INCOME TAXES (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014 ongoing_tax_audit	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Current income tax expense
Federal	$ 0	$ 23,000	$ (30,000)
State	0	0	(9,000)
Canada	0	0	0
Total current tax expense (benefit)	0	23,000	(39,000)
Deferred tax asset
Tangible and intangible depreciable assets	185,000	874,000
Stock compensation	2,360,000	0
Manufactured drug product inventory to be used in research	1,425,000	1,459,000
Provisions	554,000	93,000
Financing fees	261,000	445,000
Net operating loss carry forwards	23,243,000	13,099,000
Scientific research and experimental development expenditures	5,715,000	5,766,000
Research and development tax credits	266,000	0
Total gross deferred tax assets	34,009,000	21,736,000
Less valuation allowance	(34,009,000)	(21,736,000)
Net deferred tax assets and liabilities	0	0
Additional disclosures
Amount of increase in valuation allowance	(12,300,000)
Share issue expenses not deducted	1,000,000	1,700,000	2,400,000
Reconciliation of the beginning and ending gross amounts of unrecognized tax positions
Unrecognized tax benefits that would not impact effective tax rate	100,000
Accrual for interest or penalties on tax matters	0	0
Number of ongoing tax audits	0
Canadian Federal
Additional disclosures
Scientific research and experimental development expenses deductible for income tax purposes	20,100,000	20,700,000	15,200,000
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	71,642,000
Reconciliation of the beginning and ending gross amounts of unrecognized tax positions
Unrecognized tax positions, beginning of year	35,000	43,000	42,000
Gross decrease — current period tax positions	0	0	0
Gross increase — current period tax positions	35,000	0	1,000
Gross decrease — prior period tax positions	(28,000)	(13,000)	0
Gross increase — prior period tax positions	0	5,000	0
Unrecognized tax positions, end of year	42,000	35,000	43,000
Canadian Federal | 2030
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	5,907,000
Canadian Federal | 2031
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	7,059,000
Canadian Federal | 2032
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	13,312,000
Canadian Federal | 2033
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	18,623,000
Canadian Federal | 2034
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	26,741,000
Canadian Provincial
Additional disclosures
Scientific research and experimental development expenses deductible for income tax purposes	22,700,000	22,400,000	16,800,000
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	71,018,000
Reconciliation of the beginning and ending gross amounts of unrecognized tax positions
Unrecognized tax positions, beginning of year	6,000	2,000	1,000
Gross decrease — current period tax positions	0	0	0
Gross increase — current period tax positions	12,000	0	1,000
Gross decrease — prior period tax positions	0	0	0
Gross increase — prior period tax positions	0	4,000	0
Unrecognized tax positions, end of year	18,000	6,000	2,000
Canadian Provincial | 2030
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	5,985,000
Canadian Provincial | 2031
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	7,066,000
Canadian Provincial | 2032
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	12,433,000
Canadian Provincial | 2033
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	19,385,000
Canadian Provincial | 2034
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	26,149,000
US Federal
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	10,273,000
US Federal | 2030
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	0
US Federal | 2031
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	0
US Federal | 2032
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	0
US Federal | 2033
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	3,261,000
US Federal | 2034
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	7,012,000
US State
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	9,471,000
US State | 2030
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	0
US State | 2031
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	0
US State | 2032
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	0
US State | 2033
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	2,286,000
US State | 2034
Additional disclosures
Net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs)	7,185,000
Research Tax Credit Carryforward [Member] | US Federal
Additional disclosures
Tax Credit Carryforward, Amount		200,000
Research Tax Credit Carryforward [Member] | US State
Additional disclosures
Tax Credit Carryforward, Amount		$ 100,000