Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Collaboration Agreement - Additional Information (Detail)

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Collaboration Agreement - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
0 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 1 Months Ended
Jul. 02, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Sep. 30, 2013
Sep. 30, 2014
Sep. 30, 2013
Dec. 31, 2013
Sep. 30, 2014
Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. and University of British Columbia [Member]
Dec. 31, 2009
Collaboration arrangement [Member]
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
Collaboration arrangement [Member]
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
Collaboration arrangement [Member]
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. [Member]
Minimum [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
Collaboration arrangement [Member]
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. [Member]
Maximum [Member]
Dec. 31, 2009
Collaboration arrangement [Member]
Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. [Member]
Sep. 30, 2014
Collaboration arrangement [Member]
Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. [Member]
Dec. 31, 2009
Collaboration arrangement [Member]
Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. and University of British Columbia [Member]
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]                            
Collaboration agreement aggregate amount               $ 50,000,000            
Maximum amount receivable               370,000,000            
Equity investment 24,000,000               10,000,000          
Royalties at percentage rates ranging                 Mid-teens to mid-twenties on net sales          
Share premium                 20.00%          
Common shares, purchase price                 $ 37.38          
Common shares purchased                 267,531          
Average premium period                 30 days          
Research and development   9,586,000 18,004,000 36,372,000 42,122,000             10,000,000   300,000
Percentage of milestone payments required to be paid to third party                 31.00%          
Percentage of net sales required to be paid as royalty to third party                   4.88% 8.00%      
Direct and indirect costs incurred                 30,000,000          
Required period of notice for termination of collaboration agreement                   3 months 6 months      
Expiration of royalties                 10 years          
Period of authorization change                 90 days          
Receivable for unbilled expense reimbursements   4,827,000   4,827,000   8,657,000                
Milestone payment due             20,000,000           20,000,000  
Period of milestone payment             21 days           21 days  
Reserve for contingency of non payment of non-royalty milestone amount             20,000,000           20,000,000  
Milestone payment made             10,000,000           10,000,000  
Balance amount of milestone payment             10,000,000           10,000,000  
Balance in advanced reimbursement of development activities             $ 30,000,000