Preferred Stock - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands					12 Months Ended
	Sep. 15, 2015	Mar. 12, 2014	Dec. 23, 2013	Mar. 19, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013
Temporary Equity [Line Items]
Preferred stock, shares authorized		5,000,000			5,000,000	5,000,000
Preferred stock, par value		$ 0.000001			$ 0.000001	$ 0.000001
Preferred stock, shares issued					0	0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding					0	0
Issuance costs							$ 224
Conversion basis for reverse stock split					The Company effected a 1-for-19.2 reverse stock split.
Accrued tax payable on preferred stock						$ 1,797
Derivative liability for redemption option on preferred stock						$ 800
Total number of shares authorized		55,000,000
Common stock, shares authorized		50,000,000			50,000,000	50,000,000
Common stock, par value		$ 0.000001			$ 0.000001	$ 0.000001
Warrants To Purchase Preferred Stock [Member]
Temporary Equity [Line Items]
Number of warrants issued to purchase shares								17,671
Common Stock [Member]
Temporary Equity [Line Items]
Stock issue price	$ 15.50
Convertible preferred stock issued	6,325,000				6,325,000	4,830,000
Shares issued upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock		5,543,515
Series A Preferred Stock [Member]
Temporary Equity [Line Items]
Preferred stock, shares outstanding		1,453,891
Shares issued upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock		791,016
Series B Preferred Stock [Member]
Temporary Equity [Line Items]
Preferred stock, shares outstanding		2,367,414
Shares issued upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock		793,617
Series C Preferred Stock [Member]
Temporary Equity [Line Items]
Preferred stock, shares outstanding		1,722,210
Convertible preferred stock				1,325,753
Stock issue price				$ 10.56
Proceeds from issuance of convertible preferred stock				$ 14,000
Issuance costs				$ 174
Redemption date					Mar. 19, 2018
Warrants exercisable			17,671
Number of shares issued for purchase of warrants			17,671
Shares issued upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock		378,786
Exchangeable Preferred Shares [Member]
Temporary Equity [Line Items]
Redeemable preferred stock, shares converted		5,543,515
Series C Aquinox USA Special Voting Stock [Member]
Temporary Equity [Line Items]
Convertible preferred stock issued				378,786
Series C AQXP Canada Special Voting Stock [Member]
Temporary Equity [Line Items]
Convertible preferred stock issued				1,325,753			378,786
Aquinox Pharmaceuticals (Canada) Inc. [Member]
Temporary Equity [Line Items]
Ownership percentage					100.00%
Aquinox Pharmaceuticals (Canada) Inc. [Member] | Exchangeable Common Stock [Member]
Temporary Equity [Line Items]
Redeemable preferred stock, shares converted		301,745
Aquinox Pharmaceuticals (Canada) Inc. [Member] | Series A Exchangeable Preferred Shares [Member]
Temporary Equity [Line Items]
Redeemable preferred stock, shares converted		791,016
Aquinox Pharmaceuticals (Canada) Inc. [Member] | Series B Exchangeable Preferred Shares [Member]
Temporary Equity [Line Items]
Redeemable preferred stock, shares converted		793,617
Aquinox Pharmaceuticals (Canada) Inc. [Member] | Series C Exchangeable Preferred Shares [Member]
Temporary Equity [Line Items]
Convertible preferred stock				378,786
Stock issue price				$ 10.56
Proceeds from issuance of convertible preferred stock				$ 4,000
Issuance costs				$ 50
Redemption date					Mar. 19, 2018
Redeemable preferred stock, shares converted		378,786