Formation and Business of the Company	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Formation and Business of the Company	1. Formation and Business of the Company Aravive, Inc. (“Aravive” or the “Company”) was incorporated on December 10, 2008 in the State of Delaware. Aravive is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing treatments designed to halt the progression of life-threatening diseases, including cancer and fibrosis. Prior to the merger with Aravive Biologics, Inc. (the “Merger”), Aravive (then known as Versartis, Inc.) was an endocrine-focused biopharmaceutical company that was developing a long-acting recombinant human growth hormone for the treatment of growth hormone deficiency. The “Company” refers to Aravive as a combined company following the completion of the Merger with Aravive Biologics, Inc. (“Private Aravive”). The Merger became effective on October 12, 2018. On October 15, 2018, Versartis, Inc. changed its name to Aravive, Inc. The Company has been primarily performing research and development activities, including clinical trials, filing patent applications, and raising capital to support and expand these activities. Its headquarters and principal operations are located in Houston, Texas. The Company’s product candidates, AVB-S6, are a set of novel, ultra high-affinity, decoy proteins that target the GAS6-AXL pathway. By capturing serum GAS6, these high affinity decoy proteins starve the AXL pathway of its signal, potentially halting the biological programming that promotes disease progression. AXL signaling plays an important role in multiple types of malignancies by promoting metastasis, cancer cell survival, resistance to treatments, and immune suppression. The GAS6-AXL signaling pathway also plays a significant role in fibrogenesis. The Company’s lead product candidate is AVB-500 (previously referred to as AVB-S6-500). The Company has generated preclinical data for AVB-S6 proteins in both acute myeloid leukemia and certain advanced solid tumors including ovarian, renal, pancreatic, and breast cancers. The Company’s current development program benefits from the availability of a complementary serum-based biomarker that it expects will help accelerate drug development and reduce risk by allowing the Company to select a pharmacologically active dose. In its Phase 1 clinical trial with its clinical lead product candidate, AVB-500, the Company established proof of mechanism by demonstrating full GAS6 neutralization at all doses tested. Importantly, the lead protein candidate had a favorable safety profile preclinically and in the first in human study. The Company has initiated the Phase 1b portion of a Phase 1b/2 clinical trial of AVB-500 combined with standard of care therapies in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. We intend to expand development into additional oncology and fibrotic indications. In July 2016, Private Aravive was approved for a $20 million Product Development Award from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (“CPRIT Grant”). The CPRIT Grant is expected to allow Private Aravive to develop the product candidates referenced above through clinical trials. The CPRIT Grant is effective as of June 1, 2016 and terminates on November 30, 2019. After the termination date, Private Aravive is not permitted to retain any unused grant award proceeds without CPRIT’s approval, but Private Aravive’s royalty and other obligations, including its obligation to repay the disbursed grant proceeds under certain circumstances, survive the termination of the agreement. The CPRIT Grant is subject to customary CPRIT funding conditions including a matching funds requirement where Private Aravive will match 50% of funding from the CPRIT Grant. Consequently, Private Aravive was required to raise $10.0 million in matching funds over the three-year project. Private Aravive has raised all of its required $10.0 million in matching funds. Private Aravive’s award from CPRIT requires it to pay CPRIT a portion of its revenues from sales of certain products by it, or received from its licensees or sublicensees, at tiered percentages of revenue in the low- to mid-single digits until the aggregate amount of such payments equals 400% of the grant award proceeds, and thereafter at a rate of less than one percent for as long as Private Aravive maintains government exclusivity. In addition, the grant contract also contains a provision that provides for repayment to CPRIT of the full amount of the grant proceeds under certain specified circumstances involving relocation of Private Aravive’s principal place of business outside Texas. As consideration for the rights granted as part of a license agreement with Stanford University, Private Aravive is obligated to pay yearly license fees and milestone payments, and a royalty based on net sales of products covered by the patent-related rights. More specifically, Private Aravive is obligated to pay Stanford University (i) annual license payments (ii) milestone payments of up to an aggregate of $1,000,000 upon achievement of clinical and regulatory milestones, and (iii) royalties equal to a percentage (in the low single digits) of net sales of licensed products; provided that the annual license payments made will offset (and be credited against) any royalties due in such license year. In the event of a sublicense to a third party of any rights based on the patents that are solely owned by Stanford University, Private Aravive is obligated to pay royalties to Stanford University equal to a percentage of what Private Aravive would have been required to pay to Stanford University had it sold the products under sublicense itself. In addition, in such event it is required to pay to Stanford University a percent of sublicensing income. In the event of a termination, Private Aravive will be obligated to pay all amounts that accrued prior to such termination. Unaudited Interim Financial Information In the opinion of the Company’s management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments, consisting of only normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of its financial position as of June 30, 2019 and, its results of operations for each of the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, and cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2019, and 2018. The December 31, 2018 condensed consolidated balance sheet was derived from audited financial statements but does not include all disclosures required by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America, or GAAP. The results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire year or any other interim period. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements and related financial information should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and the related notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2018 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed by the Company on March 15, 2019 or the Annual Report with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC.

