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License and patent agreements - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2016 CAD ($)	Jun. 30, 2014 shares	Aug. 31, 2009 CAD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2019 CAD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 CAD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 CAD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 CAD ($)
License and patent agreements [Line Items]
Amount of development milestones payment				$ 800
Cumulative net sales of licensed products						$ 25,000
SHIP1 Enzyme and Screening of Product Candidates [Member]
License and patent agreements [Line Items]
License agreement expiration period				20 years	20 years
Biolipox AB [Member]
License and patent agreements [Line Items]
Amount of development milestones payment			$ 3,000,000
Value of common stock shares issued for license fee			250,000
Additional milestone payment payable			1,500,000
Payment of milestone	$ 3,000,000
Biolipox AB [Member] \| Goods and Services Exchanged for Equity Instrument [Member]
License and patent agreements [Line Items]
Shares issued for service \| shares		19,762
Common Stock [Member]
License and patent agreements [Line Items]
Shares issued for service \| shares				12,647	12,647
Stock issued for acquisition \| shares				4,589,771	4,589,771
License and Maintenance [Member] \| SHIP1 Product Candidates [Member]
License and patent agreements [Line Items]
License agreement					$ 1,000		$ 1,000
License and Maintenance [Member] \| SHIP1 Enzyme and Screening of Product Candidates [Member]
License and patent agreements [Line Items]
License agreement					$ 5,000		$ 5,000	$ 5,000
License and Maintenance [Member] \| University Of Washington [Member]
License and patent agreements [Line Items]
Shares issued for service \| shares				536,813	536,813
License and Maintenance [Member] \| University Of Washington [Member] \| First Milestone Payment [Member]
License and patent agreements [Line Items]
Amount of development milestones payment				$ 900
License and Maintenance [Member] \| University Of Washington [Member] \| Second Milestone Payment [Member]
License and patent agreements [Line Items]
Amount of development milestones payment				$ 10,000
License and Maintenance [Member] \| Common Stock [Member] \| University Of Washington [Member]
License and patent agreements [Line Items]
Stock issued for acquisition \| shares				188,974	188,974
License and Maintenance [Member] \| Minimum [Member] \| University Of Washington [Member]
License and patent agreements [Line Items]
Cumulative net sales of licensed products				$ 100,000
License and Maintenance [Member] \| Maximum [Member] \| University Of Washington [Member]
License and patent agreements [Line Items]
Cumulative net sales of licensed products				$ 1,000,000
License [Member] \| Biolipox AB [Member]
License and patent agreements [Line Items]
License agreement			$ 50,000
First Drug Product [Member] \| SHIP1 Product Candidates [Member]
License and patent agreements [Line Items]
Amount of development milestones payment									$ 2,200,000
Subsequent Drug Product [Member] \| SHIP1 Product Candidates [Member]
License and patent agreements [Line Items]
Amount of development milestones payment									$ 1,500,000
Non-voting convertible preferred stock [Member] \| License and Maintenance [Member] \| University Of Washington [Member]
License and patent agreements [Line Items]
Stock issued for acquisition \| shares				4,197	4,197