity Public Float Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding Document Fiscal Year Focus Document Fiscal Period Focus Document Type Amendment Flag Document Period End Date Statement of Financial Position [Abstract] ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents Restricted cash Short-term Investments Prepaid expenses and other Total current assets Intangible assets, net Goodwill Fixed assets, net Deposits Deferred offering costs Debt issuance costs Total assets LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Liabilities Current liabilities: Accounts payable Accrued liabilities Common Stock Warrant Liability Deferred rent Capital lease liability - current Total current liabilities Capital lease liability - long-term Total liabilities Commitments and contingencies-See Note 7 Stockholders' equity: Preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share, 15,000 shares authorized, zero shares issued and outstanding Common stock, $0.001 par value per share, 15,000 shares authorized 52,098 and 50,568 shares issued and outstanding as at November 30, 2012 and August 31, 2012, respectively Additional paid-in capital Accumulated other comprehensive loss Deficit accumulated during development stage Total stockholders' equity Total liabilities and stockholders' equity Stockholders' Deficit Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share) Preferred stock, shares authorized (in shares) Preferred stock, shares issued (in shares) Preferred stock, shares outstanding (in shares) Common stock, par value (in dollars per share) Common stock, shares authorized (in shares) Common stock issued (in shares) Common stock, shares outstanding (in shares) Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract] Revenues: Operating expenses: General and administrative Research and development Total operating expenses Loss from operations Interest income Interest expense Foreign currency transaction gain Realized gain on short-term investments Unrealized gain (loss) on short-term investments Adjustment to fair value of common stock warrants Net loss Other comprehensive loss Foreign currency translation adjustment Comprehensive loss Net loss per share: Basic and diluted (in dollars per share) Weighted average shares outstanding used to compute: Basic and diluted (in shares) Cash flows from operating activities: Net loss Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: Employee stock-based compensation expense Consultant stock-based compensation expense Fair value adjustment of common stock warrants Amortization of intangible assets Depreciation of fixed assets Unrealized gain (loss) on short-term investments Write-off of intangible assets and other intellectual property Amortization of capitalized finder's fee Capitalized acquisition costs previously expensed Changes in assets and liabilities: Prepaid expenses and other Intangible assets Deposits Accounts payable Accrued liabilities Deferred rent Net cash used in operating activities Cash flows from investing activities: Purchase of fixed assets Cash acquired in 2009 Merger Decrease in restricted cash Purchase of short-term investments Sale of short-term investments Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities Cash flows from financing activities: Proceeds from the sale of common stock Proceeds from the sale of common stock under an equity line Proceeds from the sale of common stock under an ATM agreement Proceeds from the exercise of common stock warrants Proceeds from the exercise of common stock options Fundraising costs Debt issuance costs Deferred offering costs Proceeds from the sale of common stock to initial investors Proceeds from bridge loan Repayment of bridge loan Additions and payments on capital lease Net cash provided by financing activities Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period Cash and cash equivalents, end of period Supplemental cash flow information: Interest Paid Supplemental disclosure of non-cash financing activities: Warrants issued in connection with financings Initial fair value of warrants issued to placement agents in connection with financings Common stock and warrants issued in connection with reverse merger Common stock issued as fee for equity line Fair value of warrant liability reclassified to equity upon exercise Acquisition of equipment in exchange for capital lease Notes receivable issued in exchange for common stock Common stock issued for a finder's fee Common stock issued in asset purchase Statement [Table] Statement [Line Items] Beginning Balance, Shares Beginning Balance, Amount Exercise of common stock warrants, Shares Exercise of common stock warrants, Amount Exercise of common stock options, Shares Exercise of common stock options, Amount Employee stock-based compensation expense Consultant stock-based compensation expense Reclassification of the fair value of warrant liabilities upon exercise Issuance of common stock under an at-the-market sales agreement, net of commissions totaling $214, Shares Issuance of common stock under an at-the-market sales agreement, net of commissions totaling $214, Amount Foreign currency translation loss Ending Balance, Shares Ending Balance, Amount Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract] INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND GOODWILL Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract] FIXED ASSETS Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract] CAPITAL STRUCTURE Payables and Accruals [Abstract] ACCRUED LIABILITIES Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract] STOCK OPTION PLANS Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Subsequent Events [Abstract] SUBSEQUENT EVENTS Description Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies Policies Basis of Presentation Use of Estimates Functional Currency Fair Value of Financial Instruments Cash and Cash Equivalents Short-term Investments Intangible Assets Goodwill Fixed Assets Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Common Stock Warrant Liabilities Income Taxes Research and Development Net Loss per Share Comprehensive Loss Stock Option Plan Description Of Business And Significant Accounting Policiestables Short-term