Cost of generating revenue from multiple-deliverable arrangements that include licensing fees and maintenance revenue. Licensing revenue is consideration received from another party for the right to use, but not own, certain of the entity's intangible assets. Licensing arrangements include, but are not limited to, rights to use a patent, copyright, technology, manufacturing process, software or trademark. Licensing fees are generally, but not always, fixed as to amount and not dependent upon the revenue generated by the licensing party. An entity may receive licensing fees for licenses that also generate royalty payments to the entity. Maintenance revenue is derived from maintenance services provided under contracts or arrangements with clients. Services may include the maintenance of software, plant and equipment, and facilities.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.2(d))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688

Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		109 Months Ended	9 Months Ended				12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	24 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012 Solasia [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Solasia [Member] Development-Based Milestones [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Solasia [Member] Sales-Based Milestones [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Harmon Hill LLC [Member] Collaboration Agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Harmon Hill LLC [Member] Collaboration Agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Harmon Hill LLC [Member] Collaboration Agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Harmon Hill LLC [Member] Collaboration Agreement [Member]	Apr. 08, 2008 Harmon Hill LLC [Member] Collaboration Agreement [Member] Upon the dosing of the first patient	Apr. 08, 2008 Harmon Hill LLC [Member] Monthly Payment [Member] Collaboration Agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2004 DEKK Tec Inc [Member]	Oct. 15, 2004 DEKK Tec Inc [Member]	Dec. 31, 2006 DEKK Tec Inc [Member] Upon the dosing of the first patient	Dec. 31, 2010 DEKK Tec Inc [Member] Phase 3	Mar. 16, 2010 DEKK Tec Inc [Member] Upon receiving a United States Patent for palifosfamide	Oct. 15, 2004 DEKK Tec Inc [Member] Up Front Payment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Intrexon Corporation [Member]	Jan. 06, 2011 Intrexon Corporation [Member] Quarterly Payment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Southern Research Institute [Member]	Dec. 21, 2006 Southern Research Institute [Member] Execution Agreement	Dec. 21, 2006 Southern Research Institute [Member] Maximum [Member]	Aug. 24, 2004 The University Of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center And The Texas A& M University System [Member]	Dec. 31, 2007 The University Of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center And The Texas A& M University System [Member]	Dec. 31, 2004 The University Of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center And The Texas A& M University System [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 The University Of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center And The Texas A& M University System [Member]	Dec. 31, 2005 The University Of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center And The Texas A& M University System [Member] Upon the commencement of Phase 1 clinical trial	Dec. 31, 2006 The University Of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center And The Texas A& M University System [Member] Upon the dosing of the first patient	Dec. 31, 2005 The University Of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center And The Texas A& M University System [Member] Upon the filing of an Investigation New Drug application (IND) for darinaparsin	Dec. 31, 2007 The University Of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center And The Texas A& M University System [Member] Upon the completion of dosing of the last patient for both Phase 1 clinical trials	Sep. 30, 2012 The University Of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center And The Texas A& M University System [Member] Upon enrollment of the first patient in a multi-center pivotal clinical trial	Dec. 31, 2004 The University Of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center And The Texas A& M University System [Member] Up Front Payment [Member]	Nov. 03, 2006 Baxter Healthcare Corporation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2007 Baxter Healthcare Corporation [Member] Upon the successful U.S. IND application for indibulin	Nov. 03, 2006 Baxter Healthcare Corporation [Member] Assets [Member]	Nov. 03, 2006 Baxter Healthcare Corporation [Member] Inventories [Member]	Nov. 03, 2006 Baxter Healthcare Corporation [Member] Royalty Payments [Member]	Jan. 29, 2010 PPD Development L. P. [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 PPD Development L. P. [Member] Upon initial clinical study enrollment	Sep. 30, 2011 PPD Development L. P. [Member] Upon initial clinical study enrollment	Dec. 31, 2011 PPD Development L. P. [Member] Upon initial clinical study enrollment	Dec. 13, 2011 Pharmaceutical Research Associates Inc [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Pharmaceutical Research Associates Inc [Member] Execution of letter of intent	Sep. 30, 2012 Pharmaceutical Research Associates Inc [Member] Upon execution of extensions of the foregoing letter of intent
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of products																										2
Licensing fee																				$ 50,000															$ 125,000
Shares of common stock granted	76,300	509,000	508,700	1,600,000																								250,487
Option to purchase common stock															27,616													50,222
Sale of stock ,price per share															$ 0.02													$ 0.002
Shares vested															6,904			6,904														12,555	25,111
Stock based compensation expenses	1,191,000	586,000	3,482,000	1,900,000	18,783,000																						120,000
Shares expected to vest																																		12,556
Milestone payment																	100,000	300,000	100,000											100,000	250,000						625,000					3,900,000	3,100,000	4,000,000		500,000	4,500,000
Milestone maximum payment																4,000,000							775,000						4,500,000											8,000,000	23,000,000				19,700,000
Research expenses	16,215,000	10,667,000	48,464,000	44,433,000	177,363,000																			25,000	200,000
Annual royalty payments																							25,000
Asset Purchase Agreement, additional cash payment for inventory																																						1,100,000	100,000
Annual patent and license prosecution/maintenance fee																																				15,000
Percent of company net profit									1.00%													50.00%
Percentage of revenue agreed to pay which is obtained from sublicensor																						50.00%
Contract termination description																					Our obligation to pay 50% of net profits or revenue described above with respect to these "retained" products will survive termination of the Channel Agreement.
Other expense									180,000	240,000	240,000	240,000
Payment for consulting services fee													500,000	20,000
Upfront payment received						5,000,000
Expected Additional milestone payments to be received							$ 32,500,000	$ 53,500,000