Organization, Description of the Business and Liquidity	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization, Description of the Business and Liquidity	1. Organization, Description of the Business and Liquidity OncoCyte Corporation (“OncoCyte”) is a developer of novel, non-invasive blood-based tests for the early detection of cancer. It is focused on developing molecular cancer diagnostics utilizing a discovery platform that focuses on identifying genetic markers that are differentially expressed in certain types of cancers. OncoCyte is currently devoting substantially all of its efforts on developing its lung cancer diagnostic test DetermaVu^TM. OncoCyte was incorporated in 2009 in the state of California and was formerly a majority-owned subsidiary of BioTime, Inc. (“BioTime”), a publicly traded, clinical-stage, biotechnology company targeting degenerative diseases, primarily in the fields of ophthalmology, cell therapy for acute spinal cord injury and cancer immunotherapy. Beginning on February 17, 2017, OncoCyte ceased to be a subsidiary of BioTime for financial reporting purposes when BioTime’s percentage ownership of outstanding OncoCyte common stock declined below 50% as a result of the issuance of additional OncoCyte common stock to certain investors who exercised OncoCyte stock purchase warrants (see Note 6). Liquidity For all periods presented, OncoCyte generated no revenues. Since inception, OncoCyte has financed its operations through the sale of common stock and warrants, warrant exercises, a bank loan, and sales of BioTime common shares that OncoCyte holds as marketable equity securities. BioTime also provided OncoCyte with the use of BioTime facilities and services under a Shared Facilities and Services Agreement as described in Note 4 (the “Shared Facilities Agreement”). OncoCyte has incurred operating losses and negative cash flows since inception and had an accumulated deficit of $71.3 million as of December 31, 2018. OncoCyte expects to continue to incur operating losses and negative cash flows for the near future. At December 31, 2018, OncoCyte had $8.0 million of cash and cash equivalents and held BioTime and AgeX Therapeutics, Inc. (“AgeX”) common stock as marketable equity securities valued at $0.4 million. During February 2019 OncoCyte raised an additional $37.4 million in net proceeds, after the payment of underwriting fees and estimated offering expenses, through a public offering and sale of 10,733,334 shares of its common stock (see Note 10). OncoCyte believes that its current cash, cash equivalents and marketable equity securities is sufficient to carry out current operations through at least twelve months from the issuance date of the financial statements included herein. OncoCyte will need to raise additional capital to finance its operations, including the development of its cancer diagnostic tests, until such time as it is able to complete development and commercialize one or more diagnostic tests and generate sufficient revenues to cover its operating expenses. Presently, OncoCyte is devoting substantially all of its research and development resources to the completion of the development of DetermaVu™. OncoCyte may also explore a range of other commercialization options in order to reduce capital needs and the risks associated with the timelines and uncertainty for attaining the Medicare and commercial reimbursement approvals that will be essential for the successful commercialization of DetermaVu™ and any other diagnostic tests that OncoCyte may develop. Those alternative arrangements could include marketing arrangements with other diagnostic companies through which OncoCyte might receive a royalty on sales, or through which it might form a joint venture to market DetermaVu™ and share in net revenues. Delays in the development of DetermaVu™ could prevent OncoCyte from raising sufficient additional capital to finance the completion of development and commercial launch of DetermaVu™ or other cancer diagnostic tests. Even if OncoCyte is successful in completing the development of DetermaVu™, investors may be reluctant to provide OncoCyte with capital until DetermaVu™ is approved for reimbursement by Medicare. The unavailability or inadequacy of financing or revenues to meet future capital needs could force OncoCyte to modify, curtail, delay, or suspend some or all aspects of planned operations. Sales of additional equity securities could result in the dilution of the interests of its shareholders. OncoCyte cannot assure that adequate financing will be available on favorable terms, if at all.

Organization, Description of the Business and Liquidity

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Organization, Description of the Business and Liquidity

1. Organization, Description of the Business and Liquidity

OncoCyte Corporation (“OncoCyte”) is a developer of novel, non-invasive blood-based tests for the early detection of cancer. It is focused on developing molecular cancer diagnostics utilizing a discovery platform that focuses on identifying genetic markers that are differentially expressed in certain types of cancers. OncoCyte is currently devoting substantially all of its efforts on developing its lung cancer diagnostic test DetermaVu^TM.

OncoCyte was incorporated in 2009 in the state of California and was formerly a majority-owned subsidiary of BioTime, Inc. (“BioTime”), a publicly traded, clinical-stage, biotechnology company targeting degenerative diseases, primarily in the fields of ophthalmology, cell therapy for acute spinal cord injury and cancer immunotherapy. Beginning on February 17, 2017, OncoCyte ceased to be a subsidiary of BioTime for financial reporting purposes when BioTime’s percentage ownership of outstanding OncoCyte common stock declined below 50% as a result of the issuance of additional OncoCyte common stock to certain investors who exercised OncoCyte stock purchase warrants (see Note 6).

Liquidity

For all periods presented, OncoCyte generated no revenues. Since inception, OncoCyte has financed its operations through the sale of common stock and warrants, warrant exercises, a bank loan, and sales of BioTime common shares that OncoCyte holds as marketable equity securities. BioTime also provided OncoCyte with the use of BioTime facilities and services under a Shared Facilities and Services Agreement as described in Note 4 (the “Shared Facilities Agreement”). OncoCyte has incurred operating losses and negative cash flows since inception and had an accumulated deficit of $71.3 million as of December 31, 2018. OncoCyte expects to continue to incur operating losses and negative cash flows for the near future.

At December 31, 2018, OncoCyte had $8.0 million of cash and cash equivalents and held BioTime and AgeX Therapeutics, Inc. (“AgeX”) common stock as marketable equity securities valued at $0.4 million. During February 2019 OncoCyte raised an additional $37.4 million in net proceeds, after the payment of underwriting fees and estimated offering expenses, through a public offering and sale of 10,733,334 shares of its common stock (see Note 10). OncoCyte believes that its current cash, cash equivalents and marketable equity securities is sufficient to carry out current operations through at least twelve months from the issuance date of the financial statements included herein.

OncoCyte will need to raise additional capital to finance its operations, including the development of its cancer diagnostic tests, until such time as it is able to complete development and commercialize one or more diagnostic tests and generate sufficient revenues to cover its operating expenses. Presently, OncoCyte is devoting substantially all of its research and development resources to the completion of the development of DetermaVu™. OncoCyte may also explore a range of other commercialization options in order to reduce capital needs and the risks associated with the timelines and uncertainty for attaining the Medicare and commercial reimbursement approvals that will be essential for the successful commercialization of DetermaVu™ and any other diagnostic tests that OncoCyte may develop. Those alternative arrangements could include marketing arrangements with other diagnostic companies through which OncoCyte might receive a royalty on sales, or through which it might form a joint venture to market DetermaVu™ and share in net revenues.

Delays in the development of DetermaVu™ could prevent OncoCyte from raising sufficient additional capital to finance the completion of development and commercial launch of DetermaVu™ or other cancer diagnostic tests. Even if OncoCyte is successful in completing the development of DetermaVu™, investors may be reluctant to provide OncoCyte with capital until DetermaVu™ is approved for reimbursement by Medicare. The unavailability or inadequacy of financing or revenues to meet future capital needs could force OncoCyte to modify, curtail, delay, or suspend some or all aspects of planned operations. Sales of additional equity securities could result in the dilution of the interests of its shareholders. OncoCyte cannot assure that adequate financing will be available on favorable terms, if at all.