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

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Common Stock - Additional Information (Detail)

Common Stock - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)				3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2015	Apr. 27, 2015	Jul. 02, 2014	Aug. 13, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	May. 21, 2015	May. 20, 2015	May. 29, 2014	May. 28, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	May. 24, 2013	May. 23, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock, shares authorized					75,000,000	75,000,000
Common stock, par value					$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Preferred stock, shares authorized					5,000,000
Preferred stock, par value					$ 0.001
Common stock, shares issued					29,846,991	22,630,652
Gross proceeds						$ 22,372,000
Offering expenses		$ 100,000
Net proceeds received from offering after deducting underwriting discount and offering expenses			$ 22,400,000
Net proceeds to OncoGenex, from the sale of the units			24,000,000
Warrant issuance costs			$ 1,600,000			$ 531,000
Stock option exercises, Shares					5,359	10,000	3,475
Restricted stock unit settlements					269,401	203,148	47,495
Common shares reserved for options currently outstanding					1,479,221
Number Of Warrants Exercised					0
Pre-Funded Series B Warrants [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares issued in financing, Shares						1,340,538
Exercise price per unit of warrant						$ 0.01
Common shares purchased, value						$ 13,405
2010 Performance Incentive Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common shares reserved for issuance under various plans					1,756,171	2,906,777
Stock available for issuance under performance incentive plan								4,300,000	2,800,000	2,800,000	2,050,000		2,050,000	1,050,000
Stock options [Member] \| 2010 Performance Incentive Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common shares reserved for issuance under various plans					3,876,151
Common shares reserved for options currently outstanding					1,479,221
Restricted Stock Unit [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common shares reserved for awards currently outstanding					640,759	680,201	356,589								172,085
Award vesting period					4 years
Restricted Stock Unit [Member] \| 2010 Performance Incentive Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common shares reserved for awards currently outstanding					640,759
Minimum [Member] \| 2010 Performance Incentive Plan [Member] \| Employees and consultants [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period					3 years
Minimum [Member] \| 2010 Performance Incentive Plan [Member] \| Board of Directors [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period					1 year
Minimum [Member] \| Stock options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award expiration period					7 years
Minimum [Member] \| Stock options [Member] \| Employees and consultants [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period					3 years
Minimum [Member] \| Stock options [Member] \| Board of Directors [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period					1 year
Maximum [Member] \| 2010 Performance Incentive Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award expiration period					10 years
Maximum [Member] \| 2010 Performance Incentive Plan [Member] \| Employees and consultants [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period					4 years
Maximum [Member] \| 2010 Performance Incentive Plan [Member] \| Board of Directors [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period					3 years
Maximum [Member] \| Stock options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award expiration period					10 years
Maximum [Member] \| Stock options [Member] \| Employees and consultants [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period					4 years
Maximum [Member] \| Stock options [Member] \| Board of Directors [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period					3 years
Series B Pre-Funded Common Stock Warrants [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares issued in financing, Shares			1,340,538
Registered Offering, price per unit			$ 3.47
Net proceeds to OncoGenex, from the sale of the units			$ 3,387,000
Warrant issuance costs			213,000
Series A Warrants [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Net proceeds to OncoGenex, from the sale of the units			5,261,000
Warrant issuance costs			428,000
Exercise price per unit of warrant					$ 4.00
Number Of Warrants Exercised						0
Series B Warrants [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Net proceeds to OncoGenex, from the sale of the units			1,268,000
Warrant issuance costs			$ 103,000
Exercise price per unit of warrant					4.00
Number Of Warrants Exercised						0
Series A-1 Units [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Exercise price per unit of warrant					$ 2.40
Series A and Series B Warrants issued in July 2014 Financing [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number Of Warrants Exercised						0
Series A [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares issued in financing, Shares			5,559,866
Registered Offering, price per unit			$ 3.48
Common stock purchase right description					Each Series A unit consisted of one share of common stock and a Series A warrant to purchase up to one-half of one share of common stock at an initial exercise price of $4.00 per share.
Series A [Member] \| Series A Warrants [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Strike price of warrants			$ 4.00
Warrant exercisable period			5 years
Series B [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock purchase right description					Each Series B unit consisted of a Pre-Funded Series B warrant to purchase up to one share of common stock at an initial exercise price of $0.01 per share and a Series B warrant to purchase up to one-half of one share of common stock at an initial exercise price of $4.00 per share.
Series B [Member] \| Series B Pre-Funded Common Stock Warrants [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Strike price of warrants			$ 0.01
Warrant exercisable period					5 years
Series B [Member] \| Series B Warrants [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Strike price of warrants			$ 4.00
Warrant exercisable period					5 years
MLV [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock sales agreement aggregate offering amount												$ 25,000,000
Common stock sales agreement aggregate commission in percentage												3.00%
Common stock, shares issued		809,214					0
Gross proceeds		$ 3,000,000
LPC [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock, par value	$ 0.001
Common stock, shares issued	126,582			6,814,980
Gross proceeds	$ 0
Offering expenses				$ 400,000
Common stock value right to sell, maximum	18,000,000
Additional common stock value right to sell, maximum	$ 16,000,000
Additional purchase of common stock, maximum	125,000
Gross proceeds				18,000,000
Common stock available for sale under offering				$ 0
LPC [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock, purchase price	$ 1.50
LPC [Member] \| Series A-1 Units [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Initial purchase of common stock	956,938
Common stock, purchase price	$ 2.09
Purchase agreement, description					Series A-1 Unit consisting of (a) one share of Common Stock and (b) one warrant to purchase one-quarter of a share of Common Stock at an exercise price of $2.40 per share, or Series A-1 Warrant. Each Series A-1 Warrant is exercisable six months following the issuance date until the date that is five years and six months after the issuance date and is subject to customary adjustments.
Exercise price per unit of warrant	$ 2.40
Initial purchase of units consisting of common stock and warrants issued	$ 2,000,000
LPC [Member] \| Other Than Series A-1 Units [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of warrants issued	0