Series A Preferred Stock [Member] StatementClassOfStock [Axis] Series B Preferred Stock [Member] Series C Preferred Stock [Member] CRL [Member] RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedParty [Axis] ResearchAndDevelopmentExpenseMember NatureOfExpense [Axis] Options [Member] StatementEquityComponents [Axis] GeneralAndAdministrativeExpenseMember Warrant Grant Mar 2014 [Member] Antidilutive Securities [Axis] 2016 (formerly 2008) and 1999 Stock Incentive Plans [Member] Warrant [Member] Warrant shares issuable to PLTG upon exchange of Series A Preferred [Member] Notes Payable 1 [Member] Long-term Debt, Type [Axis] Notes Payable 2 [Member] ClassOfWarrantOrRight [Axis] Employee Stock Option [Member] Warrant 1 [Member] Warrant 2 [Member] Warrant 3 [Member] Warrant 4 [Member] Warrant 5 [Member] Warrant 6 [Member] Warrant 7 [Member] Warrant 8 [Member] Warrant Grant Sept 2015 [Member] Award Type [Axis] NonEmployee Options [Member] Warrant 9 [Member] Pre-modification Post-modification Document And Entity Information Entity Registrant Name Entity Central Index Key Document Type Document Period End Date Amendment Flag Current Fiscal Year End Date Is Entity a Well-known Seasoned Issuer? Is Entity a Voluntary Filer? Is Entity's Reporting Status Current? Entity Filer Category Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding Document Fiscal Period Focus Document Fiscal Year Focus Statement [Table] Statement [Line Items] Class of Stock [Axis] ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents Sublicense fee receivable Prepaid expenses and other current assets Total current assets Property and equipment, net Security deposits and other assets Total assets LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT Current liabilities: Accounts payable Accrued expenses Current portion of notes payable and accrued interest Capital lease obligations Total current liabilities Non-current liabilities: Senior secured convertible promissory notes and accrued interest Notes payable Warrant liability Accrued dividends on Series B Preferred Stock Deferred rent liability Capital lease obligations Total non-current liabilities Total liabilities Commitments and contingencies Stockholders' deficit: Preferred stock Common stock, $0.001 par value; 30,000,000 shares authorized at December 31, 2016 and March 31, 2016; 8,717,136 and 2,623,145 shares issued at December 31, 2016 and March 31, 2016, respectively Additional paid-in capital Treasury stock, at cost, 135,665 shares of common stock held at December 31, 2016 and March 31, 2016 Accumulated deficit Total stockholders' equity (deficit) Total liabilities and stockholders' equity (deficit) Current portion of notes payable, net of discount Current portion of notes payable to related parties, net of discount Convertible promissory notes and accrued interest Stockholders deficit: Preferred Stock, par value Preferred Stock, Authorized Preferred Stock, Shares Issued Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding Common Stock, Par Value Par Share Common Stock, Shares Authorized Common Stock, Shares, Issued Treasury Stock, Shares Income Statement [Abstract] Revenues: Sublicense fees Total revenues Operating expenses: Research and development General and administrative Total operating expenses Loss from operations Other expenses, net: Interest expense, net Change in warrant liability Loss on extinguishment of debt Other income (expense) Loss before income taxes Income taxes Net loss Accrued dividends on Series B Preferred stock Deemed dividend on Series B Preferred Units Net loss attributable to common stockholders Basic and diluted net loss attributable to common stockholders per common share Weighted average shares used in computing basic and diluted net loss attributable to common stockholders per common share Comprehensive loss Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract] Cash flows from operating activities: Net loss Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: Depreciation and amortization Amortization of discounts on convertible and promissory notes Change in warrant liability Stock-based compensation Expense related to modification of warrants, including exchange of warrants for Series C Preferred and common stock Amortization of deferred rent Interest income on note receivable for common stock purchase Loss on settlement of note receivable for common stock purchase Fair value of common stock granted for services Fair value of Series B Preferred stock granted for services Fair value of warrants granted for services and interest Gain on currency fluctuation Loss on extinguishment of debt Loss on disposition of fixed assets Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Sublicense fee receivable Prepaid expenses, security deposit and other current assets Accounts payable and accrued expenses, including accrued interest Net cash used in operating activities Cash flows from investing activities: Purchases of equipment Net cash used in investing activities Cash flows from financing activities: Net proceeds from issuance of common stock and warrants, including Units Net proceeds from issuance of Series B Preferred Units Repayment of capital lease obligations Repayment of notes Net cash provided by financing activities Net increase in cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period Cash and cash