Achieve Life Sciences, Inc. Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Collaboration Agreement - Additional Information (Detail)

Collaboration Agreement - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2009
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Achievement of developmental and commercial milestones									$ 370,000,000
Equity investment									22,372,000		53,777,000
Research and development	9,852,000us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	9,586,000us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	9,883,000us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	16,903,000us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	13,195,000us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	18,004,000us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	13,263,000us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	10,855,000us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	46,224,000us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	55,317,000us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	39,948,000us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense
Collaboration revenue	5,653,000	4,803,000	4,929,000	11,731,000	8,604,000	9,862,000	6,340,000	5,076,000	27,116,000	29,882,000	20,095,000
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. [Member]
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Receivable for unbilled expense reimbursements	5,700,000								5,700,000
Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. and University of British Columbia [Member]
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Milestone payment due									20,000,000
Period of milestone payment									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								30,000,000
Collaboration arrangement [Member] \| Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. [Member]
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration agreement aggregate amount												50,000,000
Achievement of developmental and commercial milestones												370,000,000
Equity investment									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								$ 37.38
Common shares purchased									267,531
Direct and indirect costs incurred	30,000,000				30,000,000				30,000,000	30,000,000
Expiration of royalties									10 years
Period of authorization change									90 days
Collaboration revenue									27,100,000	29,900,000	20,100,000
Collaboration arrangement [Member] \| Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Required period of notice for termination of collaboration agreement									3 months
Collaboration arrangement [Member] \| Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. [Member] \| Maximum
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Required period of notice for termination of collaboration agreement									6 months
Collaboration arrangement [Member] \| Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. [Member]
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Percentage of milestone payments required to be paid to third party									21.00%
Research and development												10,000,000
Milestone payment due									20,000,000
Period of milestone payment									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
Collaboration arrangement [Member] \| Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. and University of British Columbia [Member]
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Research and development												$ 300,000
Collaboration arrangement [Member] \| Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. and University of British Columbia [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Percentage of net sales required to be paid as royalty to third party									4.88%
Collaboration arrangement [Member] \| Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. and University of British Columbia [Member] \| Maximum
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Percentage of net sales required to be paid as royalty to third party									8.00%