Income taxes - Schedule of Income Tax Recovery (Details)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Statutory federal income tax rate	(21.00%)	(21.00%)
Foreign rate differential	0.00%	(0.10%)
Stock-based compensation	2.00%	1.80%
Disposal of Aquinox Canada	0.00%	(5.20%)
Change in valuation allowance	21.20%	26.50%
Expiration of NOLs (section 382)	0.00%	0.50%
Tax credits	(2.20%)	(2.50%)
Income tax recovery	0.00%	0.00%

Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Expiration Of Net Operating Losses, Percent

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- Definition

Percentage of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 12
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=d3e32687-109319

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Percentage of domestic federal statutory tax rate applicable to pretax income (loss).

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
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Percentage of the difference between reported income tax expense (benefit) and expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to changes in the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 6.I.Fact.4)
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Percentage of the difference between reported income tax expense (benefit) and expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to disposition of a business not qualifying as a discontinued operation.

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Percentage of the difference between reported income tax expense (benefit) and expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income (loss) from continuing operations applicable to statutory income tax expense (benefit) outside of the country of domicile.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 12
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Percentage of difference between reported income tax expense (benefit) and expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying domestic federal statutory income tax rate to pretax income (loss) from continuing operation, attributable to nondeductible expense for share-based payment arrangement.

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Percentage of the difference between reported income tax expense (benefit) and expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to tax credits. Including, but not limited to, research credit, foreign tax credit, investment tax credit, and other tax credits.

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