equivalents at end of period Supplemental disclosure of noncash activites: Conversion of Senior Secured Notes, Subordinate Convertible Notes, Promissory Notes, Accounts payable and other debt into Series B Preferred Insurance premiums settled by issuing note payable Accrued dividends on Series B Preferred Accrued dividends on Series B Preferred settled upon conversion by issuance of common stock Notes to Financial Statements Description of Business Basis of Presentation Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Fair Value Measurements Sublicense Fee Receivable And Sublicense Revenue Sublicense Fee Receivable and Sublicense Revenue Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets Accrued Expenses Notes Payable Capital Stock Related Party Transactions Lease Extension Lease Extension Subsequent Events Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies Policies Basis of Presentation Use of Estimates Research and Development Expenses Stock-Based Compensation Warrant Liability Comprehensive Loss Income (Loss) per Common Share Recent Accounting Pronouncements Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies Tables Summary of stock-based compensation expense Warrant assumptions Schedule of earning per share Schedule of potentially dilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share Prepaid Expenses And Other Current Assets Tables Prepaid Expenses Accrued Expenses Tables Accrued Expenses Convertible Promissory Notes And Other Notes Payable Tables Notes Payable Assumptions and modifications Capital Stock Tables Unit Warrant grants and allocation of Proceeds Modification of warrants, assumptions Warrants outstanding Basis Of Presentation And Going Concern Details Narrative Accumulated Deficit during its development stage Cash proceeds from issuance of common stock Cash proceeds from grant awards and other events Warrants issued Nature of Expense [Axis] Equity Components [Axis] Stock option expense Market price per share at grant date Exercise price per share Risk-free interest rate Expected term (years) Volatility Dividend rate Shares Fair Value per share Antidilutive securities Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies Details Narrative Share based compensation, Options granted Share based compensation, Options granted, price Options outstanding to purchase Common stock Weighted average exercise price of outstanding options Warrants issued Warrants issuable Prepaid Expenses And Other Current Assets Details Prepaid Expenses Insurance Prepaid AV-101 development expenses Prepaid compensation under financial advisory and other consulting agreements Public offering expenses All other Total Accrued Expenses Details Accrued Expenses Accrued professional services Accrued AV-101 development expenses Accrued compensation All other Total Products and Services [Axis] Related Party [Axis] Title of Individual [Axis] Principal Balance Accrued Interest Total Principal Balance, current Accrued Interest, current Total, current Principal Balance, non-current Accrued Interest, non-current Total, non-current Notes Payable Details Narrative Extinguishment of debt Convertible debt Class of Warrant or Right [Axis] Warrant shares issued Market price per share Aggregate fair value of unit warrants Aggregate proceeds of unit sales Contractual term (years) Weighted average fair value per share Warrant shares cancelled and exchanged Common shares issued in exchange Fair Value Incremental fair value recognized Warrants outstanding Exercise price per share Expiration date range Shares subject to purchase Capital Stock Details Narrative Warrant modification expense CHC Note [Member] Interest rate on note Warrant exercise price Total interest expense Incurred expenses on research and subsequent other projects Custom Element Custom Element Custom Element Custom Element Custom Element Custom Element Custom Element Assets, Current Assets Liabilities, Current Capital Lease Obligations, Noncurrent Liabilities, Noncurrent Liabilities Treasury Stock, Value Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent Liabilities and Equity Revenues Operating Expenses Operating Income (Loss) Interest Expense ChangeInPutAndNoteExtensionOptionAndWarrantLiabilities Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest Income Tax Expense (Benefit) Payments of Debt Extinguishment Costs LossOnEarlyExtinguishmentOfDebt Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Property Plant Equipment, Excluding Oil and Gas Property and Timber Property Increase (Decrease) in Receivables Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities Payments to Acquire Machinery and Equipment Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities Repayments of Long-term Capital Lease Obligations Repayments of Notes Payable Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease) Debt and Capital Leases Disclosures [Text Block] Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block] Schedule of Accrued Liabilities [Table Text Block] Schedule of Debt [Table Text Block] Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period Prepaid Expense, Current [Abstract] Accrued Liabilities, Current [Abstract] Other Accrued Liabilities, Current Convertible Notes Payable, Current Interest Payable, Current Convertible Debt, Current WarrantsOutstanding Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Exercise Price