The amount of payments to related party during the period.

No definition available.

Name:	acrs_RelatedPartyTransactionCashDisbursementToRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	acrs_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Expenses, net of revenues, recognized resulting from transactions (excluding transactions that are eliminated in consolidated or combined financial statements) with related party.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	acrs_RelatedPartyTransactionExpensesRevenuesNetFromRelatedPartyTransactions
Namespace Prefix:	acrs_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Receivables to be collected from (obligations owed to) related parties, net as of the balance sheet date where one party can exercise control or significant influence over another party; including affiliates, owners or officers and their immediate families, pension trusts, and so forth.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(k)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionDueFromToRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Expenses recognized resulting from transactions (excluding transactions that are eliminated in consolidated or combined financial statements) with related party.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionExpensesFromTransactionsWithRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Reflects the sum of all other revenue and income realized from sales and other transactions (excluding transactions that are eliminated in consolidated or combined financial statements) with related party during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionOtherRevenuesFromTransactionsWithRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionAxis=acrs_DirectSubleaseAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=acrs_NstLlcMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionAxis=acrs_ServicesAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=acrs_AccountsPayableCaptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=us-gaap_BoardOfDirectorsChairmanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Related Party Transactions (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Direct sublease agreement \| NST, LLC [Member]
Related Party Transactions
Expenses incurred under related party transactions	$ 75	$ 59
Services agreement
Related Party Transactions
Net expenses (revenues) from related party transactions	45	103
Services agreement \| General and administrative expense.
Related Party Transactions
Net expenses (revenues) from related party transactions	45	64
Services agreement \| Research and development expense.
Related Party Transactions
Net expenses (revenues) from related party transactions		39
Services agreement \| NST, LLC [Member]
Related Party Transactions
Expenses incurred under related party transactions	56	139
Other revenue earned from related party transactions	(11)	(36)
Payments to related party	135	58
Services agreement \| NST, LLC [Member] \| Accounts Payable
Related Party Transactions
Amount due to related party	3		$ 91
Services agreement \| NST, LLC [Member] \| General and administrative expense.
Related Party Transactions
Expenses incurred under related party transactions	56	79
Other revenue earned from related party transactions	(11)	(15)
Services agreement \| NST, LLC [Member] \| Research and development expense.
Related Party Transactions
Expenses incurred under related party transactions		60
Other revenue earned from related party transactions		(21)
Board of Directors Chairman [Member] \| Direct sublease agreement
Related Party Transactions
Expenses incurred under related party transactions	$ 84	$ 52