Formation and Business of the Company

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

1. Formation and Business of the Company

Aravive, Inc. (“Aravive” or the “Company”) was incorporated on December 10, 2008 in the State of Delaware. Aravive is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing treatments designed to halt the progression of life-threatening diseases, including cancer and fibrosis. Prior to the merger with Aravive Biologics, Inc. (the “Merger”), Aravive (then known as Versartis, Inc.) was an endocrine-focused biopharmaceutical company that was developing a long-acting recombinant human growth hormone for the treatment of growth hormone deficiency. The “Company” refers to Aravive as a combined company following the completion of the Merger with Aravive Biologics, Inc. (“Private Aravive”). The Merger became effective on October 12, 2018. On October 15, 2018, Versartis, Inc. changed its name to Aravive, Inc.

The Company has been primarily performing research and development activities, including clinical trials, filing patent applications, and raising capital to support and expand these activities. Its headquarters and principal operations are located in Houston, Texas.

The Company’s product candidates, AVB-S6, are a set of novel, ultra high-affinity, decoy proteins that target the GAS6-AXL pathway. By capturing serum GAS6, these high affinity decoy proteins starve the AXL pathway of its signal, potentially halting the biological programming that promotes disease progression. AXL signaling plays an important role in multiple types of malignancies by promoting metastasis, cancer cell survival, resistance to treatments, and immune suppression. The GAS6-AXL signaling pathway also plays a significant role in fibrogenesis. The Company’s lead product candidate is AVB-500 (previously referred to as AVB-S6-500).

The Company has generated preclinical data for AVB-S6 proteins in both acute myeloid leukemia and certain advanced solid tumors including ovarian, renal, pancreatic, and breast cancers. The Company’s current development program benefits from the availability of a complementary serum-based biomarker that it expects will help accelerate drug development and reduce risk by allowing the Company to select a pharmacologically active dose. In its Phase 1 clinical trial with its clinical lead product candidate, AVB-500, the Company established proof of mechanism by demonstrating full GAS6 neutralization at all doses tested. Importantly, the lead protein candidate had a favorable safety profile preclinically and in the first in human study. The Company has initiated the Phase 1b portion of a Phase 1b/2 clinical trial of AVB-500 combined with standard of care therapies in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. We intend to expand development into additional oncology and fibrotic indications.

In July 2016, Private Aravive was approved for a $20 million Product Development Award from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (“CPRIT Grant”). The CPRIT Grant is expected to allow Private Aravive to develop the product candidates referenced above through clinical trials. The CPRIT Grant is effective as of June 1, 2016 and terminates on November 30, 2019. After the termination date, Private Aravive is not permitted to retain any unused grant award proceeds without CPRIT’s approval, but Private Aravive’s royalty and other obligations, including its obligation to repay the disbursed grant proceeds under certain circumstances, survive the termination of the agreement. The CPRIT Grant is subject to customary CPRIT funding conditions including a matching funds requirement where Private Aravive will match 50% of funding from the CPRIT Grant. Consequently, Private Aravive was required to raise $10.0 million in matching funds over the three-year project. Private Aravive has raised all of its required $10.0 million in matching funds.

Private Aravive’s award from CPRIT requires it to pay CPRIT a portion of its revenues from sales of certain products by it, or received from its licensees or sublicensees, at tiered percentages of revenue in the low- to mid-single digits until the aggregate amount of such payments equals 400% of the grant award proceeds, and thereafter at a rate of less than one percent for as long as Private Aravive maintains government exclusivity. In addition, the grant contract also contains a provision that provides for repayment to CPRIT of the full amount of the grant proceeds under certain specified circumstances involving relocation of Private Aravive’s principal place of business outside Texas.

As consideration for the rights granted as part of a license agreement with Stanford University, Private Aravive is obligated to pay yearly license fees and milestone payments, and a royalty based on net sales of products covered by the patent-related rights. More specifically, Private Aravive is obligated to pay Stanford University (i) annual license payments (ii) milestone payments of up to an aggregate of $1,000,000 upon achievement of clinical and regulatory milestones, and (iii) royalties equal to a percentage (in the low single digits) of net sales of licensed products; provided that the annual license payments made will offset (and be credited against) any royalties due in such license year. In the event of a sublicense to a third party of any rights based on the patents that are solely owned by Stanford University, Private Aravive is obligated to pay royalties to Stanford University equal to a percentage of what Private Aravive would have been required to pay to Stanford University had it sold the products under sublicense itself. In addition, in such event it is required to pay to Stanford University a percent of sublicensing income. In the event of a termination, Private Aravive will be obligated to pay all amounts that accrued prior to such termination.

Unaudited Interim Financial Information

In the opinion of the Company’s management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments, consisting of only normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of its financial position as of June 30, 2019 and, its results of operations for each of the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, and cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2019, and 2018. The December 31, 2018 condensed consolidated balance sheet was derived from audited financial statements but does not include all disclosures required by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America, or GAAP. The results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire year or any other interim period. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements and related financial information should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and the related notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2018 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed by the Company on March 15, 2019 or the Annual Report with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC.