Financial instruments - Fair Value of Financial Instruments Measured At Fair Value on a Recurring Basis (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	$ 33,024	$ 34,956
Long-term investments	38,623	38,458
Bank loan warrant derivative liabilities	(74)	(124)
Fair Value of Financial instruments	71,573	73,290
U.S. Treasury Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	33,024	32,953
Long-term investments	38,623	38,458
U.S. Government Agency Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments		2,003
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value of Financial instruments	71,647	73,414
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | U.S. Treasury Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	33,024	32,953
Long-term investments	38,623	38,458
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | U.S. Government Agency Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments		2,003
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Bank loan warrant derivative liabilities	(74)	(124)
Fair Value of Financial instruments	$ (74)	$ (124)