Share Capital - Fair Value Assumptions for Stock Options (Details)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017 $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2017 CAD / shares	Dec. 31, 2016 $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2015 $ / shares
Fair Value Assumptions For Stock Options [Abstract]
Average risk-free interest rate	2.35%	2.35%	1.58%	1.75%
Expected volatility	80.00%	80.00%	75.00%	75.00%
Average expected term (in years)	7 years 4 months 13 days	7 years 4 months 13 days	6 years 2 months 19 days	6 years 2 months 23 days
Expected dividend yield	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Weighted average fair value of options granted \| (per share)	$ 5.02	CAD 6.51	$ 4.94	$ 9.83

The estimated dividend rate (a percentage of the share price) to be paid (expected dividends) to holders of the underlying shares over the option's term.

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The estimated measure of the percentage by which a share price is expected to fluctuate during a period. Volatility also may be defined as a probability-weighted measure of the dispersion of returns about the mean. The volatility of a share price is the standard deviation of the continuously compounded rates of return on the share over a specified period. That is the same as the standard deviation of the differences in the natural logarithms of the stock prices plus dividends, if any, over the period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The risk-free interest rate assumption that is used in valuing an option on its own shares.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The weighted average grant-date fair value of options granted during the reporting period as calculated by applying the disclosed option pricing methodology.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Expected term of share-based compensation awards, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (f)(2)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=d3e5070-113901

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 14.D.2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27013229&loc=d3e301413-122809

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedTerm1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value assumptions for stock options.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	xene_FairValueAssumptionsForStockOptionsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	xene_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration