INCOME TAXES (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2012	Aug. 31, 2011	Aug. 31, 2010
Provision for income tax and effective tax rate reconciliation [Abstract]
Federal tax (benefit) at statutory rate	$ (13,111,000)	$ (12,679,000)	$ (6,391,000)
State tax (benefit) at statutory rate, net of federal tax benefit	(1,069,000)	(2,248,000)	(953,000)
Change in valuation allowance	4,775,000	19,279,000	6,068,000
Research and development credits	(1,033,000)	(1,831,000)	(708,000)
Fair market value of warrants	1,079,000	5,542,000	2,004,000
Qualified Therapeutic Discovery Project Grant income	0	(297,000)	0
Intangible asset basis allocation	2,951,000	(8,632,000)	(20,000)
Stock based compensation - ISO	1,525,000	493,000	2,000
Foreign losses not benefited	3,848,000	0	0
Other	1,035,000	373,000	(2,000)
Provision for income taxes	0	0	0
Federal tax (benefit) at statutory rate (in hundredths)	(34.00%)	(34.00%)	(34.00%)
State tax (benefit) at statutory rate, net of federal tax benefit (in hundredths)	(2.77%)	(6.03%)	(5.07%)
Change in valuation allowance (in hundredths)	12.38%	51.70%	32.28%
Research and development credits (in hundredths)	(2.68%)	(4.91%)	(3.77%)
Fair market value of warrants (in hundredths)	2.80%	14.86%	10.66%
Qualified Therapeutic Discovery Project Grant income (in hundredths)	0.00%	(0.80%)	0.00%
Intangible asset basis allocation (in hundredths)	7.66%	(23.15%)	(0.11%)
Stock based compensation - ISO (in hundredths)	3.96%	1.32%	0.01%
Foreign losses not benefited (in hundredths)	9.98%	0.00%	0.00%
Other (in hundredths)	2.67%	1.01%	0.00%
Provision for income taxes (in hundredths)	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Deferred Tax Assets
Net operating loss carryforwards	18,075,000	14,940,000
Capitalized start-up costs	8,946,000	6,636,000
Stock option expense	462,000	462,000
Research credit	7,873,000	6,275,000
Basis difference for fixed assets and intangibles	5,766,000	7,560,000
Accruals	105,000	138,000
Other	(441,000)	0
Valuation allowance	(40,786,000)	(36,011,000)
Gross deferred tax asset	0	0
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions	0
Unrecognized tax benefits	0
Liability related to uncertain tax positions	0
Federal [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforwards	43,200,000
Expiration date for operating loss carryforwards	2022
Research and development credits	7,500,000
Expiration date for research and development credits	2026
State [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforwards	54,600,000
Expiration date for operating loss carryforwards	2016
Research and development credits	$ 600,000
Expiration date for research and development credits	no expiration