investments Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis Potentially dilutive securities Intangible Assets And Goodwill Tables Summary of intangibles acquired Actual and estimated amortization expense for intangible assets Fixed Assets Tables Fixed assets Capital Structure Tables Number of outstanding common stock warrants Assumptions for fair value of the warrants Activity of the warrant liabilities Accrued Liabilities Tables Accrued liabilities Stock Option Plans Tables Stock based compensation expense Equity incentive plan Weighted average intrinsic values of stock options Options outstanding and exercisable Description Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies Details Short-term duration government fund Total short-term investments Assets Fair value of cash equivalents Restricted cash Short-term investments Total Fair value of common stock warrants Total Description Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies Details 2 Warrants to purchase common stock Options to purchase common stock Total potentially dilutive securities Intangible Assets And Goodwill Details Intangible asset (IP license for RP103/RP104) related to the Encode merger Intangible assets (out-license) related to the 2009 Merger In-process research and development (IP license for tezampanel) related to the 2009 Merger Total intangible assets Less accumulated amortization Intangible assets, net Intangible Assets And Goodwill Details 1 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Fixed Assets Details Leasehold improvements Office furniture Laboratory equipment Computer hardware and software Capital lease equipment Total at cost Less: accumulated depreciation Total fixed assets, net Number of shares exercisable Exercise Price Expiration date, min Expiration date, max Fair value Black-Scholes inputs: Stock price Exercise price Risk free interest rate Volatility Expected term (years) Dividend Capital Structure Details 2 Fair value of December 2009 direct offering warrants (including placement agent warrants) at beginning of the fiscal years December 2009 direct offering warrants exercised Adjustment to mark to market common stock warrants December 2009 direct offering common stock warrant liability at fair value at November 30, 2012 and 2011 Fair value of August 2010 private placement warrants (including broker warrants) at beginning of the fiscal years August 2010 private placement warrants exercised Adjustment to mark to market common stock warrants August 2010 private placement common stock warrant liability at fair value at November 30, 2012 and 2011 Total warrant liability at November 30, 2012 and 2011 Accrued Liabilities Detials Clinical trial and related costs Pre-commercial and other consulting Accrued vacation and employee benefits Accrued bonuses Legal and patent fees Salaries and wages Auditing and tax preparation fees Other Total accrued liabilities Period Risk-free interest rate Expected life of stock option Annual volatility Option Shares Weighted-average exercise price Exercisable Weighted average fair value of option granted Intrinsic value Number of options Options Outstanding Number of options outstanding and expected to vest Weighted-average remaining contractual life Options vested and exercisable Number of options exercisable Weighted-average exercise price Description Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies Details Narrative Accumulated losses Intangible Assets And Goodwill Details Narrative Amortization of intangible assets to reasearch and development expense Fixed Assets Details Narrative Depreciation expense Accumulated depreciation Capital Structure Details Narrative Mark-to-Market warrant liability Assets, Current Assets Liabilities, Current Liabilities [Default Label] Development Stage Enterprise, Deficit Accumulated During Development Stage Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent Liabilities and Equity Interest Expense Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent UnrealizedGainLossOnShorttermInvestments Increase (Decrease) in Prepaid Expense and Other Assets Increase (Decrease) in Deposit Assets Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Payable Increase (Decrease) in Accrued Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInDeferredRent Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities Payments to Acquire Productive Assets Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash Payments to Acquire Short-term Investments Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities Payment of Financing and Stock Issuance Costs DebtIssuanceCosts2 PaymentOfDeferredOfferingCosts RepaymentOfBridgeLoan Repayments of Debt and Capital Lease Obligations Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities Shares, Issued Stock Issued During Period, Value, Share-based Compensation, Net of Forfeitures ConsultantStockbasedCompensationExpense1 ShorttermInvestments1 Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Goodwill, Policy [Policy Text Block] Schedule of Accrued Liabilities [Table Text Block] Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents ShorttermInvestments2 Total [Default Label] Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net AdjustmentToMarkToMarketCommonStockWarrants1 WeightedaverageExercisePrice1 Adjustment to Fair Value of Common Stock Warrants Consultant stock based compensation expense Increase decrease in deferred rent Proceeds from the Sale of Common Stock Under an Equity Line Proceeds From Issuance Of Common Stock Under At The Market Agreement Payment of deferred offering costs Proceeds from bridge loan Repayment of bridge loan Warrants issued in connection with financings Initial fair value of warrants issued to placement agents in connection with financings Common stock and warrants issued in connection with reverse merger Common stock issued as fee for equity line Fair value of warrant liability reclassified to equity upon exercise Common stock issued for a finder's fee Schedule of potentially dilutive securities [Table Text Block] Schedule Of Actual and Estimated Amortization Expense [Table Text Block] Schedule of warrant activity [Table Text Block] Schedule Of Assumptions For Fair Value of Warrants [Table Text Block]