EQUITY PLANS AND SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION - Share-based compensation cost by line item and award type (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Share-based compensation cost	$ 79,737	$ 217,838
Stock options [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Share-based compensation cost	53,408	95,384
Restricted stock units and awards [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Share-based compensation cost	26,329	122,454
Research and development [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Share-based compensation cost	16,611	45,689
Selling, general, administrative [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Share-based compensation cost	$ 63,126	$ 172,149